Final answer:
Option A) Transactional leadership best describes leaders who motivate followers towards goals with rewards and punishment, focusing on supervision and maintaining the status quo. Transformational leadership, while often more effective, focuses on inspiring change and innovation.
Step-by-step explanation:
Leaders who guide or motivate their followers in the direction of established goals by stressing rewards and the consequences of not conforming to expectations are best described as transactional leaders. This leadership style is characterized by a focus on supervision, organizational goals, and maintaining the status quo through a system of rewards and punishments. Contrastingly, transformational leaders are characterized by inspiring and motivating change beyond established expectations, often embodying charisma, inspiration, intellectual stimulation, and individual consideration.
Transactional leadership is effective in certain environments where tasks are clear and the work requires a strong emphasis on organizational goals and reward systems. However, research suggests that transformational leadership may be more effective overall, as it engages and motivates employees beyond immediate rewards, fostering an organizational culture of growth and innovation.