When Transformation Doesn’t Fit: Leadership, Culture, and the Limits of Change in Academic Libraries

We often celebrate the idea of transformation in academic libraries—rebranding leaders as innovators, change agents, or visionaries. But not all transformation leads to healthy outcomes. What happens when a transformative leader enters an academic library, only to find that their vision doesn’t fit the institutional culture? Or worse, when transformation becomes disruption without direction?

To lead well is not simply to change things. It is to change things for the better—with the people you serve, not in spite of them.

Transforming vs. Transactional: What Kind of Change Are You Leading?

James MacGregor Burns’ foundational theory of transforming leadership distinguishes between two leadership types: transactional and transforming. Transactional leaders focus on exchanges: incentives for performance, clear roles, stable systems. Transforming leaders, on the other hand, raise “followers” into leaders themselves. They are motivated by purpose, values, and mutual growth. According to Burns, transforming leadership “occurs when one or more persons engage with others in such a way that leaders and followers raise one another to higher levels of motivation and morality.”

In academic libraries, this might look like a director empowering staff to experiment with inclusive programming, involving adjunct faculty in decisions about instructional design, or inviting students to co-create policies around AI use. It’s not about command—it’s about collective aspiration.

But here's the catch: even transforming leadership can go awry if it's disconnected from organizational context. A well-intentioned change leader can become a poor fit if they fail to understand the community’s rhythms, values, or readiness. And that’s where Robert E. Quinn’s framework becomes essential.

The Fundamental State of Leadership: A Compass for Fit and Integrity

In his Harvard Business Review article Moments of Greatness, Robert E. Quinn describes the fundamental state of leadership as a mindset grounded in authenticity, self-reflection, and moral influence. Leaders in this state are:

• Results-centered – pursuing meaningful, future-oriented goals;
• Internally directed – acting from deeply held values, not reactive norms;
• Other-focused – committed to the collective good over personal gain;
• Externally open – learning from context, not imposing on it.

This state echoes Burns’ transforming leadership, but offers tools for reflection when things go wrong.

For example, a new library leader may arrive with a history of success and a bold agenda—perhaps to implement AI across instructional services or dismantle outdated hierarchies. But if they’re unwilling to listen, adapt, or engage in authentic conversation with stakeholders, they may end up reproducing the same command-and-control structures they sought to dismantle.

In Quinn’s terms, they are stuck in a “comfort-centered” or “externally directed” mode—acting out scripts rather than leading with presence.

When the Culture Pushes Back: Misfits and Mismatches

Transformative change must be reciprocal. When culture and leadership style are out of sync, resistance is not necessarily regressive—it may be protective. Staff may resist not because they fear change, but because they fear being changed without input. Faculty may be skeptical not because they’re rigid, but because they’ve seen temporary trends masquerade as revolutions.

This is where transforming leaders either recalibrate—or become cautionary tales.

Not all organizations are ready for transformation, and not all transformative leaders are ready to adapt. As Burns warned, the moral dimension of leadership means honoring the agency and values of those being led. True transformation uplifts; it doesn’t bulldoze.

Practical Reflections for Academic Library Leaders

If you are a new library director, interim leader, or department chair hoping to enact change, ask yourself:

1. Do I understand the community I’m joining—not just its needs, but its values?
2. Am I transforming with people, or transforming them?
3. What am I willing to learn—or give up—if it turns out my vision doesn’t fit here?
4. Am I creating the conditions for mutual growth and leadership?

Use Quinn’s four transformative questions as a personal check-in. Use Burns’ framework to ask whether your leadership uplifts others or merely mobilizes them.

When transformation is done well, it doesn’t just solve problems—it helps everyone become more fully themselves, more invested in the future of the library, and more capable of imagining change.

Further Reading

For academic library leaders seeking to deepen their understanding of transformative leadership—and how to recognize when change is aligned or misaligned with institutional culture—these readings provide essential insight:

• James MacGregor Burns, Leadership (1978)
  The foundational text that distinguishes transactional from transforming leadership. Burns frames leadership as a moral relationship that uplifts both leaders and followers. A must-read for anyone initiating values-driven change.

• Robert E. Quinn, “Moments of Greatness: Entering the Fundamental State of Leadership,” Harvard Business Review (July–August 2005)
  A reflective guide to leading from authenticity, purpose, and adaptability. Quinn introduces the four-question framework that helps leaders access their highest self—not just in crisis, but in everyday decision-making.