Transformational leadership enjoys widespread appeal among student affairs professionals. National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) and American College Personnel Association (ACPA) conferences frequently feature speakers who promote transformational leadership's two primary tenets: (1) change is the central purpose of leadership, and (2) leadership transcends one's position in an organizational hierarchy. In this chapter, the author describes these tenets and analyzes their usefulness. She concludes that they are questionable guideposts for many administrators. At the end of the chapter, the author offers strategies for dealing with the realities of institutional power.