Job satisfaction—Global Job Satisfaction Scale (GJSS)
Conditions Of Work-Effectiveness II (CWEQ-II)
Nurse-assessed adverse patient outcomes
The quality of the articles included in this review was checked by the Joanna Briggs Institute Qualitative Assessment and Review Instrument Critical Appraisal Checklist. The Joanna Briggs checklist evaluates the methodological quality of a study while determining the possibility of an indication of bias in its conduct, design, and analysis. As can be seen from Table 3 , there were 21 cross-sectional studies (1–11, 13–19, 21–23), 1 descriptive–correlational study (12), and 1 qualitative study (20).
All the included studies largely adhered to the Joanna Briggs criteria, providing comprehensive and detailed descriptions of their respective methodologies and procedures Table 4 , Table 5 and Table 6 . However, it was observed that two of the cross-sectional studies did not explicitly outline any specific strategies to address the stated confounding factors. Nevertheless, as Dekkers et al. (2019) argue, confounding is not dichotomous but rather a continuum where varying degrees of confounding influence can exist [ 28 ]. Furthermore, in accordance with the Joanna Briggs guidelines, the qualitative study failed to disclose the researcher’s cultural or theoretical standpoint, as well as the potential influence of the researcher on the research process. It is worth noting that such omissions are common in qualitative studies, where the focus is on understanding the subjectivity of the participants and allowing their perspectives to emerge naturally.
JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist for Analytical Cross-Sectional Studies.
Authors and Year | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Q5 | Q6 | Q7 | Q8 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Boamah, S., Spence Laschinger, H., Wong, C., and Clarke, S. (2018) | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ |
Asif, M., Jameel, A., Hussain, A., Hwang, J., and Sahito, N. (2019) | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ |
Lappalainen, M., Härkänen, M., and Kvist, T. (2020) | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | |
Seljemo, C., Viksveen, P., and Ree, E. (2020) | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ |
Ree, E. and Wiig, S. (2019) | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ |
Lievens and Vlerick, P. (2014) | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ |
Asiri, S., Rohrer, W., Al-Surimi, K., Da’ar, O., and Ahmed, A. (2016) | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ |
Y Tekingündüz, S., Yıldız, E., and İnci, R. (2021) | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ |
Choi, S., Goh, C., Adam, M., and Tan, O. (2016) | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ |
Khan, B., Quinn Griffin, M., and Fitzpatrick, J. (2018) | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ |
Weng, R., Huang, C., Chen, L., and Chang, L. (2015) | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ |
El-Demerdash, A. M. S., Elhosany, W. A., and Hefny, M. A. M (2018) | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | |
Brewer, C., Kovner, C., Djukic, M., Fatehi, F., Greene, W., Chacko, T., and Yang, Y. (2016) | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ |
Xie, Y. et al. (2020) | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ |
Boamah, S.A. (2022) | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ |
Anselmann, V. and Mulder, R.H. (2020) | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ |
Yilmaz, A. and Duygulu, S. (2020) | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | |
Wagner, A. et al. (2019) | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ |
ALFadhalah, T. and Elamir, H. (2021) | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | |
Liukka, M., Hupli, M., and Turunen, H. (2017) | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ |
Lin, PY., MacLennan, S., and Hunt, N (2015) | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ |
Risk of Bias Assessed by the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist for Qualitative Study Results.
Authors and Year | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Q5 | Q6 | Q7 | Q8 | Q9 | Q10 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liukka, M., Hupli, M., and Turunen, H. (2017) | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | No | No | √ | √ | √ |
JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist for Studies Reporting Prevalence Data Results.
Authors and Year | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Q5 | Q6 | Q7 | Q8 | Q9 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Kvist, T., Mäntynen, R., Turunen, H., Partanen, P., Miettinen, M., Wolf, G., and Vehviläinen-Julkunen, K. (2013) | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ |
Two major themes emerged, effectively addressing the research questions. Within each theme, several categories were identified, shedding light on the multifaceted nature of the topic under investigation. The themes and their corresponding categories were as follows.
Theme 1: Staff nurses’ work environment:
Theme 2: Patients’ outcomes:
Various studies that investigated the mechanism of TFL detected its strong influence on employee attitudes and behaviors in nursing. Nurses’ work attitudes are reflected in their levels of job satisfaction and organizational commitment [ 29 , 30 ]. It was clear from the literature that TFL frequently positively influenced nurses’ work environment by indirectly increasing job satisfaction [ 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 ]. Employees’ positive perception of jobs and organization is revealed through job satisfaction [ 30 ]. Researchers link TFL and empowerment to the establishment of self-determination and competency, which is proven to impact job satisfaction, suggesting the direct relationship between nurse empowerment and nurse job satisfaction, enhancing the quality of the nurses’ work environment [ 9 , 32 ].
There is also evidence to construct a strong link between organizational commitment and job satisfaction. Interestingly, the statistics showed that nursing staff committed to their organization with a strong sense of loyalty and dependence also had higher levels of job satisfaction [ 29 , 33 ]. Further, higher levels of organizational commitment and job satisfaction were also associated with increased health status in the nurses [ 33 ]. More specifically, TFL was related to more excellent supervisor support, increasing job satisfaction among the nurses, and resulting in more significant organizational commitment [ 29 ]. In a study examining the effectiveness of TFL in the environment of elderly care, TFL was found to effectively strengthen the nursing staff’s sense of belonging to the organization, reducing their burnout. The clan culture established through TFL effectively influenced organizational commitment and job satisfaction, where the atmosphere of a home culture created within their work environment promoted the intrinsic values of nursing staff while improving cohesion between the nurses and the quality of care [ 33 ]. However, TFL was found to have a direct positive effect on organizational commitment [ 33 , 35 ].
Studies also found that TFL can reduce the nurses’ intent to leave the job, which is closely related to the previous category, as job dissatisfaction can be the primary precursor of nurses’ intent to leave [ 29 ]. The literature generally highlights that the TFL style shapes employees’ perceptions and feelings around their nursing managers and affects their desire and obligation to maintain the intent to stay in their organization [ 36 ]. A recent cross-sectional study examining 645 nurses working during the COVID-19 pandemic found that a supportive workplace culture can construct an adaptive mechanism through which transformational leaders can improve retention [ 37 ]. Additionally, the literature found TFL to decrease emotional exhaustion amongst nurses by encouraging a spiritual climate, indicating that a positive spiritual climate facilitated through TFL can reduce burnout and decrease nursing staff’s intent to leave [ 31 ]. However, there was insufficient evidence proving a direct correlation between TFL and staff nurses’ decision to stay or leave their job [ 33 , 35 ], but it was suggested that TFL has the potential (but not the primary factor) to slow down attrition and retain nurses by improving job satisfaction and organizational commitment, creating a positive work environment and increasing nurses’ probability of staying [ 35 ]. TFL seems to not act directly on job satisfaction or intent to stay but rather create a multifaceted positive work environment leading to a quality nursing environment. Consequently, it was reported that TFL indirectly influenced willingness to stay by positively influencing staff organizational commitment and job satisfaction [ 29 , 33 , 35 ].
Literature highlights that the TFL style within nursing can give staff nurses increased autonomy through empowerment strategies and meaningful participation in decision-making [ 30 , 31 , 36 ]. In turn, TFL-facilitated empowerment has been proven to increase employee commitment within their units by delegating power to nurses, leading to increased authority within their work environment [ 30 , 36 ]. Empowerment through decision-making involvement via removing formal organizational barriers has been found to reduce powerlessness in the nurse work environment, reducing job burnout and increasing job satisfaction [ 30 ]. RN-MD collaboration and teamwork within and across units were thought to be necessary for the nurse’s autonomy [ 38 ]. Further, the literature relates to the concept that a well-functioning patient safety climate requires nurses with autonomy to deal with problems regarding patient safety while proposing specific solutions and getting support and encouragement from organizations to facilitate patient safety-based innovations [ 39 ].
TFL and transactional leadership behaviors were found to affect empowerment amongst the nursing staff positively. However, TFL behaviors allowed nursing managers to reach even higher levels of success without congruence and reward, embedding empowerment into the clinical environment [ 40 ]. Some studies also identified the empowerment subscale, autonomy, as the statistically significant predictor of commitment, indicating that managers can engage nurses in appropriate decision making about patient care and safety in their work environment [ 30 , 36 ]. Management that does not accept decision-making participation dissembles empowerment, which frustrates and makes staff dependent on an authoritarian structure [ 36 ].
Lievens and Vlerick (2014) found a strong association between TFL and nurse safety compliance [ 41 ]. The more transformational the leader was perceived, the more the nursing staff participated and complied with patient safety practices. Further, staff nurses’ structural empowerment also experienced a significant correlation with the degree to which they perceived nursing managers’ (NMs) TFL behaviors [ 36 , 40 ]. Research also suggested that when nurses perceived their TFL to facilitate an innovative work climate, they automatically contributed to developing innovation behaviors [ 39 ]. Previously mentioned research suggested that nurses need to feel a part of their work environment. However, countries where staff are hesitant to challenge authority create a reluctance to change, and compliance can breed a lack of stimulation [ 31 ]. It was reported that nurse managers should be trained to challenge nurses to resolve problems and specialize their competence to foster innovation and grow talents and creativity [ 36 ].
Lievens and Vlerick (2014), in their cross-sectional study which included 145 nurses, also found intellectual stimulation to strongly impact knowledge-related characteristics, suggesting an indirect link between safety performance and TFL through skills and ability demands, where the more knowledge-related job characteristics were perceived, the more nurses complied with safety rules [ 41 ]. Skill utilization or intellectual stimulation was further found to be the strongest single predictor of work engagement, compared to TFL, where nurses appreciated opportunities for personal development, learning new things, and achieving something meaningful, encouraging work engagement [ 2 , 42 ].
Patients’ outcomes:
The literature shows a positive relationship between TFL and the improvement of patient safety climate and culture, emphasizing that nursing managers are key to developing a safety climate and maintaining a culture of patient safety, preventing adverse events.
There was a significant prevalence of findings reporting TFL to facilitate patient safety either directly [ 2 , 9 , 38 , 42 ] or indirectly [ 32 , 39 , 41 ]. Seljemo et al. (2020), in their cross-sectional study, questioned 156 nurses; Ree and Wiig (2019), also in a cross-sectional design study, questioned 139 nurses and found TFL to be the strongest predictor of patient safety culture and overall perception of patient safety compared to job demands and resources [ 2 , 42 ]. This was suggested to result from TFL having a positive direct effect on the psychosocial work environment. Further evidence also links TFL directly to quality patient outcomes, reducing the possibility of adverse patient outcomes and increasing the quality of care [ 9 ].
Patient safety culture includes themes such as teamwork within units, managers’ support, organizational learning, overall perceptions of safety, feedback and communication openness about the error, frequency of events reported, staffing, handoffs and transitions, and non-punitive response to errors. “Teamwork within units” generally had a common positive perception amongst the nurses, indicating collaboration within their units as effective within TFL [ 38 , 43 , 44 ]. Anselmann and Mulder (2020) asked 183 geriatric nurses in their cross-sectional study, and they support the above, finding that TFL has a positive impact on team performance when a safe climate is fostered [ 45 ]. Even though nurses found cohesion within their units, literature revealed a common theme of insufficient “teamwork between units”, indicating that each unit had an independent culture [ 38 , 43 , 44 ]. Further, a generally weak perception of the effectiveness of RN-MD collaboration was also observed [ 38 , 43 ].
Researchers stressed the necessity of having efficient teamwork between units and on a multi-professional level to create an effective patient safety culture [ 9 ]. Another reoccurring subdimension, “feedback and rewarding”, was also identified as a weak component of TFL in relation to patient safety culture, illustrating a lack of adaptation and implementation of TLF behavior [ 9 , 43 , 46 ]. The TFL nursing manager generally seemed to conduct insufficient work around feedback and rewards, resulting in staff nurses not being encouraged and ensuring that medical errors were prevented and learned from [ 43 , 46 ].
Adverse events can result in patient disability or death, prolong the time necessary to provide care, and increase healthcare costs and patient dissatisfaction [ 47 ]. However, a part of the literature showed that when TFL and transactional leadership were compared, reporting errors without blame and discussing errors openly were the two initiatives that transactional leadership implemented better than TFL [ 40 , 48 ]. A significant finding in the literature was the reoccurring theme of weak patient safety culture in relation to “non-punctual reporting of adverse events” in hospitals with TFL, where staff nurses rarely reported occurring medical errors to their NMs [ 34 , 44 , 46 , 48 , 49 ]. In a Finnish study, one in four nurses showed to not have reported one or more medication errors using their units’ adverse event registration system [ 46 ]. Tekingündüz et al. (2021), in a cross-sectional study with 150 participating nurses, also found a significant weakness in their organization’s patient safety culture, where 52.7% of the nurses did not report any adverse events in the last 12 months, 31.3% reported 1–2 adverse events while 10% reported 3–5 adverse events [ 49 ]. Further, in a qualitative study, the eleven nurse manager participants expressed the importance of nursing staff reporting the occurrence of adverse events to detect why each event happened and identify patient safety risks and solutions [ 50 ]. There was evidence to suggest that nurses reported that the occurrence of errors only sometimes led to a positive change, whereas at other times, it did not lead to any change, and errors were repeated [ 38 ]. The literature explained blame culture and fear in the nurse’s work environment as a factor distancing them from punctuative reporting of medical errors [ 46 , 49 , 50 ]. It was suggested by researchers that nursing staff were not encouraged to report and discuss adverse events openly and blame-free [ 48 , 49 , 50 ]. This involves handling adverse reports by nursing managers without making nursing staff feel guilty.
Managers reported that a culture where it is recognized that everyone makes mistakes is imperial, while it was observed that nurses tended to report other colleagues’ mistakes compared to their own [ 50 ]. Further, nursing managers noticed that nursing staff may blame themselves for a patient safety incident where they feel ashamed and worry about their colleague’s perception of them [ 49 ]. These perceptions were confirmed by nursing staff in another study, expressing their tendency to avoid reporting due to fear of punishment, humiliation, damage to reputation, disciplinary action by a licensing board, malpractice lawsuits, and limited follow-up after reporting loss of job [ 48 ]. Tekingündüz et al. (2021) also found the defect in reporting medical errors to be rooted in nurse’s fear of punishment and lack of confidentiality [ 49 ]. Generally, fear was perceived as a major reason for not reporting adverse events, and nursing managers saw this as a barrier to the effectiveness of their leadership and the attempt to develop their operational models to improve patient safety [ 46 , 49 , 50 ]. However, visionary leadership styles such as TFL correlate positively with both incident reporting and patient safety outcomes. Additionally, TFL is linked to improved patient safety, including reduced mortality rates, fewer medication errors, lower incidences of pneumonia and urinary tract infections, and fewer patient falls, attributed to the leaders’ approach of using errors as chances to enhance processes and promoting the reporting of near misses and adverse events [ 17 , 51 ].
Interestingly, a part of the literature showed that when TFL and transactional leadership were compared, reporting errors without blame and discussing errors openly were the two initiatives that transactional leadership implemented better than TFL [ 40 , 48 ]. These findings confirm the weakness around reporting adverse events and blame culture within TFL units.
This review has collectively reviewed literature that has examined the effectiveness of transformational leadership (TFL) in a nursing work environment and patients’ outcomes. TFL has a complex, interconnected effect on nurses’ intrinsic environment and patient outcomes.
Nurses’ Work Environment:
The literature revealed substantial evidence that TFL can significantly enhance nurses’ psychosocial work environment by indirectly increasing job satisfaction. Three significant mediators between TFL and job satisfaction were nurse empowerment, organizational commitment, and spiritual climate, which altogether were thought to prevent retention in nursing [ 29 , 30 , 31 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 37 ]. Simultaneously, TFL was not the primary factor in job satisfaction but instead a facilitator and constructor of structural empowerment, organizational commitment, and spiritual climate. It is, therefore, evident that the literature revealed a positive domino effect that transformational leaders in nursing can generate. Generally, the literature revealed a strongly positive relationship between TFL and workplace culture in nursing [ 33 , 37 ]. Specific TFL attributes created an inclusive and supportive work environment, either directly or indirectly enhancing the nurses’ work environment and decreasing the risk of nurse burnout [ 37 , 52 ]. Nurses continuously reported managers’ support as a particularly important resource in their work environment, where establishing a high-quality relationship with their leaders was seen as imperial for patient safety culture [ 38 , 42 ].
The correlation observed between supportive leadership and favorable patient safety outcomes underscores the significance of Transformational Leaders (TFLs) possessing a comprehensive grasp of patient safety protocols, as well as recognizing the pivotal role played by bedside nurses in advancing improved safety outcomes. [ 17 ]. More specifically, managers’ support was also found to reinforce innovative behavior [ 39 ], increase job satisfaction [ 35 , 37 ], and even be the primary factor in a positive work environment, compared to TFL [ 29 ]. Conversely, the literature also described managers’ support as a core transformational behavior, where the more transformational the leader was perceived, the more the staff nurses experienced individual support in their clinical environment [ 29 , 42 , 46 ]. As concluded by the literature, TFL is not the primary factor but rather a mediator to job satisfaction, which was determined as an essential nursing outcome, shadowing quality work environment and may be an effective retention strategy in nursing. Previous studies confirm that safety outcomes are improved when workplace empowerment takes place in a positive nurse–leader relationship based on trust and respect, where they, together, work toward a patient safety culture [ 53 ].
Therefore, incorporating transformational leadership in nursing has numerous implications, with a direct and positive impact on job satisfaction. By nurturing a sense of purpose, providing support and empowerment, and promoting individual growth, transformational leaders create a fulfilling work environment that motivates nurses to excel. As nurses experience greater job satisfaction, patient care quality also improves, resulting in cooperative success for healthcare organizations, nursing staff, and the patients they serve.
Patients’ Outcomes:
The connection between supportive leadership and positive patient safety outcomes points to the importance of the TFL’s understanding of patient safety processes and the role of bedside nurses in promoting better safety outcomes [ 38 ]. However, several researchers reported not having a visible leader [ 43 ], which is documented as essential for patient safety changes to occur [ 53 ].
Researchers are linking negative patient safety outcomes to a lack of effective leadership, while relational leadership styles like transformational leadership continue to be associated with reduced adverse patient outcomes [ 17 ]. However, TFL nursing managers were repeatedly reported by the staff nurses only to communicate errors and problems after the adverse event, waiting for the event before resolving problems and taking proactive action [ 36 , 50 ]. Literature highlights that organizations that have successfully created a non-blame culture have better patient safety outcomes because the staff are encouraged to report errors, unsafe practices, and adverse events, perceiving safety around seeking help and assistance without threat [ 54 ]. Therefore, avoiding a blame culture and developing a reporting system serves as a proactive approach to identifying and mitigating risks, ultimately preventing errors and recurring mistakes, which, when left unaddressed, can result in significant social and economic burdens due to fatalities and preventable incidents [ 51 ] Additionally, developing a safety culture through managers’ interdisciplinary walkabout safety rounds has been associated with safety outcomes [ 17 ].
Transformational leadership in nursing has far-reaching implications for patient outcomes and care quality. By fostering a collaborative and patient-centered approach, empowering nursing staff, encouraging continuous learning, and promoting a culture of excellence, transformational leaders enhance the overall care experience for patients. Ultimately, the positive impact of transformational leadership on patient outcomes establishes it as a key factor in ensuring the delivery of high-quality healthcare services in nursing settings.
This literature review enriches nursing practice and research in a time where nursing leaders are sought to have an important and prominent role in healthcare policy development and improvement. Increased demand and complexity of patient care require effective and competent leadership skills and an understanding of TFL’s function in the current healthcare environment. Even though literature has constructed the idea of the nexus between patient safety and leadership, patient safety outcomes are unlikely to improve without facilitating and fostering the professional growth of future leaders. Additionally, factors influencing organizational job satisfaction and organizational commitment are significantly under the influence of TF nurse leaders. Therefore, healthcare organizations and the educational sector should invest in leadership training and curriculum to implement it further into nursing to support and ensure safe, quality work environments for both nurses and patients.
This literature review predominantly incorporated quantitative research methodologies, which, in certain instances, can present challenges in contextualizing a phenomenon comprehensively, as the data may not always possess the robustness required to elucidate intricate issues. Additionally, it should be noted that the review’s scope was confined to studies published exclusively in the English language, with no inclusion of relevant content from the grey literature beyond the stipulated publication sources, and unpublished dissertations were also omitted from consideration. Consequently, it is essential to acknowledge that this review may not provide a fully representative overview of all pertinent scholarship within the field.
Despite the global recognition and attempted implementation of TFL in healthcare, the statistics still show that TFL is yet to be mastered within nursing. The strong relationship between TFL, structural empowerment, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment signify that an improved quality work environment may be the most essential element to enhance job effectiveness and patient safety in nursing. TFL is a vital facilitator that could help healthcare to improve job satisfaction and reduce adverse events. Evidence suggests that nursing managers who possess effective TFL attributes are likely to influence their nursing staff’s satisfaction and mitigate the risk of burnout by establishing a supportive and inclusive work environment directly or indirectly. Focusing on the adoption of a blame-free culture through effective leadership is likely to break down barriers to safety culture, which has resulted in poor patient care worldwide. Patient safety outcomes rely on a well-established patient safety culture, which is most influenced by the bedside nurse, either directly or indirectly. With effective leadership engagement and education, emerging nursing leaders can be supported while the nursing team can be empowered to make the necessary changes to reach levels of excellence within their units. It is important to comprehend that leaders are not just in executive and senior positions but include any part of the healthcare team that is influential to patient care. Effective TFL engagement has the potential to enhance patient safety, where it is conveyed that all healthcare workers, from executive to bedside nurses, participate in a positive safety culture.
PRISMA 2020 Checklist.
Section and Topic | Item # | Checklist Item | Location Where Item Is Reported (Page Number) |
---|---|---|---|
Title | 1 | Identify the report as a systematic review. | 1 |
Abstract | 2 | See the PRISMA 2020 for Abstracts checklist. | 1 |
Rationale | 3 | Describe the rationale for the review in the context of existing knowledge. | 3 |
Objectives | 4 | Provide an explicit statement of the objective(s) or question(s) the review addresses. | 3 |
Eligibility criteria | 5 | Specify the inclusion and exclusion criteria for the review and how studies were grouped for the syntheses. | 4 |
Information sources | 6 | Specify all databases, registers, websites, organizations, reference lists, and other sources searched or consulted to identify studies. Specify the date when each source was last searched or consulted. | 4 |
Search strategy | 7 | Present the full search strategies for all databases, registers, and websites, including any filters and limits used. | 4 |
Selection process | 8 | Specify the methods used to decide whether a study met the inclusion criteria of the review, including how many reviewers screened each record and each report retrieved, whether they worked independently, and, if applicable, details of automation tools used in the process. | 5 |
Data collection process | 9 | Specify the methods used to collect data from reports, including how many reviewers collected data from each report, whether they worked independently, any processes for obtaining or confirming data from study investigators, and, if applicable, details of automation tools used in the process. | 5 |
Data items | 10a | List and define all outcomes for which data were sought. Specify whether all results that were compatible with each outcome domain in each study were sought (e.g., for all measures, time points, analyses), and, if not, the methods used to decide which results to collect. | N/A |
10b | List and define all other variables for which data were sought (e.g., participant and intervention characteristics, funding sources). Describe any assumptions made about any missing or unclear information. | N/A | |
Study risk of bias assessment | 11 | Specify the methods used to assess risk of bias in the included studies, including details of the tool(s) used, how many reviewers assessed each study and whether they worked independently, and, if applicable, details of automation tools used in the process. | 7 |
Effect measures | 12 | Specify for each outcome the effect measure(s) (e.g., risk ratio, mean difference) used in the synthesis or presentation of results. | N/A |
Synthesis methods | 13a | Describe the processes used to decide which studies were eligible for each synthesis (e.g., tabulating the study intervention characteristics and comparing against the planned groups for each synthesis (item #5)). | 20 |
13b | Describe any methods required to prepare the data for presentation or synthesis, such as handling missing summary statistics or data conversions. | N/A | |
13c | Describe any methods used to tabulate or visually display results of individual studies and syntheses. | N/A | |
13d | Describe any methods used to synthesize results and provide a rationale for the choice(s). If meta-analysis was performed, describe the model(s), method(s) to identify the presence and extent of statistical heterogeneity, and software package(s) used. | N/A | |
13e | Describe any methods used to explore possible causes of heterogeneity among study results (e.g., subgroup analysis, meta-regression). | N/A | |
13f | Describe any sensitivity analyses conducted to assess robustness of the synthesized results. | N/A | |
Reporting bias assessment | 14 | Describe any methods used to assess risk of bias due to missing results in a synthesis (arising from reporting biases). | N/A |
Certainty assessment | 15 | Describe any methods used to assess certainty (or confidence) in the body of evidence for an outcome. | N/A |
Study selection | 16a | Describe the results of the search and selection process, from the number of records identified in the search to the number of studies included in the review, ideally using a flow diagram. | 6 |
16b | Cite studies that might appear to meet the inclusion criteria, but which were excluded, and explain why they were excluded. | 6 | |
Study characteristics | 17 | Cite each included study and present its characteristics. | 7 |
Risk of bias in studies | 18 | Present assessments of risk of bias for each included study. | N/A |
Results of individual studies | 19 | For all outcomes, present, for each study: (a) summary statistics for each group (where appropriate) and (b) an effect estimate and its precision (e.g., confidence/credible interval), ideally using structured tables or plots. | N/A |
Results of syntheses | 20a | For each synthesis, briefly summarize the characteristics and risk of bias among contributing studies. | N/A |
20b | Present results of all statistical syntheses conducted. If meta-analysis was done, present for each the summary estimate and its precision (e.g., confidence/credible interval) and measures of statistical heterogeneity. If comparing groups, describe the direction of the effect. | N/A | |
20c | Present results of all investigations of possible causes of heterogeneity among study results. | 20–25 | |
20d | Present results of all sensitivity analyses conducted to assess the robustness of the synthesized results. | 20–25 | |
Reporting biases | 21 | Present assessments of risk of bias due to missing results (arising from reporting biases) for each synthesis assessed. | N/A |
Certainty of evidence | 22 | Present assessments of certainty (or confidence) in the body of evidence for each outcome assessed. | 20–25 |
Discussion | 23a | Provide a general interpretation of the results in the context of other evidence. | 25–26 |
23b | Discuss any limitations of the evidence included in the review. | 25–26 | |
23c | Discuss any limitations of the review processes used. | 25–26 | |
23d | Discuss implications of the results for practice, policy, and future research. | 25–26 | |
Registration and protocol | 24a | Provide registration information for the review, including register name and registration number, or state that the review was not registered. | N/A |
24b | Indicate where the review protocol can be accessed or state that a protocol was not prepared. | N/A | |
24c | Describe and explain any amendments to information provided at registration or in the protocol. | N/A | |
Support | 25 | Describe sources of financial or non-financial support for the review and the role of the funders or sponsors in the review. | 27 |
Competing interests | 26 | Declare any competing interests of review authors. | 27 |
Availability of data, code, and other materials | 27 | Report which of the following are publicly available and where they can be found: template data collection forms; data extracted from included studies; data used for all analyses; analytic code; any other materials used in the review. | 31 |
From: Page MJ, McKenzie JE, Bossuyt PM, Boutron I, Hoffmann TC, Mulrow CD, et al. The PRISMA 2020 statement: an updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. BMJ 2021;372:n71. doi: 10.1136/bmj.n71. For more information, visit: http://www.prisma-statement.org/ , access on 26 March 2023.
This research received no external funding.
Conceptualization, search, coding, and drafting, L.M.K.Y. and M.N.; search and quality assurance, coding, and feedback, S.G., E.L., G.P. and C.S.C. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.
Not applicable.
Data availability statement, public involvement statement.
No public involvement in any aspect of this research.
This manuscript was drafted against the PRISMA 2020 Statement. A complete checklist is found in Appendix A of the manuscript.
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
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What is a transformational leader, transformational leadership: conclusion, reference list.
In any organization, the focus is based on yielding high profits. The key to this lies in the leader, who in turn inspires the staff. Leadership in an organization is usually classified into different categories based on the style the leader uses.
Different leadership styles are used to attain desired goals, but Bass (2006) pointed out in his work that the secret to an organization that is effective in achieving its goals lies in the use of transformational leadership. A leader usually uses power and influence to exercise authority. In transformational leadership, however, the idea is to emphasize influence to manage the teams and bring them aboard to understand the leader’s vision.
Transformational leadership can be defined as implementing new ideas through adopting a more flexible and universal method of influencing and continually ameliorating those around them. This type of leadership calls for the leader and the staff to improve one another’s motivation levels.
Motivational leaders bravely work towards making the staff realize the need for higher ideas and their vision for the organization’s future. Transformational leaders naturally role model their followers and pass their enthusiasm by clearly letting them visualize their ideas and what he is doing, and by outlining their genuine personal beliefs, he shows the followers that he has these values. Transformational leaders can achieve these results by possessing certain qualities and characteristics.
Transformational leaders understand their abilities and confidently stand firm on their beliefs. Confidence in their abilities keeps them motivated and helps them connect emotionally to the organization. They have high levels of self-determination, which helps them attain a sense of direction for the organization and, in turn, influence the followers, and together they propel the organization in the right course.
They possess self-drive, which helps them to visualize themselves as achievers who do not have to rely on luck to achieve good results. It is this understanding of self that helps them to transform those around them (Chammas, 2010).
Another characteristic of effective transformational leaders is seen in their ability to understand those around them and particularly those under them. Transformational leaders carefully understand and purposefully influence and motivate the staff to understand the goals. Together, they are working toward attaining that goal since he assists them in realizing its intended worth.
This requires the transformational leader to have the right communication skills to relay their vision to the point of winning the willingness of the followers such that they, too, are excited and have the drive to achieve the desired change. Transformational leader fully understands what they hope to achieve, and the process of carefully relaying the intent to the followers requires idealized influence, which ensures the followers are not resistant to the idea.
To do so, the leader must also be willing to actively involve them in chatting the way forward towards attaining the goal. After they agree on the right course of action, the transformational leader again provides inspirational motivation to keep them going and excite their minds to have the urge to achieve the task.
After the transformational leader purposefully develops the ideas and effectively influences the staff to yearn to attain the goal, it only marks the beginning of the process. The work of the transformational leader is to keep the staff focused on the vision continually, help them stick to the agreed course of action to attain the vision, and continually be actively involved in influencing more and more colleagues to support the vision.
The importance here is to make sure that the staff clearly understands the vision the leader has for the organization’s future and make sure that they will support the course and keep abreast with the importance of the task even in years to come. The staff should not just be involved in doing their assigned job but engage in the job because they realize the importance of the outcome of the job.
The last characteristic of transformation leadership is a combination of three qualities requiring the transformational leader to think outside the box. According to Chammas (2010), a transformational leader is not afraid to evaluate the organization’s traditions and make changes without interfering with its core business.
This requires that they come up with innovative and creative ways that align with their vision for the organization. In their pursuit of change, they are seen as ignoring the present and yearning for a better future. A factor that works with this is their willingness to embrace innovations and ideas.
The transformational leader encourages others to develop new methodologies and innovations that align with attaining the vision. They do so as to keep abreast with the changing times and to demonstrate that they understand that new challenges in the future need new solutions.
Therefore, they encourage suggestions and offer appraisals for the best ideas. The third point on the same is that the transformational leader takes up their role as the advisor and the guide of the team. Their role here is to assist the whole team through the operations. This requires that they understand that each individual has their own personal strengths and weaknesses in given areas.
The leader also considers the individual’s level and will to adjust to new ideas. By understanding the readiness levels, the leader can establish the right timing for implementing the new ideas so that the resistance is minimal. The ability to forge ahead and achieve a new, transformed organization depends on the transformational leader’s influence levels on the staff and developing them in the areas needed to achieve a new organization.
Transformational leadership has proven effective by far compared to other leadership styles. This is due to its influential nature that seeks to have both the leader and the follower develop each other, and together they work towards attaining a vision and, in turn, a new organization.
The benefits of adopting transformation leadership are clearly felt in the outcomes. Transformation leadership increases the influence at the topmost leadership level. This, according to Cox (2010), is because transformational leaders act as role models to other employees in the organization and hence are obeyed, and their method of dealing with people is respected. The result is an organization where there is solid unity between the leader and the employees, giving rise to an atmosphere of mutual trust and effective communication.
This means that the executive is given a hearing by other staff. Therefore the implementation of ideas is fast, and the environment at the workplace is not tense or hierarchical. This is because more emphasis is placed on developing each other instead of arguing about bureaucracy. The leader concentrates on guiding the staff through the vision instead of spending most of the time trying to unite opposing groups in an organization. Results are achieved quickly once all the staff are on board and working passionately.
Another benefit of transformational leadership is seen in how the leader oozes the charisma and excitement they have to perform their duty. The rest of the staff can read clearly the leader’s aspirations, and consequently, they follow in trying to achieve the vision too. The energy possessed by transformational leaders is said to be a major contributor to the other staff’s willingness to join in because they are inspired by their leader’s genuine vision of taking the organization to a whole new level.
A successful and effective organization is able to be realized through two important aspects; a leader who has a clearly defined vision for the organization and staff who have the will to assist and work together towards the realization of that goal. Transformational leaders are enthusiastic about their vision and through their ability to bring other staff on board, realizing the vision becomes very easy and hence a successful and effective organization (Cox, 2010).
A major benefit of transformational leadership is how it can guide the employees bit by bit in achieving a change in the organization. They do this by gradually explaining and influencing the employees and taking them through the step-by-step process of attaining the desired change.
They can visualize the changes the organization should hope to achieve, e.g., introducing a new product, new operating methods, new technology adjustments, etc. They then embark on a mission to carefully engage the employees to understand their feelings toward the desired change. According to Xenitelis (2010), they do this by employing tactical approaches to reveal their thoughts on the same and involve them directly in defining the desired change.
They then attempt to make that necessary adjustment to make the employees clearly understand why the change is important and what it hopes to achieve. After the necessary change is made to propel the vision, the transformational leader then guides the process and ensures that everyone is on board. The leader keeps a constant check by evaluating the process as it continues and hence makes the necessary changes.
This step-by-step engagement of the process proves very successful and is the most effective way for the organization to realize changes. It is also an effective way of avoiding resistance to change which is usually a major hindrance to organizational progress. Its effectiveness is seen especially when the organization wishes to launch a new product or desires to make a complete change in its operating processes (Xenitelis, 2010).
Employees in an organization led by a transformational leader always feel the challenge to keep their energies going because they are inspired by the leader. This fosters a feeling of taking one’s duties and responsibilities personally and yearning to perform one’s tasks to the best of their abilities. This sort of inspiration by the transformational leader encourages the employees to come up with new ways of doing things.
Creativity and innovativeness amongst the employees are encouraged, which, in turn, brings out the individual’s full potential while still addressing the issue of self-development. The benefits of such a working environment trickle down to the organization, which has employees with self-fulfillment and give their best, and their creative input is enjoyed; hence the organization’s effectiveness is realized (Stewart, 2006).
Bass, one of the pioneers of transformational leadership, pointed out that the application of this style of leadership helps the employees push their abilities to levels they never thought they could reach. In addition to transformational leadership uniting and ensuring people agree Bass pointed out that it fosters a working culture where moral force flourishes, and therefore the level of employee turnover is kept at a minimum.
Employees who understand that the organization they are working for encourages them to give their creativity and allows them to develop to levels they never thought they could achieve are likely to stick with the organization for long. The benefits of such a working culture are realized in the organization’s success in achieving its vision since the costs associated with employee turnover and retention are cut, as well as the benefits of developed and satisfied employees (Bass, 2006).
Transformational leadership brings forth culture and climate in an organization whereby success is bound to prosper. When a transformational leader takes into consideration the abilities and needs of each employee individually and shares their genuine vision clearly and elaborately, it brings forth a culture of honesty and receptiveness.
The employees feel that their input is respected and credit awarded for their ideas. This, in turn, gives rise to a working environment where there is job satisfaction, and consequently, due to the absence of commotion, the environment is stress-free.
The employees are always in high spirits, and their motivation to work hard is on top; hence they freely express their abilities to improve in certain areas, and the areas where they are strong are emphasized. An organization’s success is bound to be realized in such a stress-free working culture with high motivation levels. Job satisfaction is high and personal abilities are given consideration.
Transformational leadership is beneficial in that it can help an organization cut costs. Through the transformational leader’s ability to connect with the employees and give them a chance to understand the task at hand, including allowing their ideas and creativity, job satisfaction is achieved, which means employees do not feel the need to leave the organization hence the reduced employee turnover. This, in a major way, saves the organization high costs associated with losing employees and having to employ new ones.
In a transformational leadership organization, the employees are given a chance to concentrate on areas they are strong in; hence, the unnecessary costs of training the employees in unfamiliar areas are reduced. This also goes for the fact that the employees are given a chance to develop, and as they work harmoniously, they teach each other by sharing ideas. Hence, in-training employees is unnecessary in most cases (Stewart, 2006).
In conclusion, effectiveness in an organization highly depends on the leader’s ability to have a vision, build consensus with the employees, and adjust his leadership style to fit the vision and guide the whole team toward the desired direction.
Transformational leadership considers all this by having the leader clearly understand the direction he wants to propel the organization, influencing the employees, and making them understand how important the change is. Then together, they engage in the process.
Transformational leadership combines the right employees and the right motives. It inspires creativity and motivation in achieving a smooth flow of processes which, in the long run, ensures an effective organization that delivers its results and is consistent in achieving the desired changes.
Bass, M. and Riggio, E. (2006) Transformational Leadership. New York, Routledge.
Chammas, A. (2010) Leadership Characteristics for Organizational Transformation Success, Transformational Leadership , vol. 12, no. 6, pp. 16-27.
Cox, R. (2010) The Benefits of Transformational Leadership . Web.
Stewart, J. (2006) Transformational Leadership: An Evolving Concept Examined through the Works of Burns, Bass, Avolio, and Leithwood , Canadian Journal of Educational Administration and Policy. vol. 27, no. 56, pp. 1-19.
Xenitelis, M. (2010) Transformational Leadership , Management. vol. 43, no. 12, pp. 11 -17.
IvyPanda. (2019, February 7). Transformational Leadership Essay. https://ivypanda.com/essays/transformational-leadership/
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You're on a quest to become a better leader, and you've stumbled upon a term that keeps popping up: transformational leadership. You're in the right place to find out what it means, why it matters, and how it could change your life and the lives of those you lead.
Transformational Leadership is a leadership style where the leader inspires and motivates team members to exceed expectations, fosters an environment of trust and respect, and ultimately drives positive organizational change.
Don't just skim the surface; let's get into the nitty-gritty of transformational leadership. We'll uncover its roots, its impact, organizational effectiveness, and even its criticisms.
Transformational Leadership is a term that gets tossed around a lot, especially when people talk about great leaders who've made a real difference. But what does it actually mean?
Imagine you're in a boat and everyone's rowing. But there's a catch: You're not getting anywhere because everyone's rowing in different directions. A great transformational leader steps in and not only aligns everyone to row in the same direction but also makes them want to row harder and faster.
In simpler terms, a good transformational leaders' leader isn't just a boss; they're more like a mentor or coach.
Transformational Leadership is when you, the leader, motivate and inspire your team to exceed usual expectations and performance levels. You achieve this through various ways: communicating a compelling vision, fostering creativity, and building strong, respectful relationships with team members.
Importantly, transformational organizational leadership is not about directing or controlling. It's about nurturing growth—in both individuals and organizations.
You now know what transformational leadership is, but where did it come from? The concept of transformational leadership isn't as new as you might think; it has roots that date back to the late 20th century.
The term was first introduced in a presidential address by sociologist James V. Downton in 1973. But the concept really gained traction when James MacGregor Burns penned his seminal book "Leadership" in 1978.
Burns drew a line between transactional leaders , those who operate on an exchange basis like "do this for me, and I'll give you that," and transformational leaders , who ignite the internal motivations of their team members to exceed expectations.
Burns argued that effective transformational leaders create a more ethical and empowering environment.
The 1980s brought more meat to the bones of transformational leadership theory. Researchers like Bernard M. Bass expanded upon Burns' ideas.
Bass introduced the concept of Charismatic Leadership , which is a component of transformational leadership. He said that transformational leaders often have strong sense of charisma, but charisma alone isn't enough. You also need to empower your team, listen to them, and encourage their personal growth.
By now, you're starting to see how this leadership style has evolved over time. Knowing its history gives you a richer understanding of why it's so impactful today.
And as you'll find out, transformational leadership is not just a theory but a practice that has been embraced across diverse settings—from businesses to politics and education.
You're probably thinking, "Okay, transformational leadership sounds great, but what makes it tick?" Experts usually break it down into four key components, often referred to as the Four 'I's.
First up is Idealized Influence . This is all about being a role model. You set high standards for ethical behavior and show dedication. When your team sees you walking the walk, they're more likely to trust you and follow your lead.
Second is Inspirational Motivation . Imagine you're a coach giving a halftime speech. You're uplifting your team, filling them with energy and enthusiasm for the tasks ahead. You set exciting visions for the future and show how everyone plays a vital part in reaching that vision.
The third 'I' stands for Intellectual Stimulation . Here, you're not just giving orders; you're encouraging your team to think creatively and solve problems. Imagine a teacher who doesn't just want the correct answer but challenges students to explain how they got there.
Last but not least, is Individualized Consideration . This means you're tuned into each team member's needs and potential for growth. It's like a gardener knowing exactly how much water, sunlight, and nutrients each type of plant in the garden needs. You provide coaching, give feedback, and open doors for individual consideration and opportunities that will help them grow.
Together, these four components make the transformational leadership style what it is—a holistic approach to guiding a team to reach and exceed their potential.
By now, you're getting a pretty good grip on what transformational leadership entails. But how does it stack up against other leadership styles? After all, it's not the only game in town.
You might have heard of Authoritarian Leadership , where the leader calls all the shots and expects the team to follow without question. It's like a strict parent dictating every move their child makes.
Transformational leadership, in contrast, gives room for creative thinking and individual growth. Instead of telling you what to do, a transformational leader guides you in discovering the best course of action for yourself.
Then there's Laissez-Faire Leadership , a style of organizational structure where the leader takes a hands-off approach. Picture a laid-back supervisor who lets the team figure things out on their own.
While this approach can foster independence, it often lacks the motivational spark that transformational leadership provides.
Don't forget about Transactional Leadership , which we touched on earlier. This management style is more about give-and-take. It's like a business deal: "You complete this task, you get a reward."
While transactional leadership can be effective, it doesn't aim to transform or inspire on a deeper level.
Transformational leadership has its own unique flavor. It combines the best of different worlds: it's motivating but not controlling, structured but not rigid, and inspirational without being unrealistic.
First, let's talk about Nelson Mandela. He led South Africa out of apartheid and into a new era of racial equality and democracy.
Mandela didn't just give orders; he inspired a nation. His leadership wasn't about transactions; it was about transformative change.
He exemplifies Idealized Influence , one of the Four 'I's we talked about earlier, by being a moral compass for his followers.
Next up is Oprah Winfrey. She broke multiple barriers in her career, and her impact extends beyond television to education and philanthropy.
Oprah is a fantastic example of Inspirational Motivation . She has the unique ability to connect with people, inspiring them to take action and make positive changes in their lives.
Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple, transformed the way we interact with technology. He pushed for innovative designs and user-friendly interfaces, changing our relationship with computers, smartphones, and tablets.
Jobs exemplifies Intellectual Stimulation by encouraging his team to think differently and challenge the status quo.
Malala Yousafzai stood up for girls' education in Pakistan, despite facing life-threatening dangers. Her courage and advocacy have inspired a global movement.
Malala represents Inspirational Motivation and Idealized Influence by standing up for what she believes in and motivating others to do the same.
The founder of the Virgin Group, Richard Branson, is known for his adventurous spirit and willingness to take risks. He has created a culture that fosters innovation and creativity across various industries, from music to air travel.
Branson illustrates Intellectual Stimulation by continually encouraging new ideas and approaches.
Angela Merkel, the Chancellor of Germany for over a decade, was a stabilizing force in European politics. She managed multiple crises, from the financial downturn to the refugee situation, with a balanced and humane approach.
Merkel shows Individualized Consideration by focusing on long-term solutions that consider the well-being of all parties involved.
Tony Dungy, former NFL coach, transformed the Indianapolis Colts into a Super Bowl-winning team. More importantly, he did it while emphasizing the importance of character and moral integrity.
Dungy is a prime example of Idealized Influence because he led by example, setting a standard for both sportsmanship and leadership.
You might be wondering, "What's the secret sauce that makes transformational leadership so effective?" Well, it's not just about actions; it's also about the psychological impact on the team.
Firstly, this leadership style taps into Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs . Remember Maslow? He's the guy who said we have a pyramid of needs , from basic survival up to self-actualization. Transformational leaders aim for the top. They're not just offering you a paycheck (survival); they're helping you fulfill your potential ( self-actualization ).
Second, there's the concept of Emotional Intelligence , or EQ. Transformational leaders usually score high in EQ. They're tuned into their own emotions and can read the room, sensing the team's mood and adjusting their approach accordingly.
Lastly, let's talk about Intrinsic Motivation . This means you're doing something because you genuinely want to, not because you're getting a reward or avoiding a penalty. Transformational leaders excel at firing up this kind of motivation. They inspire you to give your best not for external rewards and punishments, but because you're committed to the vision and the team.
So, the psychology of transformational leadership is a mix of meeting higher-level needs, emotional intelligence, and intrinsic motivation. It's a compelling blend that not only gets results but also fosters a positive, engaged, and loyal team.
By now, you've got a solid understanding of what transformational leadership is and why it works so well. You've even seen it in action through real-world examples and psychological frameworks. But here's the kicker: you can develop these skills, too. Let's break it down step by step.
First on the list is Self-Awareness . Before you can lead others, you need to know yourself . Take some time to reflect on your strengths and weaknesses. There are tools like the SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) that can help. Knowing where you stand enables you to be a more effective leader.
Second, work on Communication Skills . Effective communication is more than just talking; it's about listening, too. If you can clearly articulate your vision and also pay attention to what others are saying, you're on the right track.
Last but not least, cultivate Empathy . This means putting yourself in someone else's shoes and understanding their perspective. Empathy allows you to connect on a deeper level, making it easier to inspire and motivate your team. It turns out, being a good leader is also about being a good human.
So there you have it—three achievable steps to hone your transformational leadership skills. And guess what? As you develop these skills, you'll not only become a better leader but also a better teammate, friend, and overall person.
You've read about how transformational leadership works and how to cultivate the skills it requires. But where does this leadership style really shine? Let's unpack its applications in various fields, showing you that it's not a one-size-fits-all kind of deal.
In the Business World , transformational leadership helps companies adapt and innovate. Whether it's a tech startup or a century-old manufacturing firm, this leadership style can invigorate a company's culture. Leaders inspire employees to be proactive, solve problems creatively, and feel a stronger commitment to their roles.
Now, imagine a Healthcare Setting . Medical professionals often face high stress and life-or-death situations. A transformational leader in this space focuses on team well-being, encourages continued education, and fosters an environment where everyone feels valued. This can lead to improved patient care and job satisfaction.
Let's not forget Education . Teachers and administrators can significantly benefit from applying transformational leadership principles. By inspiring both educators and students to strive for higher standards and increased performance, learning environments become more enriching and productive.
And it doesn't stop there; transformational leadership can be applied in Non-Profits , Community Organizations , and even in Home Settings . It's that versatile. You see, this transformational leadership characteristics and style is more than just a management tactic; it's a strategy for enhancing collective effort and well-being, regardless of the context.
So there you have it—a broad look at where transformational leadership can be effectively applied. No matter the field, the core principles hold true: inspire, engage, and bring out the best in everyone.
Alright, we've talked a lot about the good stuff, but nothing is perfect, right? Transformational leadership also has its fair share of challenges and criticisms. It's crucial to be aware of these to get a well-rounded understanding.
First off, there's the Hero Syndrome . Sometimes, transformational leaders are put on such a high pedestal that they become viewed as irreplaceable . This can lead to problems like lack of accountability or an over-reliance on a single individual for the group's success. It's vital to remember that even great leaders have limitations.
Then there's the issue of Manipulation . Because transformational leaders are so good at inspiring people, they could potentially use their influence for personal gain rather than the collective good. This could lead to ethical dilemmas, where the line between motivation and manipulation gets blurry.
Finally, let's talk about Sustainability . Can a leader keep up the high levels of enthusiasm and vision indefinitely? Burnout is a real concern. Additionally, once a leader has successfully transformed an organization or team, what comes next? Continuous transformation isn't always feasible or desirable.
So yes, while transformational leadership has numerous benefits, it also comes with its set of challenges. But don't fret; understanding these potential pitfalls prepares you to navigate them effectively.
So, where is transformational leadership headed? In a world that's changing faster than ever, this style of leadership seems more relevant than ever. Let's explore some future trends and how they might shape or be shaped by transformational leadership.
First, we've got the Digital Age . Technology is revolutionizing how we work and communicate. Transformational leaders will need to adapt by fostering digital literacy and creating an environment where innovation thrives. Embracing tech tools can facilitate better communication, real-time feedback, and more efficient ways to inspire a remote workforce.
Second, there's an increasing focus on Diversity and Inclusion . Future transformational leaders will need to be well-versed in managing diverse teams . It's no longer just about being a great leader; it's about understanding different cultural perspectives and working towards inclusive growth. These leaders can act as bridges, uniting varied talents to achieve common goals.
Lastly, we have the Gig Economy . More people are opting for freelance or part-time roles . Traditional leadership models may struggle in such a setup, but transformational leaders could excel. They're skilled at quickly building rapport and aligning even short-term team members with a larger vision.
The world is evolving, and so are the challenges and opportunities that leaders face. The transformational leadership style, with its adaptability and focus on genuine connection, seems well-suited to navigate these changes. Whether you're an aspiring leader or already in a leadership role, understanding this future landscape empowers you to stay ahead of the curve.
From the very origins of transformational leadership, tracing back to James MacGregor Burns, all the way to its practical applications and future relevance, you've journeyed through a comprehensive understanding of this leadership style. You've even seen it in action across different settings like classrooms, workplaces, and hospitals.
While transformational leadership isn't the only game in town, its focus on genuine relationships, inspiration, and growth makes it incredibly relevant for today's challenges. It's a style that adapts well to change, making it a strong fit for our ever-evolving world.
Now, you're not just familiar with transformational leadership; you have the tools to implement it. Whether you’re an aspiring leader or already steering the ship, the principles you've learned can help you become more effective, empathetic, and yes, more transformational leader.
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Transformational leadership: the how and why.
Dr. Akin Akinpelu is the CEO of Akin Akinpelu Learning & Development Company. He can be reached via [email protected].
The ability to inspire and motivate a team isn't just a nice-to-have; it's a necessity. That is why transformational leadership goes beyond traditional management tactics, to driving innovation and fostering a culture where everyone feels valued and empowered. Here’s why it matters and how you can cultivate it within your own organization.
At its heart, transformational leadership is about creating a vision that motivates and inspires your team to achieve more than they ever thought possible. There are a few key elements that really set transformational leaders apart:
• Inspirational Motivation: The best leaders paint a vision so compelling that it pulls everyone together. It's not just about setting goals; it's about making sure everyone understands the "why" behind those goals. When your team is invested in the vision, they're driven to achieve it. Think about Steve Jobs at Apple. His vision for innovation and excellence wasn't just about products—it was about changing the world.
• Intellectual Stimulation: Encouraging your team to think outside the box is crucial. This means challenging the status quo and fostering a culture where new ideas are welcomed and explored. It’s about creating a safe space for creativity. Jeff Bezos at Amazon exemplifies this. His leadership style encouraged a culture of experimentation and relentless customer focus, driving Amazon’s exponential growth.
• Individualized Consideration: Recognizing that each team member is unique is key. This means providing tailored support and mentoring to help each person reach their full potential. It’s about seeing the individual within the team. Regular one-on-one meetings and personalized feedback sessions can go a long way in making your team feel valued and motivated.
These principles aren’t just theoretical—they’re practical tools you can implement to transform your leadership approach.
The impact of transformational leadership on your organization can be profound. When you lead with vision and empathy, the ripple effects are significant.
• Enhancing Organizational Performance: Transformational leadership can drive significant improvements in productivity and efficiency. By fostering a supportive environment, you can create a highly motivated workforce that’s invested in the company’s success. When employees feel they are part of something bigger, they’re more likely to go the extra mile.
• Driving Innovation And Change: In a world where change is the only constant, transformational leaders are the ones who thrive. By encouraging creativity and being open to new ideas, you can help your organization stay ahead of the curve. Innovation isn’t just about new products—it’s about new ways of thinking and doing business. Look at companies like Apple and Amazon; their leaders’ focus on innovation has kept them at the forefront of their industries.
• Fostering Employee Engagement: Engaged employees are your greatest asset. Transformational leadership creates an environment where employees are not just present but truly engaged. This leads to higher job satisfaction, lower turnover rates and a more cohesive team. When people feel valued and like part of a shared vision, their commitment and productivity soar.
I remember when I subjected myself to this process. I was once an individual contributor, but through training, I became a talent investor prioritizing the progress of the team. This was slow, but steadily, I got the game. Eventually, I became a key participant, but I must say that being transformational is a journey to evolve into.
So how do you become a transformational leader? It’s not something that happens overnight, but with dedication and continuous learning, you can develop the necessary skills.
• Enhance Self-Awareness And Emotional Intelligence: Understanding and managing your own emotions—and those of your team—is crucial. This means being reflective and seeking feedback to improve. Emotional intelligence helps you build strong relationships and navigate the complexities of leadership. Start by regularly assessing your own emotional responses and practicing empathy.
• Develop A Clear Vision And Strategic Thinking: Craft a compelling vision that aligns with the values and aspirations of your organization. This involves strategic planning and setting long-term goals. Communicate this vision effectively to inspire and motivate your team. Make sure your vision is clear, achievable and resonant with your team’s aspirations.
• Foster Effective Communication And Influence: Strong communication skills are vital. This includes active listening, empathy and clear articulation of ideas. Transparent and open communication builds trust and influence within your team. Practice being an active listener and ensure you’re approachable and open to feedback.
Remember, becoming a transformational leader is a journey, not a destination. Continuously seek opportunities to learn and grow, and don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone.
Transformational leadership is a powerful tool for driving change and innovation in your organization. By focusing on inspiration, innovation and individualized support, you can create a dynamic and motivated team ready to tackle any challenge. It’s about more than just achieving business goals; it’s about creating a work culture where everyone feels valued and empowered to contribute their best.
Embrace these principles, and you can not only elevate your leadership skills but also drive your organization to new heights.
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By Elizabeth Snively , on February 16, 2023
Transformational leadership is one of several management styles present in healthcare settings. Many consider it to be the style that best enables healthcare organizations to respond quickly to change and continuously improve. These attributes (and others) can translate to greater improvements in patient safety.
Leaders who employ a transformative style use encouragement, support, and recognition to motivate people to perform beyond expectations. A transformative leader is a coach, mentor, and role model. Leaders employing other styles might rely on consensus, majority rule, individual decision-making, top-down authority, or no set style at all.
Transformational leadership is especially effective in health care because it emphasizes teamwork and everyone’s ability to step up as a leader when needed.
The following qualities exemplify specific ways that transformational leadership can elevate patient safety in healthcare settings:
Transformational leaders empower their teams by providing the resources, support, and autonomy they need to make informed decisions and take appropriate actions to protect patients.
Why it makes a difference: In an organization with a top-down leadership style where the leader must make the decisions — or even a democratic organization that uses a majority rule — critical time could be lost waiting for approval to proceed. In healthcare settings, individual clinicians must have the power to think, decide, and act on their own — sometimes within a span of minutes — to keep patients safe.
Transformational leaders inspire their teams to be their best selves, which can encourage them to be proactive and innovative about their approaches to patient care.
Why it makes a difference: In an organization without transformational leaders, teams may lack the drive they would gain from a leader who motivates and inspires them to follow through with rigorous safety protocols and interventions and encourage others to do the same.
Transformational leaders use effective communication skills to build trust and establish a shared vision around a culture of safety where everyone understands their role in working to protect patients.
Why it makes a difference: Without transformative leadership, which encourages good team rapport, employees might not have the practice of routinely sharing information to ensure that safety measures permeate the organization and benefit every patient.
Transformational leaders encourage collaboration and teamwork. By working together, healthcare teams share information, coordinate their efforts, and identify potential risks more effectively.
Why it makes a difference: In nearly every healthcare setting, teams must work together to serve patients. Rarely does a single provider or clinician handle every aspect of a patient’s care. Transformational leadership prioritizes staff collaboration to create the best outcomes.
Studies have documented specific improvements in patient safety and related factors in organizations using transformational leadership practices:
Characteristics and Examples of Transformational Leadership in Nursing →
How to Become a Transformational Leader in Four Steps →
Why Transformational Leadership Belongs in Healthcare →
Despite the evidence supporting the advantages of transformational leadership over other management styles, how it works can still seem mysterious. One way to understand its beneficial effects is to examine its underlying principles in the context of Maslow’s hierarchy.
American psychologist Abraham Maslow is perhaps best known for his hierarchy of human development. In an article titled, “A Theory of Human Motivation,” Maslow presented a pyramid of human needs. He believed this hierarchy represented what every person needs to achieve fulfillment in life.
According to Maslow’s theory, everyone seeks to satisfy these needs, in order:
Later in his career, Maslow added a sixth need — self-transcendence — which he defined as a desire to “further a cause beyond the self.” To reach this step, a person must advance beyond the boundaries of the self to achieve a “peak experience.” These experiences could involve profound moments of “love, rapture, understanding, or joy.”
It is probably rare for anyone to achieve self-transcendence during a regular day at work. But examining Maslow’s pyramid illuminates why transformative leadership could have greater potential than other management styles to facilitate health outcomes that transcend expectations.
Leadership styles, such as autocratic, democratic, or task-oriented, most likely satisfy the first two levels of Maslow’s pyramid. However, they may not provide a way for employees to ascend further toward their true goals and desires.
With all we know about transformative leadership, we can conclude that it is a leadership style that encourages people to do and be better versions of themselves as they work closely with others. And it helps individuals work toward both their own betterment and that of their organizations.
Individual and organizational excellence in turn lead to better patient outcomes, which include maximizing patient safety and advancing patient care.
The evidence is in. The transformational leadership style can play a critical role in improving patient safety by inspiring and empowering healthcare workers to achieve excellence.
Elizabeth Snively
Content Marketing Manager, Relias
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Transformational leadership, the preferred management style of Magnet®-recognized hospitals, raises teams to a higher level of practice. In this white paper, you'll learn more about transformational leadership, including the four steps to becoming a transformational leader.
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Many coalitions struggle with cultivating leadership, but it is a cornerstone of our work. This session will introduce the concept of transformational leadership. Developing strong leadership takes intention and planning. This introduction to transformational leadership will also provide an opportunity for participants to reflect on their own leadership style to increase your coalition’s capacity.
Objectives:
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With new leadership models showing very high correlations with transformational leadership, we focus our review on the most studied leadership model of the last three decades (Barling 2014) to provide HRD professionals with an evidence-based 'primer' that distils the leadership research literature.
Transformational leadership is a prominent leadership style known for its positive impact on employee engagement and performance. This comprehensive review aims to synthesize existing research ...
With new leadership models showing very high correlations with transformational. leadership, we focus our review on the most studied leadership model of the last three. decades (Barling 2014) to ...
Although prior research examined the underlying processes of the relationships between transformational leadership and beneficial outcomes, few attempted to address how transformational leaders motivate their members (Shamir et al., 1993) to help them achieve in-role task requests and exceed expectations ().Understanding the underlying motivation process is important, because motivation is ...
Introduction. Although the setting of goals has been emphasized to be one of the most important tasks of leaders (e.g., Tett et al., 2000), goals and leadership have commonly been considered from two relatively independent research perspectives (cf. Berson et al., 2015).In the field of goal research many efforts centered on the setting of goals in organizational contexts.
The transformational leadership style has long been shown to elicit above average performance in followers; however, the reasoning behind why this process occurs is unclear. The present study investigates whether follower engagement mediates the relationship between perceived transformational leadership and performance on a task.
With extant literature questioning the added empirical value of these newer models, this paper aims to distil the best evidence about transformational leadership into a 'primer' that can help practitioners use evidence-led practices in their lea-dership development. To do so, we briefly review major leadership models, highlight evidence for ...
Transformational leadership is one of the most popular models, judging by the number of papers on this topic, and it has attracted global interest, expressed for example in numerous doctoral theses around the world. The concept has also been captured by political leaders anxious to reform their educational systems, in the light of international ...
self-determination theory. work engagement. Research and anecdotal evidence suggest that transformational leadership, i.e., leader behaviour that transforms and inspires followers (Avolio et al., 2009 ), strongly influences followers' affective experiences (Ng, 2017 ). For example, researchers noted that leaders who engage in transformational ...
The article reconceptualizes transformational and transactional leadership and develops and tests revised measures that can be employed on employees and leaders, are robust in terms of repeated use by the same respondents, and are applicable to public and private organizations alike.
Transformational leadership is a leadership style that is often compared to and contrasted with transactional leadership. Where the latter tends to be more task-orientated and has a part to play in specific managerial contexts, transformational leadership focuses on the power of relationships to inspire others to achieve a shared vision, with longer lasting effects. The benefits of ...
2014, p. 7). Transformational leadership refers to leaders who seek to create ideas and new perspectives to. create a new path of growth and prosperity in front of the organization. By developing ...
3. Openness to new experience. Two important aspects of transformational leadership are entertaining new ideas and thinking outside the box. Transformational leaders are also more proactive than reactive, working to change organizational culture instead of conforming to the status quo (Odumeru & Ifeanyi, 2013). 4.
The relationship between transformational leadership and personal outcomes such as job satisfaction and commitment is well established (Bass, 1998). Bass (1985) declared that transformational leaders inspire their followers to go above and beyond their own self interests for the sake of the organization as a whole.
The aim of this research was to study the effect of transformational leadership on employees' work outcomes which include their work performances and working burnout, and their working behavior such as social loafing at workplace. Also, it studies the impact of intrinsic motivation as a mediator between transformational leadership and other stated variables. A cross-sectional survey was ...
Transformational leadership in nursing has far-reaching implications for patient outcomes and care quality. By fostering a collaborative and patient-centered approach, empowering nursing staff, encouraging continuous learning, and promoting a culture of excellence, transformational leaders enhance the overall care experience for patients. ...
Not aiming to address all the leadership styles exhaustively, this research looked into the relationship between EI and transformational leadership (TL) by reviewing the accumulated research assets in the existing literature. After the staged review, 20 empirical studies covering five different continents were chosen for an in-depth analysis. ...
Transformational leadership combines the right employees and the right motives. It inspires creativity and motivation in achieving a smooth flow of processes which, in the long run, ensures an effective organization that delivers its results and is consistent in achieving the desired changes.
Transformational Leadership is when you, the leader, motivate and inspire your team to exceed usual expectations and performance levels. You achieve this through various ways: communicating a compelling vision, fostering creativity, and building strong, respectful relationships with team members. Importantly, transformational organizational ...
Transformational leadership. Transformational leadership concept was introduced by Downton (Citation 1973), and later extended by Burns (Citation 1978), which is described as a process in which both leaders and followers discuss and share to create higher motivation (Bass & Avolio, Citation 1994).Transformational leaders are those who want to develop their organization's full potential ...
Transformational leadership. Introduction: Leadership can be described as an important quality of a person, a vital attribute for an organisation or a key source for an effective team towards attaining success. In these ways, leadership occupies its space in different fields and proves to be important in several aspects.
The purpose of study is to examine the mediating role of psychological empowerment between the leader characteristics of transformational leadership and emotional intelligence with employee ...
Transformational leadership is a powerful tool for driving change and innovation in your organization. By focusing on inspiration, innovation and individualized support, you can create a dynamic ...
Transformational leadership prioritizes staff collaboration to create the best outcomes. Studies of how transformational leadership affects patient safety. Studies have documented specific improvements in patient safety and related factors in organizations using transformational leadership practices: Improvements in patient care
Developing strong leadership takes intention and planning. This introduction to transformational leadership will also provide an opportunity for participants to reflect on their own leadership style to increase your coalition's capacity. Objectives: Discuss the principles of transformational or collaborative leadership