Transformational Leaders Influence on Performance Research Paper

Abstract

Transformational leadership has already been extensively studied to clarify its relationship to organizational change, culture, and performance. Researchers have offered their ideas on how to use the skills of transformational leaders to improve the work of people and to achieve competitive advantage. In this research project, the goal is to answer the question of how transformational leaders may influence organizational performance.

A case study method is chosen as the main tool for analysis. A review of the literature and an analysis of this case study should prove whether there are negative or positive outcomes of the work of transformational leaders on organizational performance. Such concepts as transformational leadership, organizational performance, employees, motivation, innovation, and change are defined and investigated to prove that a leader’s chosen style of leadership may have a number of positive influences on organizations. Several recommendations for current or future transformational leaders are given on the basis of information obtained from recent sources published after 2010. Indeed, it is found that transformational leadership is one of the best ways for organizations to stay competitive.

Introduction

Many organizations today look to the unique features of transformational leadership as a possibility to heighten conscious work among employees and improve collective interest in the organization, with the help of which organizational goals can be achieved (García-Morales, Jiménez-Barrionuevo, & Gutiérrez-Gutiérrez, 2012). It is not enough for leaders of different companies to make sure that all employees are aware of the goals and have enough background knowledge to complete their job functions (Hernandez, 2011). It is also necessary to check whether the employees are properly motivated, whether the factor of innovation has been taken into consideration, and whether a company—with all members of its staff—is ready for new changes, transformations, and improvements.

The transformational leadership style has to be properly discussed and investigated with all its components, including charisma, influence, consideration, development, and change (Cazares, 2012). Some organizations remain vulnerable to different factors (Samad, 2012). It happens that employees and leaders cannot find an appropriate solution in a short period of time, even as they make changes and try new approaches in different fields.

As a result, the impact of transformational leadership on organizational performance may vary considerably (Tabrizi & Terrell, 2015). This research study aims at discussing the ways in which transformational leaders may influence organizational performance and what strategies and steps can be offered in regards to the available resources, tools, and opportunities. The development of new technologies, the impact of the Internet and online communication, and the use of other multimedia services empower organizational management to change the styles of work and overall organizational performance (McCaughey & Ayers, 2013).

Statement of the Problem

According to Harter and Adkins (2015), “Managers are not creating environments in which employees feel motivated or even comfortable” (para. 3). Moreover, Bersin states that “only 13% of employees around the world are actively engaged at work, and more than twice that number are so disengaged they are likely to spread negativity to others” (Bersin, 2014, para. 2). Transformational leadership and management have to be properly developed in order to provide all employees with the required amount of inspiration, motivation, and support, taking into consideration the chosen organizational structures and strategies (Humphery, 2013). Organizations take all possible steps to satisfy and engage as many employees as possible to take leading positions (Deloitte, 2014). However, leadership characteristics can serve as a strong influence that enhances organizational performance.

Purpose of the Study

Taking into consideration the current conditions and working needs, an investigation of transformational leadership is required. It will help to improve the situation for any organization and stabilize the quality of work. The purpose of the study is to review the literature and use qualitative information to address such problems as organizational indifference, disenchantment, and poor performance, all of which may be observed in the workplace today. These problems influence organizational performance, and transformational leaders should know how to deal with such challenges in their companies.

Research Question

The research question for this study is as follows: How can transformational leaders influence organizational performance?

Much attention will be paid to the studies in which authors describe their investigations on transformational leadership and the changes that can result to improve organizational performance. The chosen literature is relevant to the concepts of organizational performance, project management, and the transformational leadership style. Organizational performance is a significant aspect of management that cannot be separated from executive leadership (Vaughan & Arsneault, 2013). In this section, the definitions to transformational leadership, organizational performance, and the evaluation of different thoughts about the possible impact of transformational leaders on organizational performance will be developed.

Review of the Literature

Modern organizations have to be ready to identify the features of a changing work environment and deal with uncertainties and unpredictable outcomes caused by technological, social, and economic changes (Cossin & Caballero, 2013). Not all employees know how to approach change effectively, and leaders are those who should know how to take a new step, how to encourage other people to follow their example, and how to use all available resources in order to demonstrate positive outcomes. At the same time, leaders have to learn everything about their own organizations and grow with their organizations (Clayton, 2013).

Transformational leadership is a type of leadership that many leaders strive to follow in the modern business world. This leadership style helps people stay enthusiastic, inspired, and motivated, and it can also promote development at different levels of the organization (Jex & Britt, 2014). This style of leadership has its own challenges, including an inability to foresee and prepare for all changes, the necessity to deal with reality, and the necessity to manage appropriately different personal traits. In this literature review, an analysis of transformational leadership and organizational performance will be developed to clarify how this style of work can influence organizations and their overall performance.

Transformational leadership definition

Transformational leaders aim at inspiring their followers to focus on their professional goals, organizational resources, and values (Pieterse, van Knippenberg, Shippers, & Stam, 2010). Transformational leadership is explained as a process in which leaders and followers help each other achieve mutual goals (Walumbwa & Hartnell, 2011). Over time, the definition has been improved, and transformational leadership is today interpreted as a “partnership to reach a high level of motivation, trust, engagement and empowerment (Shelton, 2012, p. 1).

Though transformational leaders are usually characterized by a number of positive aspects and impacts, some researchers continue to uncover the “dark side” of this leadership style, pointing to the inability to find a clear definition of transformational leadership and the necessity to deal with an intriguing and chaotic business world (Toursih, 2013).

Because of the need to have a clear definition, charismatic-transformational leadership is recommended as an effective form of leadership because it helps leaders focus on personal and organizational needs and opportunities (van Knippenberg & Sitkin, 2013). In any case, transformational leadership in organizations refers to the ways in which one person leads other people in a positive way, considering their wellbeing, professional growth, and readiness to change and improve (Liu, Siu, & Shi, 2010).

To work effectively, people have to be inspired; to know how to inspire people, leaders should learn a lot and investigate the recent changes and suggestions in leadership style. To become a successful transformational leader, it is necessary to understand how to combine information, innovation, and transformation at different levels (Nijstad, Berger-Selman, & de Dreu, 2014). Transformational leadership has a number of characteristics that can be observed at two levels: personal and group. The investigation of such details as the division of leaders’ work into two levels should help clarify how the decisions made and the steps taken by leaders can change or impact organizational performance.

Transformational leadership characteristics

Simola, Barling, and Turner (2012) explain transformational leadership in an organization as the way that different interested parties have to be organized. In an organization, people are usually connected by the same purpose. They demonstrate skills in any kind of work that has to be performed. This leadership style may be characterized by several behaviors and traits, including charisma, consideration, influence, stimulation, growth, and change. Each characteristic plays an important role because it sets the direction to be followed.

Charisma

Webber (as cited in WordPress, 2011) defines charisma as a quality or even a gift that differentiates people and makes them strong leaders. Charisma is a motivator to leadership, and it may create numerous benefits by helping the leader discover what can be done and what information may be offered. Still, charisma may be a dangerous thing for people who are not aware of how to use and develop it well (Werrell, 2013).

Consideration

When changes occur, it is important for people to comprehend how to deal with them and not be afraid (Finch, 2011). There are many components of effective leadership, and individualized consideration is one of them. With the help of this trait, leaders learn how to pay attention to the needs of other people and recognize what kind of help should be offered to their employees (Hicks, 2013). Under this style of leadership, new learning opportunities are available, and employees are not afraid to try new things and observe new results.

Influence

Such a characteristic as influence in transformational leadership cannot be neglected. Organizations must perform different tasks, and management must coordinate each worker in a proper way. Leading is not always giving orders. Leaders should educate and make an impact on people without blackmailing or threatening (Goodman, 2015). Influence is an important emotional factor that may be developed at instrumental and symbolic levels (Kelloway, Turner, Barling, & Loughlin, 2012). Some people are afraid to find themselves under someone else’s words and orders. Thus, organizations need leaders who can demonstrate their powers and intentions to cooperate with people in order to achieve the required result together (Walumbwa et al., 2011).

Stimulation

Stimulation is another important feature of transformational leadership. If organizations want to perform highly, their leaders should make employees work and consider their opportunities (Chen & Cooper, 2014). Stimulation may be of different types, and transformational leaders should focus on intellectual methods that encourage self-reflection, change adaptation, and value consideration (Nayab & McDonough, 2010).

Growth

For a long period of time, change and growth were considered to be the main outcomes of transformational leadership (Hogg, 2016). In addition to the importance of influence in an organization, a leader should determine the steps that will help people grow and develop their own skills and knowledge. Growth should be an observable quality among employees and leaders and compared with self-development and professional development (Boyce, Zaccaro, & Wisecarver, 2010).

Employees receive knowledge and examples to be followed, and leaders enjoy the results of their improved organizational performance. It is not always easy for a leader to comprehend what kind of growth is required for the organization. Still, it is always possible to focus on personal growth and achieve improvements (Thompson, 2012).

Change

Transformational leadership is always about change. Indeed, change is the core of transformational leadership (Franz, 2012). Employees receive knowledge, leaders benefit from the results, and the organization undergoes some kind of change. Even some small changes may result in considerable shifts. Sometimes, even the most professional leaders cannot predict the outcome of the change. Therefore, it is necessary for leaders to never stop learning in order to reach as many answers and solutions as possible because they are usually made, not born (Bennis, Bennis, & Goldsmith, 2010). Change should not be a challenge for a leader but rather an expected result (Qutob, 2013).

Levels of transformational leadership

There are many different ways to explore the importance of transformational leadership. The approached introduced by Wang and Howell (2010) is worth attention because the authors suggest investigating the behavior of transformational leaders at two different levels: individual and group-focused. Leaders aim at communicating and empowering employees and followers so that they can develop their own potential and abilities (Torres & Fyke, 2013).

Moreover, leaders should learn how to improve employees’ self-efficacy and self-esteem. Leaders should be interested in what they do and make sure their employees are open to all suggestions and ideas and comprehend their duties and responsibilities (Xu & Cooper, 2011). Individualized mentoring and coaching are crucial at this behavioral level. There also exists a group-focused transformational leadership behavior. Its goal is to investigate and introduce organizational aims and develop values that will help people work and choose the best directions for their decisions, and a successful transformational leader has to demonstrate good results at both levels (Herman & Chiu, 2014).

Except for these two levels of leadership style, no other hierarchies or divisions are appropriate for transformational leadership (Edwards & Gill, 2012). Employees know how to cooperate with their leader, and a leader understands what kind of work should be done by all employees (Sinek, 2014). Change, motivation, stimulation, and enthusiasm have to be demonstrated at both levels and at all different stages of work.

Connection between transformational leadership and organizational operation

Albrecht (2016) admits that it is wrong and unnecessary to divorce such concepts as organizational performance and executive leadership because leaders have to learn and develop along with their organizations. Organizations should be properly structured so that each worker knows his or her place and duties (Huffman, 2013). However, order cannot be achieved without an effective leader. Leadership and organizational performance are closely connected for a number of reasons. First, transformational leaders are the primary decision makers who are able to determine the acquisition and development of organizational performance (Peate, Wild, & Nair, 2014).

Taking into consideration their abilities and the possibility of communicating with different organizational stakeholders, leaders are a good source of sustainable competitive advantage (Madanchian, Hussein, Noordin, & Taherdoost, 2016). Besides, transformational leaders know how to work under different conditions and choose the methods that best meet the expectations of employees.

When employees are motivated and educated, they can better promote the development of an organization (Kuvaas & Dysvik, 2010). An organization cannot provide its employees with knowledge; that is the task of the leader (Batool, 2013). However, the role of the leader is integral only when people are working together in a certain organization. As a result, leadership, organizations, and employee performance are closely connected terms that cannot exist without the others performing their own roles (Carter, Armenakis, Field, & Mossholder, 2013).

Organizational performance concept

In many studies, researchers rely on the definition given by Chen and Barnes regarding organizational performance. These authors explain the concept as “the transformation of inputs into outputs for achieving certain outcomes” and “the relation between minimal and effective cost (economy), between effective cost and realized output (efficiency) and between output and achieved outcome (effectiveness)” (Hurduzeu, 2015, p. 291). In other words, it is expected for the members of the organization to make some contributions in order to achieve the required results. This is what organizational performance is all about.

As a rule, organizations try to avoid the creation of unnecessary standards in their work. Companies work in regards to their own demands and needs, so their leaders investigate the limits and choose the approach that causes minimal losses and costs (Boumgarden, Nickerson, & Zenger, 2012). For employees, organizational performance is the ability to achieve shared goals by relying on different methods. It is normal for companies to be satisfied or disappointed with the results of organizational performance (Mills & Smith, 2011). To change the situation, leaders investigate the mistakes and rely on various drivers for change.

Performance drivers

Transformational leaders find it necessary to use different performance drivers in their work. These drivers, also known as domains of excellence, are the main dimensions of organizational functions and capacities (Baraza, 2015). Transformational leaders must take responsibility for a variety of things including team performance, understanding of culture and values, the improvement of process excellence, and knowledge management (Christensen, Mackey, & Whetten, 2014).

However, these factors alone are not enough to achieve the best results in organizational performance. Leaders have to identify any possible means to understand the organization’s strategic focus and customer value, as well as succeed in talent management and organization (Smith & Bell, 2014). An evaluation of these drivers helps the leader comprehend what the organization may do and not do in order to achieve success and assist all team members in gaining the required benefits.

Impact of transformational leadership on organizational performance

An analysis of the studies on transformational leadership and organizational performance proves the opportunity for influence that leaders have on employees. Transformational leaders promote innovative behavior among their employees. Positive relations are usually observed between leadership and organizational performance because these leaders know how to achieve the best results. Organizational performance is based on how successfully employees are motivated, and transformational leaders know how to influence their people and increase creativity and enthusiasm (Stevens, 2010).

Besides, transformations turn out to be an integral part of organizational work. In general, there are three main ways that transformational leaders may influence organizational performance: motivation, innovation, and transformation.

Motivation

Transformational leaders are able to empower and motivate their employees. In many cases, motivation should be intrinsic to a person’s interests, desire to work and learn, and ability to listen (Zhang & Bartol, 2010). Modern people find it normal to use the Internet and social networks to study, exchange information, and ask for help. Many employees want to discuss their organizational challenges and problems in order to find support from the outside and develop a solution to the existing concerns. However, because many employees find it appropriate to use the options available, they forget or neglect the need to cooperate with their leaders and address them for help and explanations (Stoelhorst & Richerson, 2013). The motivational aspects of transformational leadership are numerous, and in many organizations, the words “leadership” and “motivation” are synonymous due to the role of leaders and their behaviors (Gilbert & Kelloway, 2014).

The transformational leadership style provides the opportunity to use new approaches and investigate employees’ full potential. In this style, collective identity plays an important role (Liu, Zhu, & Yang, 2010). Leaders can address employees’ visions and values and choose the approach that meets the expectations of employees, influences the quality of work, and helps bring about positive results. Besides, leaders can also explain how employees may transcend their own interests in order to achieve collective goals and trust each other.

Innovation

There is a certain relationship between transformational leadership, knowledge management, and organizational innovation (Noruzy, Dalfard, Azhadri, Nazari-Shirkouhi, & Rezazadeh, 2013). Innovation is a type of competition that exists both between and within organizations. Organizational innovation refers to the creation of new ideas and behaviors, as well as the successful implementation of the information and resources (Crossan & Apaydin, 2010).

Transformational leadership may positively influence organizational performance when innovation helps create new business value and develop the working environment. However, even if such an environment is created, the knowledge is given, and the people are chosen, there is a threat of failure if leaders do not choose the necessary tools and methods to support innovation (Donate & Guadamillas, 2011). Organizational performance may be successful only when all requirements are met and when leaders, as well as employees, demonstrate their commitment to change and the importance of innovation (Bjorn, Stegmaier, & Sonntag, 2010).

Transformational leaders know how to use innovation and how to motivate employees by using innovative ideas and tools (Walker, Damanpour, & Devece, 2010). In comparison to other styles of leadership, the transformational style is characterized by the need to make new decisions and focus on the reactions of people and their readiness to accept change (Men, 2015).

Transformation

As the name suggests, transformational leaders are directly connected with the idea of transformation. There are many ways in which organizational performance may be improved by means of transformation. Among others, significant transformations of organizational culture are possible (Anderson & Ackerman-Anderson, 2010). Leaders have the right to promote transformations and even make employees accept them without discussion.

Transformations may also touch upon the relationships that can be developed between employees. Leaders may evaluate the quality of work being produced and consider the role of the human factor in professional relationships. If some doubts or concerns are raised, leaders have to make fast decisions and control employees’ activities (Ismail, Mohamad, Mohamed, Rafiuddin, & Zenn, 2010). Such decision should help to make sure that each step and each idea has no negative impact on organizational performance.

Finally, it is commonly expected that all transformations must lead to a positive effect. However, in reality, over 70% of all organizational transformations fail (“Transform your organization & culture”, 2016). Sometimes, leaders fail to understand that transformations should be organizational and personal at the same time. If the transformations and ideas are powerful, but the leaders fail to inform and prepare their employees adequately, the organizational performance may be characterized by negative outcomes (Shih, Chiang, & Chen, 2012). Therefore, both personal management transformations and strategic management transformations introduced by leaders improve organizational performance (Caliskan, 2010).

In general, a review of the literature proves that transformational leaders may take a number of steps to change organizational performance and encourage employees to work in different ways. Modern business is characterized by unexpected changes and challenges, and both leaders and employees must be ready to work hard. Leaders have to understand how crucial their roles are in terms of motivation and innovation. Indeed, organizational performance depends on how well leaders are able to introduce innovations and motivate their people, as well as how ready employees are for change and improvements. Communication, social networks, and various modern technologies are available to leaders and employees so that they can improve organizational performance and stay competitive.

Research Methodology

Recent changes in the field of transformational leadership research cannot be ignored. Researchers have to consider all available opportunities and investigate as many aspects as possible to introduce credible facts, clear explanations, and reliable contributions. Research methodology is an important part of the work that must be proved and explained. In this research, a qualitative case study methodology is the main tool used to answer the question about the possible impacts of transformational leadership on organizational performance.

The key feature of the chosen research methodology is the necessity to dive deep into organizational studies and use several concepts from different social sciences. The chosen approach is effective in order to clarify the importance of change, the value of leadership, and the effort of employees to promote successful organizational performance.

Research methodology helps identify the boundaries of the work that has to be done in order to answer the research question (Bryman, 2012). It introduces a systematic plan, which shows the direction a researcher has to take. In general, research methods may be of two types: qualitative and quantitative (Neuman, 2011). The qualitative research methodology aims at gathering information that describes the topic, explains the question, and discusses the thoughts of different authors (Petty, Thompson, & Stew, 2012).

On the other hand, the quantitative research methodology is based on systematic empirical analysis of statistical information. In this paper, the task is to answer the question of whether transformational leadership can influence organizational performance. Thus, the choice of methodology in leadership takes an important place (Bell, 2014). For this research, the qualitative research methodology has been chosen in order to gather as many different thoughts on transformational leadership and organizational performance as possible.

Qualitative research has certain limitations and clarifications. Bryman and Creswell are two researchers who have developed their projects on the improvements of research methodologies in social research (Jansen, 2010). Their thoughts and approaches help researchers investigate the field of leadership and the impact that transformational leaders may have on their organizations, employees, and quality of work.

Qualitative Research

The qualitative research methodology is chosen for this paper on transformational leaders and their influence on organizational performance. Creswell’s authority can be used to explain the idea of qualitative research and provide several examples relevant to the chosen research question. Creswell (2012) underlines the importance of the ontological issue in qualitative research, where it is necessary to consider the nature and characteristics of reality and relate them to the existing variety of realities. There are five main approaches to inquiry: narrations, phenomenological research, grounded theory research, ethnographies, and case study research. Each approach has its own impact on the investigation.

Leadership and organizational performance may be investigated from several different perspectives. On the one hand, it is possible to analyze what different theorists think about transformational leadership and what achievements have been recently made. On the other hand, it would also be interesting to observe how different organizations deal with new tasks and what their leaders and employees do in order to meet goals and remain competitive.

Due to the necessity to review the needs of potential stakeholders, consider previous knowledge, and rely on the researcher’s abilities rather than those of organizations or other people involved, the qualitative methodology seems to be the best research design in this case (Creswell, 2013). The main contribution of qualitative research to the evaluation of leadership includes the possibility to explore studies published in different sources including books, academic journals, and web sources. The main inclusive criteria for these sources are the publication year (after 2010) and the relevance to leadership and organizational management. With the help of well-chosen sources, qualitative research builds a complex and informative picture with a number of words and a detailed description of a natural setting.

Research Design

This qualitative study is based on the evaluation of a particular company’s case study; in this case study, the leader and several employees have to re-organize their activities in order to improve organizational performance. Moreover, a review of the literature is conducted to find out what different authors think about leadership and organizational performance. The chosen method allows for an examination of leaders’ behaviors and abilities, their experiences, and their perceptions of leadership and competitive advantage. Though there is only one case study, the literature review helps strengthen the research and underline the main strategies and approaches of leadership to improve organizational performance (Bryman & Bell, 2011).

There are three main reasons that a case study method has been chosen, and the authority of Yin on case study research gives clear explanations and justifications. The current situation includes the following factors: a research question that begins with “how”; a situation in which it is hard for the researcher to control behavioral events; and, finally, a contemporary focus of study, meaning that new external factors could influence the field of leadership in different ways (Yin, 2013). The chosen research method, then, promotes the examination of context and a focus on one particular situation (Yin, 2012).

Yin has proved that the case study method is one of the best ways to investigate changing situations. Organizational performance should be changed and transformed in order to make a company and its staff competitive, and transformational leadership is also a constantly changing phenomenon. People should be ready to improve their knowledge and think about how they may contribute to the growth of their organizations. Though it is not always possible to predict the results of the chosen research method, it is possible to comprehend what steps may be taken to follow the right direction, use previous experience, and achieve success. Leadership calls for changes at multiple levels (Folta, Seguin, Ackerman, & Nelson, 2012). The offered method is appropriate because of the possibility to make changes and control the activities.

Conclusions

In general, this research confirms the crucial role of transformational leaders in organizational performance. The case study was analyzed, and a review of the literature was developed. The results prove that leaders who prefer to use the transformational style of work have the opportunity to influence organizational performance and change the work of their employees. Still, it is necessary to keep in mind the fact that leadership is a changing concept. Some people must improve their level of knowledge, and some leaders must learn how to share their own experiences and provide other people with the opportunity to do the same.

Another notable feature of transformational leaders is the need to work with people and perform different functions in the same organization. For example, a leader has to find out what is going wrong in a situation and think about the solutions to be offered. In this case, it is necessary for a transformational leader to recognize change, prove its urgency, and implement the appropriate change to save or improve a working process.

At the same time, this leader must make sure that other employees understand the importance of change and are ready to accept it by demonstrating their best skills and knowledge. Finally, in this situation, the leader has to evaluate whether the change has been effective and whether it can be used on a regular basis. As already stated, a leader must work at two different levels: organizational and personal. Moreover, it is expected that the leader will motivate other people and use innovation and transformation as the main tools to improve organizational performance and support competitive advantage.

As a result of this research study, an answer to the main research question—“How can transformational leaders influence organizational performance?”—has been reached. Leaders have to work with their employees and consider their organizational needs at the same time. Leaders should also understand what can be done in the organization and how to encourage employees to work and use their knowledge. Competitive advantage and experience play an important role in the world of modern business. Indeed, the type of organization or the qualifications of its employees may not matter; what actually matters is whether a leader can choose an appropriate direction and lead people to achieve a shared goal in regards to already-established corporate values and standards.

Recommendations

Taking into consideration the achievements made and the conclusions developed, transformational leaders may be provided with a list of recommendations in order to have a positive impact on organizational performance. The main suggestion that can be offered to any transformational leader is to never be afraid of recognizing change and making employees accept it. Organizational performance depends on the ways in which leaders use change in their work.

If a leader cannot see the importance of change, there is no need to develop new strategies and approaches because they will fail. Another crucial lesson that leaders should rely on is the necessity to learn and teach at the same time. Though transformational leaders aim at motivating and innovating, it is important to remember that the leaders themselves may also be in need of additional motivation. Therefore, leaders should ask for help and search for inspiration online, communicate with other leaders, or follow other real-life examples.

In addition, organizations should understand that not all transformational leaders are successful. Sometimes, instead of searching for a new strategy or change, it is better to change the leader or to find a good substitute. A transformational style of leadership is not easy; it requires fast decisions and a mind for innovation. Some leaders are simply not ready for radical steps and should realize that their skills would be more useful in some other position.

Finally, the improvement of organizational performance by means of transformational leaders is possible when all employees are able to participate in discussions and have the chance to share their opinions and suggestions. A good transformational leader is not only a person who gives orders, promotes change, and controls others’ work; a leader is someone who is able to listen and identify powerful ideas that will lead to competitive advantage and strong organizational performance.

In general, there are five main recommendations for transformational leaders to improve organizational performance: be ready for change or be ready to leave, be able to listen or be able to ask for help, and never stop learning because the leaders’ success predetermines the success of the organization and every employee in it.

Work Review

In this section, a comprehensive review of the entire work will be developed in order to clarify the latest achievements, limitations, and ideas for future insight. Regarding the goals and the question of the research, it is possible to say that the work has been successfully completed. The answer to the research question has been given along with recommendations and clear conclusions. All goals and statements have been supported with the help of the chosen case study method and literature review. Finally, the analysis of one particular situation proves that transformational leadership may have a considerable impact on organizational performance.

The reader of the work may find several strong lessons about what organizational performance is and why it matters in business, what the characteristics of transformational leadership are and how they can be developed, and what the connection between leaders, employees, and organizational performance is.

There are still several limitations to this research. First, only one case study was used to answer the research question. If this research is expanded in the future, it is recommended to focus on more case studies and a description of different situations in which transformational leaders must consider performance improvement.

Another limitation is the time devoted to work. If additional time had been available, it would have been possible to analyze more sources and consider the experiences of transformational leaders from different parts of the world. Future insight must be multinational in order to observe different experiences and compare transformational leadership between developed and developing countries. Finally, in future studies, it is also recommended to improve the research methodology by using questionnaires or interviews to gather first-hand information and apply it to the research.

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