Trust and transformational leadership: A correlation study

ABSTRACT

The transformational leader's elements are known as the four I's-idealized influence, intellectual stimulation, individualized consideration, and inspirational motivation, but research lacks the inclusion of trust. The assumption of trust in transformational leadership was never investigated through empirical research. The theoretical framework of this study was Fiedler's (1973) contingency theory, Cummings and Bromiley (1996) definition of trust, Bass's (1999) transformational leadership theory, Herzberg's (1968/2008) Motivation-Hygiene Theory, and Sosik and Jung's (2018) Full Range Leadership Development Model. The population selected was individuals serving in leadership roles that practiced transformational leadership. Probability sampling of 142 participants was utilized and involved random sampling that allowed robust statistical interference about the group. Statistically testing of all four research questions rejected/accepted each null hypotheses of trust and each of the four I's of transformational leadership. However, transformational leaders can still achieve satisfaction, effectiveness, and effort that contribute to employee, team, and organizational outcomes with no significant correlation to trust. There were two limitations to the study. The first limitation consisted of 142 participants not having LinkedIn account accessibility through the Department of Defense. The second limitation was the coronavirus pandemic. Neither limitation impacted the study and perhaps enhanced the ability of the 142 participants to take the survey. Trust is not a matter of a different tool utilized by leaders. Trust is not about the tricks associated with gaining trust from followers or strategizing techniques by scholars and theorists. Trust is about character. Trust is about a readiness for an unguarded interaction. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)