Transformational leadership theory conceptualized in the late 1970s, proposed that leaders could motivate followers through a shared vision and mutual interest to elevate the entire organization to a more moral high (Burns, 1978). Morality has been defined as leaders and followers working together to achieve organizational goals and achieve higher performance in a context of change and innovation. Leaders would overcome their own self-interest, in order to envision, promote, and indoctrinate a new organizational vision for their followers. Bass operationalized Burns' seminal work into a leadership model to better identify transformational leadership characteristics. The model emphasizes four dimensions such as idealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, and individualized consideration to achieve success. Idealized influence includes attributes and behaviors that promote respect, trust, and admiration among followers. It can be defined as charismatic leadership that allows leaders to stand out. However, this characteristic has been difficult to quantify. In a retrospective study of 1,376 nurses, transformational leadership behaviors were assessed to evaluate their correlation with organizational improvement and leadership effectiveness (Hargis, Watt, & Piotrowski, 2011, p. 58). Altruism, honesty, courtesy and trust showed the highest correlation with employee satisfaction, low job stress and retention. Qualitative evaluation of the questionnaires indicated that leaders could serve as role models in promoting teamwork, mutual respect, and organizational commitment to achieve success. Indeed, in a recent study of nursing at a large Belgian hospital, there was an increased commitment to achieving and delivering high-quality compassionate care. In summary, transformational leaders through their behaviors of compassion and altruism encourage followers to emulate them. Through persuasive communication and building trust, leaders support the adoption of new values and support organizational goals for their followers. Embracing change, they focus on coaching, communication and mentoring to drive organizational success. Leaders challenge the process by encouraging others to challenge themselves to achieve higher performance. They create an open environment where followers can create and innovate to meet the growing challenges of tomorrow. Transformational leadership provides a blueprint for influencing employee empowerment, developing an innovative culture, and driving organizational success in the evolving healthcare industry
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