Social Work Research · 2001 · 158 citations · 0 references
ManagementLeadershipSocial WorkClinical Social WorkHealth Care LeadershipTransformational LeadershipLeadership In Healthcare OrganizationsLeadership OutcomesLeadership PracticesLeadership StylesLeadership Theories In HealthcareTransactional LeadershipLeadership In Clinical PracticeOrganizational Performance AssessmentTransactional Leadership BehaviorsTransactional Leadership Style
Leadership research has rarely examined how leadership behaviors affect organizational performance in social work. This study empirically tested a model distinguishing transformational and transactional leadership processes in social work practice using the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire. The model was evaluated with 187 clinical social workers in hospitals. All five transformational factors and one transactional factor were significantly linked to leader effectiveness, satisfaction, and extra effort, underscoring their relevance for social work practice.
Despite the resurgence of leadership research, few investigations have examined the association between leadership behaviors and organizational performance in the social work field. The purpose of this study was to evaluate empirically a model that delineates two types of leadership processes, transformational and transactional leadership, within social work practice as measured by the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire. The model was tested with a sample of 187 clinical social workers employed in hospitals. Results indicated that all five transformational factors and one transactional factor were significantly correlated with leader outcomes of effectiveness, satisfaction, and extra effort. Implications for social work practice are provided.