Today's schools need to be restructured or redesigned to meet the needs of an ever-growing diverse student body. Global interdependence and competition have made this mandate necessary, and the business community has pressed for it as a result of entry-level workers failing to meet minimum standards. This reality, coupled with a greater number of students dropping out of school, spurs an imperative need to create some changes in our public schools. This study suggests that change cannot come with the same type of leadership that has been at the public education forefront. Schools can only develop new paradigms, systemic reform, and continuous improvement efforts when they are led by individuals who possess the skills, characteristics, understandings, and practices necessary to transform the existing system. This transformation can only come through transformational leaders. To institutionalize and sustain these changes, the key player is the superintendent, who must possess this knowledge and be the primary structure builder of transformational ideology throughout the organization. The purpose of this study was to identify transformational superintendents, and to study their leadership principles and practices, particularly toward a view of how these leaders create change in their organizations. Selected superintendents were identified through administration of the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire created by Bass and Avolio (1997). Visits to districts were made, and data gathered through a number of means. The results identified thirteen transformational superintendent attributes; twelve beliefs; three perspectives on assessing organizational effectiveness, several key processes of communicating transformational ideology throughout an organization; seven aspects of creating change in existing school cultures; and five structures for creating systemic change and sustained continuous improvement. The findings indicated that transformational leaders do have a district-wide felt impact that results in positive leadership outcomes for the organization.

This study provided case studies of three female elementary school principals, identified by their supervisors and administration of the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire as transformational. Data collected included the Organizational Culture Inventory, principal and teacher interviews, observations, and artifacts. Qualitative data were analyzed utilizing the computer program, HyperQual2. The data were used to determine how these principals articulated their vision, shared leadership, empowered their teachers, and demonstrated transformational behaviors. The principal behaviors were consistent with transformational research. They interacted with others to articulate their vision. They were respected by teachers as educational leaders and were seen as child-centered and facilitative. These principals were comfortable with shared decision-making and encouraged teachers to assume leadership positions. Suggestions for supporting and promoting transformational leadership behaviors were made. They included administrative coursework and district policies and practices that develop the transformational skills of educational administrators. The characteristics of transformational leaders in these case studies also provide models for administrators who are restructuring their schools.

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Leadership is contextual and requires educational leaders in public schools to both comply with sweeping political changes and be the catalyst for consistent positive improvements in service to children. The hypothesis of this study is that educational leaders who are demonstrating transformational leadership behaviors are utilizing systemic thinking to make decisions. Scholars who have examined systemic thinking approach argue that it is an engine for dramatic improvements in both organizational function and consistent, productive growth. This study seeks to answer the question: To what extent do educational leaders demonstrate systemic thinking and transformational leadership behaviors? Using observations and interviews, this qualitative study will examine educational leaders understanding of systemic thinking as a approach, their decision-making process, and the relationship between systemic thinking and transformational leadership behaviors. This study will explore potential connections between systemic thinking and transformational leadership behaviors. Implications for practice may include professional development and training in systemic thinking as it relates to a school leader’s intense decision-making process, as well to what extent that this study shows a positive relationship between systemic thinking pursuant to transformational leadership behaviors. / Educational Leadership

The primary purpose of this research was to extend current knowledge of the individual differences that are traditionally associated with leadership emergence and to determine whether the individuals characterized by individual differences attributed to transformational leaders were also likely to emerge as a leader in a leaderless group. Leadership behaviors and followers' perceptions of emergent leadership of individuals with Ross and Offermann's (1997) enabling and forceful personality patterns were examined in an emergence setting that facilitates transformational leadership. A secondary purpose of this research was to further our knowledge of the process of leadership. The leadership process defined by Lord and his associates (Lord, Fot & Phillips, 1982; Lord, Foti & DeVader., 1984) was expanded to include relevant elements of Mischel's theory of personality (Mischel, 1999). The contextual influence of the task situation and feedback from others were examined. Individuals did not differ on transformational leadership behavior, but forceful individuals did exhibit a greater proportion of initiating structure behaviors than other individuals and were rated highest on leadership. In addition, there was no evidence of changes in the leadership process due to feedback based on the perceptions of others. Limitations and implications for future research are discussed. / Ph. D.

The elementary principal is a key person in public schools. Few studies have examined women in this position in depth and detail. This study tells the story of one female elementary principal, Peggy Moles. Using interviews, surveys, observations, contact logs, and reviews of relevant documents, this qualitative study provides a detailed description of her professional life and her personal life as it relates to her job. Data were collected over a two-month period, and analysis was continuous throughout the study. The transcripts, surveys, fieldnotes, and written documents were examined for themes which describe the subject’s professional life and leadership style. Five characteristics of leadership were extracted from the data which describe this principal as a transformational leader: she (1) encourages the participation of others by creating a professional atmosphere and attitude in the school that provide incentive and willingness for the teachers, parents, and community to become involved; (2) shares the decision-making with faculty and parents; (3) enhances the self-worth of others through her acceptance of teachers as individuals who are professionals, but who also have lives away from the school; (4) creates a nourishing environment by being respectful, caring, inviting, friendly, accepting, and supportive; and (5) facilitates the faculty and the parents at her school through professionalism and modeling. The study offers a practical example of transformational leadership. It also provides descriptions of this principal’s leadership to which most males or females should be able to relate. The impressions of those around her are included to render a more vivid description of this female’s leadership and the environment in which she works. The study provides the reader an opportunity to examine the life of one female in school administration and, at the same time, gives the reader a feeling for the subject as an individual. A description of a "day in her life" ties the transformational leadership characteristics to the actual day-to-day events in the principalship of Peggy Moles. / Ed. D.

The demand for excellent service in the hospitality industry is critical. This study evolved from the author's twenty-five years' experience within the hospitality industry where managing emotions is vital to quality customer service. This study addresses the existing literature gap of the relationship between emotional intelligence and transformational leadership. A purposeful sample of 37 human resource directors and managers within Starwood Hotels and Resorts completed Schutte's (2002) Assessing Emotional Intelligence Scale, Bass and Avolio's (2004) Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire and a demographic questionnaire. To explore the relationship of emotional intelligence and transformational leadership, the study focused on emotional intelligence and leadership competencies of transformational leadership—idealized influences, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, individualized consideration. These competencies correlate closely with successful culture transformation, and the study demonstrated strong correlation. Data analyses resulted in observing a statistically significant relationship between pairs of scores to pairs of measures of leadership behaviors . The results support the research of Leban and Zulauf, 2004; Mandell and Pherwani, 2003; Sosik and Mergerian, 1999). A confluence of the data analysis and literature review of the constructs—emotional intelligence and transformative learning—yielded a preliminary conceptual model, The Transformational Leadership Pathway. The proposed conceptual model, providing a basis for future research, captures the hierarchy of transformational behaviors that may provide an instructive method to bring about culture change within service organizations. Four important recommendations for practice and research are included. One research recommendation is to replicate the study as global cross-cultural research to create better understanding of emotional intelligence and transformational leadership. Three recommendations for practice include: (a) a proposed competency model as an antecedent to transformational leadership that advances a leaders' competency in reading and interpreting social cues of followers, and adjusts behavior to align with the emotional needs of the follower, (b) adoption of ability based measures that may add to the selection process and contribute to the hiring of hospitality professionals in the workplace, and (c) consideration of replicating the study as global cross-cultural research to advance the construct of emotional intelligence contributing to transformational leadership. Additional recommendations for research and practice are included. / Ph. D.