Businesses that can retain junior executives as part of a succession plan are likely to outperform companies that struggle to fill senior executive positions. The purpose of this correlational study was to create a focus for organizations facing competition for candidates to fill critical vacancies as a generation of senior executives retire. The study population consisted of junior executives working in the United States energy industry. This study was grounded in Burns' transformational leadership theory, which holds that leaders can increase the motivation, morale, and performance of followers to enhance their leadership to work toward organizational goals. The study research question examined the relationship between junior executives' perceptions of senior executives' transformational leadership styles, junior executives' job satisfaction, and junior executives' turnover intentions. Data were collected using an online survey (N = 492) and analyzed using correlational analysis. Multiple linear regression results showed a statistically significant negative correlation between junior executives' perceptions of senior executives' transformational leadership styles, junior executives' job satisfaction, and junior executives' turnover intentions. Business leaders might benefit from considering the concepts identified to implement strategies designed to retain skilled and experienced junior executives to maintain continuity and momentum of strategic efforts. Application of the findings of this study may lead to increased stability for employees and reduced turnover costs for businesses resulting in positive social change for individuals, organizations, and communities.

The problem was to determine the significance of various relationships between job-performance ratings and selected factors associated with the college curricula of junior executive trainees. Job-performance ratings were made by personnel directors and immediate supervisors of college graduates enrolled as participants in junior executive training programs in department stores in Texas.