--- title: No Transformational Leader? No Problem! description: Don’t have a transformational leader? This study reveals effective alternatives that boost employee performance and commitment just as well. image: https://businessreview.udallas.edu/hubfs/021_NTDACapstone_COB_UDallas1116-1.jpeg --- ## [![UD_Business_Review_Logo_COB_0823](https://businessreview.udallas.edu/hs-fs/hubfs/UD_Business_Review_Logo_COB_0823.png?width=250&height=45&name=UD_Business_Review_Logo_COB_0823.png "UD_Business_Review_Logo_COB_0823")](http://udallas.edu) [Follow us on Facebook ](https://www.facebook.com) [Follow us on LinkedIn ](https://www.linkedin.com) [Follow us on Twitter ](https://www.twitter.com) [Follow us on Instagram ](https://www.instagram.com) [✕](https://businessreview.udallas.edu/peer-reviewed/transformational-leader#atbs-offcanvas-primary) [**](https://businessreview.udallas.edu/peer-reviewed/transformational-leader#) - - - Share Share #### *Based on research by [J. Lee Whittington, PhD](https://udallas.edu/academics/colleges-schools/college-of-business/college-faculty-staff/whittington-j-lee.php), McKee, Victoria, Vickie Goodwin, PhD, and [Greg Bell, PhD](https://udallas.edu/academics/colleges-schools/college-of-business/college-faculty-staff/bell-greg.php)* Research and the popular press have long championed transformational leadership as being critical to achieving high levels of engagement and performance in employees. Transformational leadership (TFL) has consistently been linked to high levels of in-role performance, organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs), and employees’ affective commitment to the organization.  However, what can organizations do if they don’t have a transformational leader?  This study investigates whether there are ‘substitutes’ for transformational leadership. #### Key Points Transformational leadership does contribute to high levels of performance, positive citizenship behaviors, and commitment among employees. This study demonstrates that organizations can achieve high levels of performance from their employees in the absence of a transformational leader.  In fact, performance tends to be higher when managers focus on developing a high quality relationship with their employees in combination with setting challenging goals for their employees. Also, employee commitment is higher when managers focus on setting challenging goals in combination with heightening the job enrichment of their employees.   #### Why This Matters Transformational leadership does contribute to high levels of performance, positive citizenship behaviors, and commitment among employees. This study demonstrates that organizations can achieve high levels of performance from their employees even in the absence of a transformational leader.  The quality of relationships between managers and their employees impacts trust and performance. Setting clear, specific and challenging jobs also has a positive impact on performance. Finally, the structure of the job itself impacts performance and commitment. When employees have autonomy, variety, and an understanding of how their job contributes to the entire organization, they experience a sense of responsibility and meaningfulness. The bottom line from this research is that we can achieve high levels of performance and commitment, even when the leader isn’t transformational!  *Based upon the following peer-reviewed manuscript:* Whittington, J.Lee, McKee, Victoria, Goodwin, Vicki & Bell, Greg, 2013. “Applying Fuzzy Set Methodology to Evaluate Substitutes for Leadership” in Fiss, P., Cambre, B., & Marx, A. (Eds.), Research in Sociology of Organizations (RSO): Configurational Theory and Methods in Organizational Research, 279-302. [**Previous Post ](https://businessreview.udallas.edu/peer-reviewed/experiential-learning?hsLang=en) [![Getting to the Root of the Problem in Experiential Learning](https://businessreview.udallas.edu/hs-fs/hubfs/0034_CCACapstone_COB_UDallas1115.jpeg?width=180&height=180&name=0034_CCACapstone_COB_UDallas1115.jpeg) ](https://businessreview.udallas.edu/peer-reviewed/experiential-learning?hsLang=en) ### [Getting to the Root of the Problem in Experiential Learning](https://businessreview.udallas.edu/peer-reviewed/experiential-learning?hsLang=en) [Next article** ](https://businessreview.udallas.edu/peer-reviewed/retention-strategies-in-aviation-education?hsLang=en) [![Sustainable Retention Strategies in Aviation Education: Coaching Leadership Style, Instructor Behavior, and Career Decidedness](https://businessreview.udallas.edu/hs-fs/hubfs/naillul-autar-B8c5H2xhDtY-unsplash.jpg?width=180&height=180&name=naillul-autar-B8c5H2xhDtY-unsplash.jpg) ](https://businessreview.udallas.edu/peer-reviewed/retention-strategies-in-aviation-education?hsLang=en) ### [Sustainable Retention Strategies in Aviation Education: Coaching Leadership Style, Instructor Behavior, and Career Decidedness](https://businessreview.udallas.edu/peer-reviewed/retention-strategies-in-aviation-education?hsLang=en) ![UD Business Review](https://businessreview.udallas.edu/hs-fs/hubfs/063_General_Campus_UDallas1017.jpg?width=180&height=180&name=063_General_Campus_UDallas1017.jpg) [UD Business Review](https://businessreview.udallas.edu/peer-reviewed/author/ud-business-review) #### Related Posts [![image](https://businessreview.udallas.edu/hubfs/AI-Generated%20Media/Images/A%20picture%20of%20financial%20planning%20for%20a%20business%20review%20article-1.png)](https://businessreview.udallas.edu/peer-reviewed/why-ethical-financial-planning-matters-now?hsLang=en) [featured](https://businessreview.udallas.edu/peer-reviewed/tag/featured) ### [Why Ethical Financial Planning Matters Now](https://businessreview.udallas.edu/peer-reviewed/why-ethical-financial-planning-matters-now?hsLang=en) [** ](https://businessreview.udallas.edu/peer-reviewed/why-ethical-financial-planning-matters-now?hsLang=en) [![image](https://businessreview.udallas.edu/hubfs/Ethics.jpg)](https://businessreview.udallas.edu/peer-reviewed/ethical-company?hsLang=en) [featured](https://businessreview.udallas.edu/peer-reviewed/tag/featured) ### [To be or not to be…an ethical company?](https://businessreview.udallas.edu/peer-reviewed/ethical-company?hsLang=en) [** ](https://businessreview.udallas.edu/peer-reviewed/ethical-company?hsLang=en) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "UD Business Review", "url" : "https://businessreview.udallas.edu/peer-reviewed/author/ud-business-review" }, "dateModified" : "2025-06-18T20:32:12.198Z", "datePublished" : "2025-05-19T14:42:56.000Z", "headline" : "No Transformational Leader? No Problem!", "image" : [ "https://businessreview.udallas.edu/hubfs/021_NTDACapstone_COB_UDallas1116-1.jpeg" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://businessreview.udallas.edu/peer-reviewed/transformational-leader", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://businessreview.udallas.edu/hubfs/UD%20Rebrand/UD_Logo_Stacked_Blue.png" }, "name" : "University of Dallas" } } ```