Transformational Leadership and Organizational Success: Evidence from Tertiary Institutions

This study examined the extent to which transformational leadership dimensions affect organizational success in tertiary institutions in Anambra State Southeast Nigeria. A cross-sectional research design was employed for this study. A total of 325 staff members from each university were surveyed in this study and the total number of employees was increased to (N) 650. However, 154 usable copies of the questionnaires were finally collected and are used in the analysis of data. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire. The questionnaire was tested for reliability by using Cronbach alpha to determine the internal consistency of the items. The study used expert judgment method to determine content validity. Pearson’s product moment correlation techniques were used to analyze the data at 5% level of significance. The results showed that transformational leadership dimensions and organizational success in the selected tertiary institutions had a strong positive and significant correlation. The study concluded that leadership is a critical success factor that can bring about changes in employees and universities as a whole. The study recommended that management at all levels in the universities should provide proper self-development plan and build teamwork to ensure continued optimism and enthusiasms within their employees.


INTRODUCTION
Tertiary institutions around the world are facing a decline in public funding, while asking them to invest in organizational transformation processes to remain relevant in an increasingly competitive sector (Bendermacher, Egbrink, Wolfhagen & Dolmans, 2016). Similarly, tertiary institutions in Nigeria have undergone a series of transformations to increase access, quality and encourage internal and external efficiency of the system. Internal efficiency in terms of graduating in record time with very little or no dropout and external efficiency regarding producing what the market would absorb at the end of studies to minimize or eliminate unemployment (Okoli, 2018;Ajadi, 2010). These transformational challenges have great consequences for the university governance and leadership behavior of universities (Seale & Cross, 2016), as they are the main force of these processes of change and transformation (Bendermacher et al., 2016). Exceptional leadership is needed to meet these transformational challenges. Naylor (1999) sees leadership as the process of influencing employees towards achieving organizational goals and organizational excellence. Exceptional leaders have strategic intentions for their institutions. Beare, Caldwell & Millikan (1997) claim that exceptional leaders have an image of their favorite future, which is shared with all members of the institution and which models learning and teaching programs, as well as policies, priorities, plans, and procedures that permeate the daily life of the institution. Peretomode (1991) argues that through the words, and examples, leaders of tertiary institutions inspire the entire system by effectively influencing the behaviors, thoughts, and emotions of those working there and ensuring their vision by creating strategic alignment across the system. Therefore, the key to predict the future of tertiary institutions is through a transformational leadership style. Marshall (2011) defines transformational leadership as a leadership style in which the leader identifies the necessary change, creates a vision to guide the change, and executes the change. Transformation leaders are those who stimulate and inspire followers to achieve extraordinary results and develop their leadership capacity. Transformational leadership is a style of leadership that involves change (Money, 2017). Change simply may not happen in universities, but it happens in people, so to lead change, leaders need to know how to lead people. Through their visionary power and personality, transformational leaders can encourage followers to change expectations, perceptions, and motivations to work toward common goals. Krishnan (2005) argues that the key premise of transformational leadership theory is the leader's ability to motivate followers to achieve more than followers intended to achieve. However, it is doubtful whether Nigerian tertiary institutions could internalize the revolutionary leadership style at universities. Although empirical research on transformational leadership and organizational performance is growing, there is relatively little research on transformational leadership in services, particularly in tertiary institutions, although the educational sector has been the backbone of every country. Therefore, this research examines how transformational leadership variables affect organizational success in tertiary institutions.
This study therefore investigates the effect of transformational leadership on organizational success in tertiary institutions in Anambra State, Nigeria. Specifically, the study sought to do the following: 1.
To investigate the nature of relationship that exists between idealized influence and organizational success.

2.
To investigate the extent of relationship that exists between inspirational motivation and organizational success.

3.
To examine the nature of relationship that exists between intellectual stimulation and organizational success.

4.
To examine the extent of relationship that exists between individualized consideration and organizational success.

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
Transformational Leadership Burns (1978) defines transformational leadership as a process in which leaders and followers always try to advance their psychological ability and motivation to higher levels. Simola, Barling & Turner (2012) view transformational leadership as a type of leadership in which interactions between interested parties are arranged around a unified goal in a way that changes, drives and empowers followers' ethical actions and aspirations. Transformational leadership is a leadership style that requires positive change in the future and produces the change needed through organizational planning and structure (Peter & James, 2013). Marshall (2011) believes that transformational leadership is all about change. The change focused on changing organizational mission, vision, values, performance and the like to achieve maximum efficiency and quality in product and service delivery. They want to change the existing structure and encourage people to buy a new vision and new possibilities. Lussier, & Achua (2010) reiterated that transformational leadership is used to change the status quo by drafting followers of the problems of the current system and a compelling vision of what a new organization could be. Dilts (1996) points out that transformational leadership can be viewed from two perspectives: vision and action. Vision is associated with creating images of future goals while action is about performing immediate behavior. Transformational leaders inspire, motivate, and encourage followers to achieve extraordinary results. Transformational leaders motivate and move others to do more than initially planned and often even more than they thought possible. They set more difficult expectations and generally achieve higher performance. During this process, followers develop their leadership capacity (Avolio & Bass, 2002;Bass & Riggio, 2006;and Marshall, 2011). Nonetheless, Yadav & Agrawal (2017) highlighted the challenges that transformational leaders may face in their leadership process; dynamic nature of the organization, how to inspire followers, how to implement changes, lack of honest feedback, lack of skills to lead from a place of influence rather than authority, lack of emotional intelligence, communication and functioning between the teams and across the organization, challenge for a broader knowledge, the demand for qualified talents and the information overload.

Dimensions of Transformational Leadership
Leithwood, Jantzi & Steinbach (1999) previously identified six dimensions of transformational leadership: vision and objectives, culture, structure, intellectual stimulation, individual support, performance expectation. Recently, Leithwood et al (1999) have redesigned their work to include four main dimensions of transformational leadership in schools: 1. Setting directions: Building a shared vision, fostering acceptance of group goals, high performance expectations. 2. Developing people: Providing individual support and consideration, intellectual stimulation, providing an appropriate model, redesigning the organization. 3. Building collaborative cultures: Restructuring, building productive relationships with families and communities, connecting the school to its wider environment, managing the instructional program. 4. Staffing the program: Providing instructional support, monitoring school activity, buffering staff from distractions to their work.
According to Bass & Avolio (1994) and Bass (1999), transformational leaders presents four factors commonly known as the "four Is" to bring major changes. The dimensions are; Idealized influence (II), Inspirational motivation (IM), Intellectual stimulation (IS) and Individual consideration (IC).
1) Idealized Influence: According to Stone, Russell & Patterson (2003) "idealized influence is charismatic element of transformational leadership". Charisma is the capability to "inspire a vision". It is the style by which the subordinates trust and stimulate their leader's behaviors, and they embrace their values and commit to achieve their vision which maximizes self-confidence and the pride of participate with the leader. Yukl (2006) stated that ideal influence behaviors elicit strong subsequent emotions and identification with the leader. According to Bass & Riggio (2006) and Avolio & Bass (2002), leaders with great deal of idealized influence are willing to take risk calculations and are "consistent in ethical and moral conduct rather than arbitrary". According to Banjeri& Krishnan (2000), followers describe their charismatic leaders as causing followers to become enthusiastic about tasks, command respect, and experience a sense of mission conveyed to their followers.
2) Inspirational motivation: Here, Bass & Riggio (2006) state that transformational leaders behave in such a way as to motivate and inspire their followers. It confirms the behavioral style and the communication which directs the subordinates and makes them feel the value and the challenges of the work. Transformational leaders depict intense interest and confidence which has a direct positive effect on subordinate's life and imposes the feeling of group spirit and inspires others with what they say and do, their vision does not mislead others, but allows them. Banjeri & Krishnan (2000) relate inspirational motivation to the concepts of ethics, and argue that when leaders show concern for successive organizational vision and motivation, they are more likely to make ethical decisions.
3) The Intellectual Stimulation: According to Bass & Riggio (2006) and Avoio & Bass (2002), Intellectual Stimulation is the ability of transformational leaders to stimulate the efforts of their followers to be innovative and creative, challenging assumptions, rethinking problems and approaching old situations in new ways.
Intellectual stimulation explains how leaders inspire the creative and innovative ability of the follower. Creativity and innovation are encouraged. New ideas and creative solutions to problems are solicited from followers, who are included in the process of solving problems and finding solutions. Followers are encouraged to try new approaches, and their ideas are not criticized because they differ from the ideas of leaders, and furthermore, followers have never publicly blamed and criticized for making mistakes and mistakes (Bass & Riggio, 2006). (2006) describes individualized consideration as the degree to which leaders provide support, encouragement and coaching to followers. Renjith, Renu & George (2015) believe that individualized consideration is the other characteristics of the quality of transformational leadership that refers to the attribute of being a compassionate leader. Bass & Riggio (2006) reiterated that the transformation leader recognizes individual differences regarding needs and wants and pays particular attention to each individual need. Each individual is different concerning their needs and wants. Each individual cannot be considered as one and treated in the same way. The leader understands the diversity of interests. Transformation leaders accept and consider individual difference and treat it with respect accordingly. Individual considerate leaders have the ability to identify and understand the needs and requirements of each follower for success and growth as a mentor and to pay particular attention to this (Avoio & Bass, 2002).

Organizational Success
Organizational success refers to the process by which the underlying strategic intentions (vision statement, mission statement and business objectives) set out by the organizations are attained. For organizational success to be attained there must be a good strategic intent, a philosophy and a series of programs and objectives focused on the skills and talents of its employees. All of this must be managed with care and guidance in order for the organization's mission to be successfully accomplished. Successful organizations need both inspiring leaders and good managers. To achieve increased and lasting results, organizations must implement strategies and mobilize employees. Success is measured by analyzing the position of the organization in relation to its objectives and mission. Organizations need to think about the future of their business and think of better ways to succeed.
Organizations can view their challenges as competing with others or as opportunities to push them closer to reaching their full potential. The path they choose to take determines whether or not they succeed (https://study.com/academy/lesson/organizational-success-factors-definition-quiz.html). Gozukara (2016) posits that organizational success is based on several factors such as financial and technical resources, logistics, technology and human resources. Combination of all such factors brings the achievement of goals in an organization. This, in turn, drives organizations to seek out the best people to lead and manage this process. The organizational expectation of leaders is to possess specific characteristics that will allow positive organizational results. Bylahalli (2017) also opines that successful organizations must focus of the following 4Cs namely; customers focus, culture, credibility and core competency. In addition, organizational success can be measured by the following parameter; employee satisfaction, customer relationship, communication, brand image, trust, customer frustration, distractions, personal relationship, project management and employee talent and skills. There are four steps that leaders can use to ensure that their organizations are not simply reacting to the challenges they face, but that they have a clear understanding of what their organization needs to do to be successful. These steps include; a) Setting clear goals.
b) Define plans that fit the organisation. c) Do not let external factors shift the focus. d) Communicate review work progress often to keep everyone on track.

Empirical Link between Transformational Leadership and Organizational Success
Khalil & Sahibzadah (2017) investigated the relationship between leader's individualized consideration and employee job satisfaction. The study found that individualized consideration and job satisfaction were positively correlated; meaning that an increase in the leaders individualized consideration would result to increased levels of employee job satisfaction. The study advocates that if leaders of organizations show individualized consideration, it will prove to be very effective in achieving employee satisfaction with their organizations.
Ogola, Sikalieh & Linge (2017) (2016) examined the role of leader's idealized influence and inspirational motivation on employee's job satisfaction. The study found there is a strong positive correlation between the two components of transformational leadership (idealized influence and inspirational motivation) and employee job satisfaction. This implies that an increased in the level of idealized influence and inspirational motivation leads to an increase in the employee job satisfaction in organizations. According to the finding 71.6% of the variance in the employee job satisfaction is accounted for individualized influence while 67.2% variance in the employee job satisfaction is contributed by inspirational motivation.
Orabi (2016) investigated the role of transformational leadership and their influence on organizational performance in three banks operating in Jordan. The study revealed that in the life of a transformational leader the three elements of his composition (inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, and individual consideration); contributed to 81.6 percent of the variance in organizational performance. Leaders may need to focus on these elements of transformational leadership to improve outcomes for organizational performance. Evelyn & Hazel (2015) examined the effects of transformational leadership on organizational performance with specific interest in the mediating role of employee engagement. The study shows that both transformational leadership and employee engagement has positive relationship with organizational performance. Three of the four characteristics of transformational leader; inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation and individualized consideration was discovered to be positively related to both employee engagement and organizational performance. Idealized influence of leader was however discovered to having a negative relationship to both constructs. Employee engagement moderates the relationship between transformational leadership and organizational performance.
Al-Qura'an (2015) explored the impact of the transformational leadership on organizational change management at Jordan Ahli Bank. The study showed that the dimensions of transformational leadership (idealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, individualized consideration and empowerment) affect the management of organizational change at the structural, technological and human level in Jordan Ahli Bank from the perspective of the branch managers at Jordan Ahli Bank.

Ahmad, Abbas, Latif & Rasheed (2014) examined the effect of Transformational Leadership on Employee
Motivation in Telecommunication Sector in Punjab. The study found there is a positive and strong correlation between the idealized influence, individualized consideration, intellectual stimulation and inspirational motivation and employee motivation. Thus, the study also confirmed that employee motivation has positive and strong correlation with transformational leadership. Almintisir, Akeel & Subramaniam (2013) investigated the relationship between transformational leadership variables and employee motivation in public institutions in Libya. The variables are idealized influence, inspirational motivation, individualized consideration and intellectual stimulation. Intellectual stimulation, inspirational motivation and individualized consideration were found to be related to motivation. Together they contributed 73.7% to the change in motivation. Intellectual stimulation was discovered to contribute most to the change at (66.4%), inspirational motivation (6.4%) and individualized consideration (0.90%). The relationship between idealized influence of leaders and employee motivation was found to be unimportant.

Conceptual Framework
The framework for this study is presented in Figure 1 below that shows the relationship between dependent variable organizational success and four transformational leadership style variables as independent variables.

Figure 1: Conceptual Framework between Transformational Leadership and Organizational Success
Based on the conceptual model, the study proposed the following hypotheses: H1: There is a significant relationship between idealized influence and organizational success. H 2 : There is a significant relationship between inspirational motivation and organizational success. H3: There is a significant relationship between intellectual stimulation and organizational success. H4: There is a significant relationship between individualized consideration and organizational success.

METHODS
A cross-sectional survey research design was adopted by this study given that data for the study was collected through questionnaire from sampled respondents. The study population from which the sample was drawn for the study consists of academic staff on the rank of Senior lecturers, Associate Professors, Professors from two universities in the Anambra State, South East Nigeria namely (Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka and Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Uli). A non-probability or convenience sampling technique was used. This technique is known as deliberate sampling or random sampling which gives the discretion of a researcher to explore all available subjects while conducting a study. A total of 325 staff members from each university were surveyed in this study and the total number of employees was increased to (N) 650. However, 154 usable copies of the questionnaires were finally collected and are used in the analysis of data.
A structured questionnaire was used as a research tool. The multifactor leadership questionnaire (MLQ) developed by Bass & Avolio (1994) was used to measure transformational leadership variables, while the organizational success questionnaire (OSQ) was measured using a five-element scale developed and validated by the researcher. A 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 to 5 as follows: 1 = strongly disagree; 2 = disagree; 3 = neutral; 4 = agree; 5 = strongly agree was used to obtain respondents' responses. Face validity of the instrument was achieved with the help of three university subject experts. Reliability of the instrument was determined using the Cronbach alpha method. Reliability for dimensions of transformational leadership ranged from  According to Nunnally (1978) if the Cronbach's Alpha value goes beyond 0.7, it represents satisfactory internal consistency. Since the overall reliability of questionnaire is above 0.70, the questionnaires were administered and collected personally by the researcher to ensure better response rate. Statistical Packages for Social Science (SPSS) is used to perform the data analysis. Pearson correlation analysis was carried out to determine the relationship between the independent variables and the dependent variable. Significance level was set at p = 0.05.

Model Specification:
The researcher estimated model in the following form:

H1:
There is a significant relationship between idealized influence and organizational success. Computation: SPSS Ver. 20 Table 2, revealed a significant positive correlation between idealized influence and organisational success in two selected universities, which was statistically significant as shown in the result was (r = .731, N = 154 and p = .000) thus we reject the null hypothesis and conclude there is a significant relationship between idealized influence and organizational success.

H2:
There is a significant relationship between inspirational motivation and organizational success.

Computation: SPSS Ver. 20
The result of second hypothesis indicated a positive correlation between inspirational motivation and organizational success. Pearson product correlation of IM and OS is statistically significant (r = 0.431, N = 154, p = 0.000 or p < 0.05). This shows that an increase in the level of inspirational motivation of the leader would lead to an increased organizational success.
H3: There is a significant relationship between intellectual stimulation and organizational success.

Computation: SPSS Ver. 20
The result in table 4 shows a positive correlation between intellectual stimulation and organizational success. Pearson product correlation of IS and OS have statistically significant (r = 0.343, N = 154, p < 0.05). This shows that an increase in the level of intellectual stimulation of the leader would lead to an increased organizational success.
H4: There is a significant relationship between individualized consideration and organizational success.

Computation: SPSS Ver. 20
The result in table 5 shows a positive correlation between individualized consideration and organizational success. Pearson product correlation of IC and OS have statistically significant (r = 0.548, N = 154, p < 0.05). This shows that an increase in the level of individualized consideration of the leader would lead to an increased organizational success.

Discussion of Findings
The main aim of this study was to determine the nature of relationship between transformational leadership style dimensions of idealized influence, inspirational motivation, individualized consideration and intellectual stimulation on organizational success in tertiary institutions. Four hypotheses were proposed and tested in this study.
The study endorses that there is a positive relationship between idealized influence and organizational success; implying that enhancement of idealized influence leads to better success. This is in agreement with the work of Sahibzada, Kakakhel & Khan (2016), Yukl (2006), and Bass & Riggo (2006), whom asserted that idealized influence is positively correlated to organizational success. The result of second hypothesis showed that organizational success increases significantly when leaders inspire followers to reach higher sense from their work. The finding is consistent with views of Bass & Riggio (2006), Ahmad, Abbas, Latif & Rasheed (2014), Sahibzada, Kakakhel & Khan (2016), who reported that an increase in the level of inspirational motivation of the leader would lead to an increased organizational success.
The result of the third hypothesis revealed there is significant relationship between intellectual stimulation from the leader and organizational success. The result is consistent with findings of previous researchers like Almintisir, Akeel, & Subramaniam (2013), Bass & Riggio (2006) and Avoio & Bass (2002) who asserted that through support, leaders can create intellectual stimuli in employees which would motivate employees to engage their cognitive ability in thinking on how to solve both job related and collective challenge. The findings also indicate there is significant positive relationship between individualized consideration provided by the leader and organizational success. The result is consistent with those findings of Shibru & Darshan (2011), Bass & Riggio (2006) who affirmed that organizational success increases significantly when leaders pay additional consideration to each follower's enhancement necessities and establishing close association.

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Tertiary institutions set specific strategic intentions that can only be achieved through effective leadership. In this evolving academic environment, a new leadership style is needed that has the ability to cope with and implement strategic intentions. Transformational leadership has been presented as an effective leadership style that has been implemented to address the turmoil in academics today. Transformational leadership is a critical success factor that can be brought about changes in employees and universities as a whole. Therefore, with the implementation of transformational leadership components, there will be a radical change in the management of universities and its employees which in turn will improve organizational success.
However, based on the findings of the study the following recommendations were made: 1. Idealized influence of transformational leadership which was the least practiced of the four dimensions should be continuously improved by valuing the individual contributions of employees to the institution, so that universities can be sustained as learning organisation. 2. Management at all levels in the Universities should provide proper self-development plan and build teamwork to ensure continued optimism and enthusiasms within their employees. 3. Communication and listening to employees concerns and spending time mentoring and coaching employees should be at the heart of every University management to achieve organizational success. 4. All dimensions of transformational leadership should be adopted by university management since this has been found to affect organizational success.

APPENDIX I TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP AND ORGANISATIONAL SUCCESS: EVIDENCE FROM TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS
This study was set to examine how transformational leaders can bring organizational success in the academic environment. This study specifically examines how senior academics can help improve the academic excellence of the junior academia so as to achieve organizational success.
Please tick (√) in the appropriate column that represents your opinion in each statement. Keywords are as follows: SA-Strongly Agreed, A-Agreed, N-Neutral, D-Disagreed, and SD-Strongly Disagreed.
There is a display of sense of power and confidence 2 Academics goes beyond their self interest for the greater good of the institution 3 Academics talk about their most important values and beliefs 4 Academics emphasize the importance of collective mission Inspirational Motivation 5 Academics talks enthusiastically about what needs to be accomplished 6 There is an articulated and compelling vision for the future 7 There is express confidence that goals will be achieved 8 Academics encourages team-spirit and general enthusiasm 9 Academics talk optimistically about future Intellectual Stimulation 10 They seeks different perspectives when solving problems 11 They get others to look at problems from differing angles 12 They encourage non-traditional thinking 13 They suggest new ways of looking at completing assignments 14 They re-examine critical assumptions to questions Individualized Consideration 15 Senior academics treats me as an individual rather than just a member of the group 16 Senior academics spend time coaching and teaching followers 17 They consider an individual as having different needs, abilities, and aspirations from others 18 They help me develop my strengths Organizational Success 19 Frequent communication with employees assures loyalty and promotion of their values 20 Competence and value creation is encouraged to ensure performance of the organisation 21 Management credibility and reputation is of utmost importance 22 The organizational resources are allocated accordingly to enhance efficiency and effectiveness 23 Ability to adapt to change and encourage innovation is a priority