Building Private Universities Based on Transformational Leadership and Interpersonal Relationships

Abstract

Leadership in higher education institutions exhibits a unique, dynamic, and tactical nature, necessitating effective leadership models to address complex organizational challenges. This study investigates the transformational leadership model within the context of higher education, emphasizing the role of leaders’ individual characteristics in shaping organizational outcomes. Data were collected using questionnaires distributed to leaders, with 132 valid responses analyzed. Results demonstrate that leaders' individual traits positively correlate with organizational commitment, job satisfaction, unit performance, and interpersonal relationships, while negatively correlating with intention to quit. However, additional analysis indicates only partial support for these findings, suggesting that the predictive capacity of individual leader characteristics on transformational leadership outcomes is not fully substantiated. Furthermore, the limited evidence supporting unique contributions of leader characteristics to organizational variables underscores the complexity of transformational leadership in higher education settings. These findings highlight the need for further research to better understand the interplay between leadership traits and organizational dynamics in academic institutions. The study contributes to the growing body of knowledge on leadership in higher education and offers insights for refining leadership practices to foster improved organizational performance and employee retention.