Impact of Follower Personality and Organizational Structure on Transformational Leadership

Abstract

This study uses an experimental design to look at the effects of followers' openness to experience, one of the Big Five personality traits and an organic organizational structure (operationalized as low configuration and large span of control) on transformational leadership. The five factors of transformational leadership measured are idealized influence (attributed), idealized influence (behavioural), inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, and individualized consideration. The sample consists of 96 medical professionals from two homogeneous health-care establishments of the Indian defence services. Results show that followers' openness to experience enhances idealized influence (attributed) and idealized influence (behavioural), as also the composite measure of transformational leadership. An organic structure by itself does not have any effect on transformational leadership, but it does so in combination with follower personality. Idealized influence (behavioural), intellectual stimulation and the composite measure of transformational leadership are higher when followers' openness and organic structure are present than when both of them are absent.

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