Transformational Leadership and Its Impact on Organizational Commitment During Change Management

Abstract

This research investigates the impact of transformational leadership on employee organizational commitment during significant organizational change, drawing on established theories and empirical data. Building on the frameworks of Burns (1978) and Bass (1985) for transformational leadership, and Meyer and Allen’s (1991) model of organizational commitment, the study explores how leaders’ visionary and supportive behaviors influence affective, normative, and continuance commitment within the context of change management. A quantitative survey was conducted with 346 employees from diverse backgrounds, measuring perceptions of transformational leadership, organizational commitment, and change management practices on a 1-5 Likert scale. The results revealed generally positive perceptions across all constructs, with mean scores of 4.15 for transformational leadership, 4.22 for organizational commitment, and 3.25 for change management, indicating a supportive environment for change initiatives. Regression analyses provided clear evidence that transformational leadership significantly predicts all three forms of commitment. The strongest effect was observed for normative commitment ($$\beta = 0.42, R2 = 0.38, p < 0.001$$), followed by continuance ($$\beta = 0.29, R2 = 0.17, p < 0.001$$) and affective commitment ($$\beta = 0.15, R2 = 0.08, p < 0.001$$). This pattern suggests that transformational leaders are especially effective in fostering a sense of duty and loyalty, while also positively influencing emotional attachment and retention. To further understand the mechanisms at play, the study examined whether organizational change management (OCM) mediates the relationship between transformational leadership and commitment. While transformational leadership was a strong predictor of OCM ($$\beta = 0.90, R2 = 0.76, p < 0.001$$), OCM did not significantly mediate the effect of leadership on any form of commitment. These finding highlights that the direct influence of transformational leaders is more substantial than the indirect effect through formal change management processes. These results align with and extend established change management frameworks such as Lewin’s Unfreeze–Change–Refreeze model, Kotter’s 8-Step Change Model, and the ADKAR model. The evidence underscores the pivotal role of transformational leaders in driving employee commitment during organizational transitions. While structured change management remains important, it is the direct, personal influence of transformational leaders that most powerfully shapes commitment outcomes. This insight emphasizes the need for organizations to develop transformational leadership capabilities to achieve successful and sustainable change