LEADERSHIP STYLES AND TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP SKILLS AMONG
NURSE LEADERS IN QATAR, A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY
Amer Al‐Thawabiya; Kalpana Singh; Badriya Abdulla Al‐Lenjawi; Albara Alomari
Introduction Discussion
This study highlights a gap in research on nursing leadership styles within Qatar, revealing that
Leadership style is crucial in enhancing productivity, care transformational leadership is the most prevalent style among nurse leaders, particularly Directors
quality, patient safety, and cost-effectiveness in healthcare of Nursing (DON). DONs exhibited higher transformational leadership scores than Head Nurses (HN),
who displayed more autocratic tendencies. The study suggests that the transformational style is
organizations. This study identifies three primary styles:
optimal for enhancing staff motivation, engagement, and service quality. However, the reliance on
transformational leadership, which fosters staff empowerment
autocratic approaches by HNs may be influenced by their administrative responsibilities and limited
and motivation; transactional leadership, which relies on rewards
delegation authority, potentially impacting team morale and staff satisfaction. Strengthening
and penalties; and autocratic leadership, characterized by
transformational skills across all leadership roles could enhance healthcare outcomes, with
centralized decision-making but potentially lowering morale. The intellectual stimulation identified as the most practiced transformational skill. The findings support a
study aims to assess nursing leadership styles in Qatar’s largest need for targeted training and development programs to increase transformational leadership,
healthcare organization and explore ways to enhance especially for HNs.
transformational leadership skills among nurse leaders.
Conclusion
Methods The study concludes that transformational leadership is the most
effective style for nursing leaders in Qatar, particularly for promoting
Setting and Participants staff motivation, improving team morale, and enhancing the quality of
Conducted from October to December 2020 across eight large referral hospitals in Qatar, care. While Directors of Nursing (DONs) exhibit strong transformational
the study targeted Directors of Nursing (DON) and Head Nurses (HN) with at least one year in traits, Head Nurses (HNs) tend to lean toward autocratic leadership,
their roles. Out of 275 eligible nurse leaders, a sample size of 161 was determined, and which may limit staff engagement. The study emphasizes the need for
voluntary sampling yielded 89 valid responses after data cleaning. leadership development programs to strengthen transformational
skills, especially among HNs, to foster a supportive and collaborative
Data Collection
work environment. Overall, enhancing transformational leadership
An online survey using the validated Multi-Factor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ-5X) across all nursing roles is recommended to achieve better healthcare
assessed transformational, transactional, and laissez-faire leadership styles. Participants, outcomes and align with the organization’s goals.
invited via email, completed the survey anonymously, with informed consent implied by
submission.
Data Analysis
Implications
This study highlights the importance of applying evidence-based
Data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 21, including descriptive statistics and the approaches in nursing leadership and management, demonstrating that
Mann–Whitney U test to compare leadership styles and transformational skills between transformational leadership improves staff engagement, satisfaction, and
DONs and HNs. patient care quality. By focusing on transformational skills, especially for
Head Nurses, nursing leadership programs can foster a collaborative,
empowered workforce, thereby enhancing decision-making and patient
outcomes. The findings encourage nursing leaders to integrate research into
their practices, promoting a culture of continuous improvement that aligns
Results with organizational goals and adapts effectively to evolving healthcare
demands.
In total, 170 nursing staff completed the survey (response
References
Abdul-Aziz, W., Elhosany, W., & Ibrahim, S. (2020). The relationship be- tween degree
rate 62%). Eighty-nine responses were excluded because the of delegation and HN leadership styles at Suez Canal university hospitals.
Journal of Nursing Health Science, 9, 45–53.
questionnaire forms were not fully completed. The final valid Collins, E., Owen, P., Digan, J., & Dunn, F. (2019). Applying transformational
number of responses suitable for data analysis was 89. The leadership in nursing practice. Nursing Standard, 35, 59–65.
Hamilton, T. B. (2020). Cosmetologists: A practical career guide. Rowman
majority of participants are serving as HN (60%). The majority Littlefield Publishers.
of participants had 6–10 years of Qatar experience (21%). Most Robbins, B., & Davidhizar, R. (2020). Transformational leadership in health care
today. The Health Care Manager, 39(3), 117–121.
participants (69%) had been in their current position for 1–5 Zaccaro, S. J., Green, J. P., Dubrow, S., & Kolze, M. (2018). Leader individual differences,
years. Table 1 provides the characteristics of the participants. situational parameters, and leadership outcomes: A comprehensive review and
integration. The Leadership Quarterly, 29, 2–43.
