Transformational Leadership Among Midshipmen Leaders at the United States Naval Academy

TLDR: In this article, the authors assess the relationships among transformational leadership and leader success in a sample of midshipmen at the U.S. Naval Academy (USNA) and find that the former was associated with academic and military success at USNA.

Abstract: : The purpose of the present study was to assess the relationships among transformational leadership and leader success in a sample of midshipmen at the U.S. Naval Academy (USNA). Data about 107 midshipmen (squad leaders) were collected from their 1,235 plebe subordinates, their company (Navy and Marine Corps) officers, and USNA records. Results of this study indicate that (1) transformational leadership and outcomes (extra effort by subordinates, satisfaction with and effectiveness of the focal leaders) as rated by plebes (subordinates) were highly related; (2) transformational leadership and outcomes as rated by company officers (superiors) were strongly associated; (3) high school class rank and verbal and math aptitude were predictive of academic and military success at USNA; (4) academic and military success were associated with USNA performance (e.g., performance grade, conduct, lack of demerits); (5) participation in varsity sports was related to being seen as a transformational leader; (6) superiors' ratings of outcomes were associated with subordinates' ratings of transformational but not transactional leadership; and (7) superiors' ratings of transformational leadership were related to USNA academic and military performance and performance grades of the midshipmen, while superiors' ratings of transactional leadership were associated with selection into the midshipmen leadership structure.