Navigating the storm: Transformational leadership in engaging on robust crisis response planning

Abstract

This study explores the impact of transformational leadership style on hurricane crisis response planning in the coastal destinations of Florida, Georgia and South Carolina. Using the Perceived Transformational Leadership Scale (PTLS) proposed by Donmez and Toker, alongside demographic variables, employment profiles and past crisis experiences, the study investigates how leaders' innate leadership characteristics influence crisis response adoption. Results indicate that transformational leadership significantly predicts engagement in crisis response planning, surpassing other predictors such as employment profile and experience. The study also validates the PTLS's usability across different contexts and its ability to predict varied behaviours beyond job satisfaction. Additionally, it underscores the importance of considering transformational leadership traits in managerial recruitment for risk management roles. The findings theoretically contribute by reinforcing the independence of transformational leadership scale items and informing recruitment processes and decision-making in hurricane-prone coastal regions.