Transformational Leadership Behaviors and the Intrinsic Motivation of Employees in Turkey: The Role of Psychological Empowerment and Demographics

Abstract

Transformational leaders make a difference in organizations by inspiring and motivating employees. This makes the concept of transformational leadership a significant area of research. This article investigates the relationship between transformational leadership, psychological empowerment and intrinsic motivation in the Turkish workplace. The mediating role of psychological empowerment is also examined. Data was collected from 315 participants working in different sectors in Turkey and analyzed. We found that the transformational leadership behaviors of managers had a positive effect on psychological empowerment and intrinsic motivation. Moreover, the relationship between transformational leadership and intrinsic motivation was fully mediated by psychological empowerment. The article also tests whether employees’ perceptions of transformational leadership, psychological empowerment and intrinsic motivation change according to demographics or not. The present study provides a comprehensive perspective on the psychological and motivational effects of leaders on employees. Keywords: Transformational leadership, Psychological empowerment, Motivation.