Leadership research is pervasive in the organizational literature, and studies in mental health services suggest that leadership is essential for both the organizational process and consumer satisfaction and outcomes. Glisson and Durick found that higher levels of positive leadership in human service organizations were associated with higher levels of organizational commitment. Higher levels of positive leadership were associated with a more positive organizational climate, which was, in turn associated with higher positive management ratings of the working alliance. Thus there are links between leadership, organizational and consumer satisfaction, and outcomes.
Transformational and transactional leadership are two well-studied leadership styles that have been assessed by the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ). Numerous studies have assessed and validated that transformational and transactional leadership span cultural and organizational boundaries. Leadership studies with the MLQ have also been conducted in mental health and other public-sector organizations, healthcare settings, and service settings. A given leader may exhibit varying degrees of both transformational and transactional leadership. The styles are not mutually exclusive, and some combination of both may enhance effective leadership.
