Modeling the Impact of Transformational Leadership on Teachers’ Job Performance: The Mediating Role of Organizational Virtue
Document Type : Original Article
Author
PhD in Educational Administraction, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran
10.22098/pbeo.2026.20140.1096
Abstract
In modern educational systems, achieving educational objectives through identifying behavioral drivers such as transformational leadership and fostering organizational virtues to enhance performance carries strategic importance. In this regard, this study was conducted to model the impact of transformational leadership on job performance, with organizational virtue acting as a mediator.
In terms of purpose and application, this study was descriptive-correlational. The statistical population consisted of all 750 primary school teachers in Aslanduz County during the 2025-2026 academic year. Based on Cochran’s formula, a sample size of 255 participants was determined and selected using a simple random sampling method.To collect the data, standardized questionnaires were employed: the Transformational Leadership scale by Bass and Avolio (2000), the Job Performance scale by Patterson (1999), and the Organizational Virtue scale by Cameron et al. (2004). Data analysis was performed using Pearson correlation coefficient and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) via SPSS 22 and AMOS 24 software packages.
The findings revealed that transformational leadership has a significant positive direct effect on teachers’ job performance, as well as a significant positive direct effect on organizational virtue. Furthermore, transformational leadership was found to have a significant positive direct impact on organizational virtue. Finally, the analysis revealed that organizational virtue significantly mediates the indirect effect of transformational leadership on teachers’ job performance.
The results indicate that transformational leadership can facilitate the improvement of teachers’ job performance by strengthening organizational virtue within the school. In other words, as school principals increasingly adopt transformational leadership styles, the organizational climate becomes more positive, which in turn leads to improved job performance among teachers.
In terms of purpose and application, this study was descriptive-correlational. The statistical population consisted of all 750 primary school teachers in Aslanduz County during the 2025-2026 academic year. Based on Cochran’s formula, a sample size of 255 participants was determined and selected using a simple random sampling method.To collect the data, standardized questionnaires were employed: the Transformational Leadership scale by Bass and Avolio (2000), the Job Performance scale by Patterson (1999), and the Organizational Virtue scale by Cameron et al. (2004). Data analysis was performed using Pearson correlation coefficient and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) via SPSS 22 and AMOS 24 software packages.
The findings revealed that transformational leadership has a significant positive direct effect on teachers’ job performance, as well as a significant positive direct effect on organizational virtue. Furthermore, transformational leadership was found to have a significant positive direct impact on organizational virtue. Finally, the analysis revealed that organizational virtue significantly mediates the indirect effect of transformational leadership on teachers’ job performance.
The results indicate that transformational leadership can facilitate the improvement of teachers’ job performance by strengthening organizational virtue within the school. In other words, as school principals increasingly adopt transformational leadership styles, the organizational climate becomes more positive, which in turn leads to improved job performance among teachers.
Keywords
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