Analysis of a Manager's Leadership Style and Readiness for Change

The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine the level of readiness for change in transactional, transformational, and passive-avoidant leadership styles. Specifically, a cross-sectional research design was used to examine and compare the level of readiness for change in transactional, transformational, and passive-avoidant leadership styles. Readiness for change was measured by the Readiness for Change Questionnaire (RFCQ) and the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ) measured the leadership styles. All 187 managers of the Oregon State Police were solicited to participate in the study by answering the survey questions; however, 103 participated for a response rate of 55%. The primary outcomes of the current study were that (1) the readiness for change levels of transformational, transactional, and passive-avoidant leadership styles did not match the hypothesized value (i.e. 3.00); (2) a manager’s leadership style was not indicative of his or her level of readiness for change; and (3) a manager’s level of trust in top management was not correlated to his or her acceptance of change. The research conducted in the study contributed to extant literature regarding the association between leadership styles and organizational change, and the effect of organizational change on leaders.