Assessing the Effects of a Transformational Leadership Training Programme within the Catalan Police Force

Abstract

Abstract Research shows that transformational leadership trainings can be beneficial even in highly hierarchical organizations. However, little is known about their enduring effects on such organizations when operating under social and political pressure. This study aims to evaluate a 3-month transformational leadership training programme in the Catalan police force, a programme that was designed and implemented in a period of extreme social and political upheaval. This study follows a quasi-experimental single group pre–post design, with three non-equivalent dependent variables as proxy counterfactuals. The training was delivered to police inspectors (N = 30). Leader assessments from subordinates (N = 129) were collected through the MLQ-5X questionnaire before the training (pre-test) and one year after the training (post-test). The quantitative analysis revealed that the training had a positive impact on four transformational leadership dimensions and in all leadership performance indicators. Some counter-theoretical results are discussed in the light of the social and political context of the study.