The Impact of Transformational Leadership Practices on the Performance of Palestinian Security Agencies: The Palestinian Police Force as a model

Abstract

This study aimed to analyze the impact of transformational leadership (with its four dimensions: idealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, and individualized consideration) on enhancing the overall performance of the Palestinian Police Force, which serves as a model for national security agencies. The study adopted a descriptive analytical approach to achieve this objective. The study population consisted of police officers in administrative positions, totaling approximately 650 officers. A structured questionnaire was used as the main data collection tool and was distributed to a stratified random sample of 305 individuals. All 305 questionnaires were retrieved, achieving a 100% response rate, and were complete and valid for statistical analysis. Data analysis was conducted using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). The study's results indicated that the level of transformational leadership implementation within the Palestinian Police Force was high, The findings revealed a strong, statistically significant correlation between the dimensions of transformational leadership and the overall performance level. Moreover, the results confirmed that transformational leadership practices have a direct and effective impact on improving institutional performance within the Palestinian Police Force. Based on these findings, the researcher recommends enhancing transformational leadership within the police force, alongside training security leaders in skills that encourage innovation and creativity and developing an institutional culture that supports critical thinking and individual initiative. The researcher also recommends investing in training programs for officers that align with modern transformational leadership approaches, including inspirational motivation and the use of digital transformation tools. Additionally, the study suggests creating an organizational environment that fosters creativity and innovation, developing task forces to study security challenges, and proposing innovative solutions. Further recommendations include adopting security governance to enhance transparency and accountability, using effective monitoring systems to ensure communication between security agencies and the community, and expanding the implementation of the community policing model with the help of digital transformation technologies to facilitate citizen engagement. The researcher also recommends adopting a performance evaluation system based on key performance indicators (KPIs) that reflect the impact of transformational leadership on the overall performance of the Palestinian Police Force. Lastly, the researcher suggests involving the community in developing security policies through opinion polls and periodic reviews, as well as utilizing digital platforms for citizen interaction.