Leadership styles: a phenomenological study of transformational, transactional, and situational leadership styles employed by CIOs at military combatant commands

Chief information officers (CIOs) are the focal points for information management in a variety of domestic and global organizations. Effective and efficient leadership is paramount in executing the organization's strategic plans and global visions. Historically, a vast amount of research has been conducted on leadership styles of CIOs in the civilian workplace. However, research pertaining to leadership styles displayed by CIOs at military combatant commands is lacking or there has been a relative small amount of research conducted. This research focused on the gap in leadership studies of CIOs at military combatant commands and employs three research questions to ascertain which leadership style is more effective for leaders. This qualitative phenomenological study was conducted at the four highly skilled, global, and operational military commands locate on a U.S. Air Force base. In particular, this research study discussed the effectiveness of transformational, transactional, and situational leadership styles of personnel working within the CIO directorate in accomplishing tasks or goals.