The Effect of Transformational Leadership on Innovative Behaviours of Employees in Aviation Industry. The Role of Trust in the Leader

Transformational leaders are leaders who prioritize harmonizing the valued issues of followers with the values of the organization and thus aim to both increase the success of followers and achieve success goals by ensuring organizational integrity. This study aims to show how the transformational leadership style impacts the innovative behaviours of the aviation industry employees. The study will also attempt to determine the role of trust in the leader in this relationship. Employees of companies offering ground handling services at Ankara Esenboğa Airport provided 252 valid data points with the online survey method prepared in accordance with the model created in the context of the research. Following the analyses employees' innovative behaviours are significantly and positively impacted by transformational leadership, and this link is mediated by the employees' trust in the leader. Inferences and recommendations were made for organisational managers consistent with the data gathered from the study.