Transformational vs. authentic leadership in task performance: the mediating roles of trust and psychological safety

Purpose This study investigates the differential effects of transformational and authentic leadership on task performance within a high-stakes organizational context. It specifically examines the mediating roles of trust in leadership and psychological safety in these relationships. Design/methodology/approach A mixed-methods explanatory sequential design was employed, grounded in Social Exchange Theory and the Job Demands-Resources model. Quantitative data were collected from 292 military personnel in the Ghana Armed Forces using validated questionnaires and analyzed via Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). Qualitative insights from 18 semi-structured interviews provided contextual depth to the findings. Findings The findings reveal a critical distinction within this specific context: while both leadership styles positively influence task performance, they operate through fundamentally different mechanisms. Authentic leadership appears to enhance task performance both directly and indirectly, through the partial mediation of trust and psychological safety. In contrast, transformational leadership’s influence on performance is fully mediated by psychological safety, with trust playing no mediating role. These findings suggest that, in hierarchical, high-stress military environments, authentic leadership appears to be more effective in building the relational resources (trust) necessary for sustained performance. However, given the cross-sectional design and single-country, single-organizational context, these findings require replication and should be interpreted with appropriate caution. Originality/value This study challenges the universal applicability of transformational leadership theory and extends the Job Demands-Resources model by demonstrating that leadership behaviors function as differentiated job resources with style-specific pathways to performance. These findings provide robust evidence for HRM practitioners and policymakers to prioritize the development of authentic, transparent and ethical leadership to foster a high-performing and psychologically healthy workforce.