Transformational leadership is a leadership style that brings about positive change within the organization through inspiration, building a clear future vision, enhancing trust, and motivating continuous innovation and development. The role of the transformational leader extends beyond managing resources and decision-making to changing values and behaviors, directing them towards empowerment, and achieving organizational effectiveness in both public and private sectors, as well as in educational, health, and banking institutions (Al-Badawi & Al-Asmari, 2024; Al-Belaid, 2024).

Definitions of transformational leadership have varied across contexts without a unified formulation; however, their common denominator is inspiring employees and aligning developments in the work environment to enhance performance. Transformational leadership is defined as driving employees towards renewal and aligning developments in a manner that improves performance and achieves goals efficiently and effectively (Hamid, 2024). In the educational context, it raises satisfaction and loyalty, motivates effort, and readiness to accomplish tasks (Al-Badawi & Al-Asmari, 2024). It represents a radical and positive change in systems and practices within educational institutions (Al-Belaid, 2024). It involves a shared commitment to organizational goals and motivating employees to develop them (Al-Rousan, 2017). It embodies ethical and creative behaviors aimed at continuous development and change, transcending individual concerns (Ghanem & Al-Marhadi, 2024). It enhances commitment to the vision and its impact on the course of strategic management (Al-Hajri & Abu Qaoud, 2021). It consists of practices based on personal strength, respect, intellectual stimulation, and individual attention (Ramadhani & Saghiri, 2022). It builds a clear vision and motivates individuals towards personal and collective achievement and development (Al-Salmi & Al-Shaibi, 2024). It involves flexibility, empowerment, participation, and ethical values that enhance the organizational climate (Aydh & Al-Qahfa, 2020; Al-Majali, 2022).

Internationally, recent studies have addressed the concept of transformational leadership from multiple angles, highlighting its impact on enhancing organizational relationships and improving performance. Ystaas et al. (2023) presented transformational leadership as a model exemplifying role modeling and enhancing trust and relationships within the work environment, while Alessa (2021) focused on its role in transcending individual interests towards building a shared vision and values that unify individual efforts within the organization. A study by Deng et al. (2023) showed that transformational leadership contributes to raising performance levels through ethical influence, adopting a future vision, and providing individual support to employees.

Moreover, Bakker et al. (2023) emphasized the importance of the transformational leader as a positive role model that motivates employees and supports their commitment, whereas Lee et al. (2023) pointed to the role of transformational leadership in enhancing organizational loyalty and developing professional performance. A study by Al Dhanhani & Abdullah (2022) confirmed the effect of transformational leadership in achieving organizational effectiveness through establishing and motivating professional values, while Howell et al. (2022) highlighted the significance of charisma and strategic vision as pivotal dimensions of this leadership style. A study by Amrullah et al. (2022) indicated that transformational leadership enhances mutual respect and supports intrinsic incentives, contributing to building trust and loyalty within the organization.

Researchers generally agree on the existence of four main dimensions that form the essence of transformational leadership behavior (Rizq Allah & Tayebi, 2019). These dimensions include:

The transformational leader possesses several characteristics, including: delegation of authority and empowerment of decision-making within the operational scope to reduce routine and speed up achievement; personal charisma that gains trust and commitment to the vision and decisions; expertise and knowledge ensuring clarity of goals and guiding the team with a deep understanding of the context; development of cultural knowledge to broaden employees’ horizons to keep pace with change and find innovative solutions; and neutrality and transparency that establish integrity and respect within the team. These traits and practices accelerate change and enhance organizational commitment and readiness (Rizq Allah & Tayebi, 2019).

From the above, it can be said that transformational leadership represents a value‑inspirational‑empowering leadership framework that reshapes motivations and behaviors through four integrated dimensions, supported by executive practices (delegation, charisma, knowledge, neutrality). This theoretical structure explains the direct improvement of performance and also paves the way for an indirect path through psychological health, which this study empirically tests in the specific governmental context.

Job performance is the result of behaviors and outcomes that reflect the efficiency of an employee’s execution of their tasks and their commitment and contribution to the organizational environment. It is not limited to accomplishing work but includes the quality of output, collaboration, and discipline, serving as the foundation upon which institutions rely to enhance productivity and achieve success.

Definitions have varied based on different analytical perspectives:

In this research, job performance is defined based on previous literature as a set of measurable behaviors and outcomes that express the level of an individual’s contribution to achieving the institution’s goals. This performance is determined by the interaction of individual inputs (capabilities, skills, motivation) and contextual (structure, culture, leadership) and normative (requirements, quality standards) factors.

The concept of job performance exhibits clear variance and difference among researchers and specialists in management and organizational psychology, as perspectives and orientations differ regarding the determination of its dimensions, elements, and determinants. This variance is attributed to the multiplicity of theoretical approaches upon which researchers rely to analyze and understand this concept, in addition to the differences in cultural and organizational environments where studies are conducted.

Many researchers indicate that the most prominent determinants of job performance are:

A study by Lee et al. (2023) pointed to two main dimensions of job performance:

Several factors influence employees’ job performance, playing a crucial role in enhancing and improving the level of performance within the work environment. Among the most significant of these are (Saadouli & Al-Khanbashi, 2021):

The theory of job performance focuses on studying elements influencing the efficiency and productivity of employees within institutions. It assumes that job performance depends on the interaction of personal capabilities, motivation levels, and surrounding organizational conditions. It emphasizes that motivation is a fundamental element in enhancing performance, and institutions can adopt various motivational mechanisms to drive individuals toward higher productivity. It also stresses the need for alignment between institutional goals and employees’ aspirations to ensure effective and sustainable performance (Al-Nuaimi, 2017). Empirical evidence shows that the quality of performance is affected by organizational culture and its leadership integration, and that transformational leadership and supportive organizational culture improve performance by enhancing positive interaction and commitment (Amrullah et al., 2022; Lee et al., 2023).

Mental health is a crucial component that is no less important than physical health; it directly affects thinking, decision‑making, performance efficiency, building relationships, and coping with daily pressures. Attention to mental health enhances well‑being, productivity, and quality of life. Mental health is not limited to the absence of disease; it also includes feelings of balance, the ability to adapt, and positive interaction with others (Al-Nuassi, 2008).

The World Health Organization (2022) defines mental health as “a state of psychological, mental, and social balance that enables individuals to cope with life pressures, realize their potential, work efficiently, and contribute positively to society,” emphasizing that it is a fundamental right and an integral part of public health.

Psychological literature describes mental health as a relatively stable state in which an individual aligns with themselves and others on psychological, emotional, and social levels, allowing them to achieve goals and invest their capabilities flexibly and efficiently, reflecting personality balance and behavioral integrity (Ahmed & Abdulrazak, 2021). Other studies indicate that mental health manifests in a state of internal satisfaction and alignment, where an individual can cope with challenges and crises effectively, extending beyond mere absence of psychological disorders to encompass the concept of overall mental well‑being (Zaydan, 2021).

Al-Qahfa and Ghathfan (2022) view mental health as an individual’s ability to handle daily life demands without psychological or physical exhaustion, while Mansouri (2018) defines it as a relative state of physical, mental, and social completeness that can be measured by scores on a mental health scale. Subsequent research has reached an operational definition stating that mental health is measured by the extent to which an individual scores on an established measure within the study domain (Abdullah, 2020).

More comprehensively, mental health is understood as a state of positive adaptation and inner peace, reflected in an individual’s ability to overcome difficult circumstances, achieve emotional well‑being, maintain behavioral balance, and effectively manage stress, with anxiety levels remaining within normal limits. It represents balance and well‑being that extends beyond the absence of disease to include self‑satisfaction, work effectiveness, and community participation.

Abdullah (2020) highlighted multiple dimensions of mental health, identifying nine dimensions which include: psychological adjustment; feeling of competence and self‑confidence; ability to interact socially; emotional maturity; self‑control; utilizing energies and potentials; liberation from neurotic symptoms; human and value dimension; and acceptance of oneself and personal shortcomings.

Khalifi (2018) classified the dimensions of mental health into two main categories: positive dimensions reflecting the level of mental well‑being and proper adaptation, and negative dimensions indicating psychological problems and associated difficulties. Positive dimensions include: close personal relationships; personal skills; social participation; fulfilling work and recreation; and values, principles, and goals. In contrast, negative dimensions include: immature behavior; emotional instability; feelings of inequity; physical impediments; and neural manifestations.

Al-Dhahabi & Al-Abyadh (2024) confirmed that mental health is a key element in psychological and social sciences. To provide a more comprehensive and in‑depth explanation of this concept, they reviewed prominent theories presented through four main schools:

The majority of participants were female (82.0%), while males constituted about 18.0%, indicating a clear dominance of the female element within the sample and reflecting the actual gender distribution in the Bureau. This unbalanced distribution warrants caution when generalizing gender‑related findings.

The most represented age group was 30–<40 years (39.5%), followed by <30 years (35.4%). This indicates a relatively young workforce, which may influence perceptions of leadership, performance, and mental health.

The majority hold a Bachelor’s degree (62.0%), followed by secondary or less (14.4%), diploma (10.8%), and master’s (10.3%), while higher diploma and doctorate together form about 2.6%. This indicates a largely university‑educated workforce.

Most participants occupy executive positions (72.8%), followed by intermediate (17.4%) and senior leadership (8.7%). This enhances the credibility of their insights into daily operations and leadership practices.

Married employees form 50.8% of the sample, followed closely by singles (43.6%). This distribution may influence psychological and behavioral aspects related to job performance and mental health.

The overall level of practicing transformational leadership was high (mean = 4.18, SD = 0.88), which may be attributed to increasing official interest in adopting transformational leadership in line with Qatar Vision 2030.

The level of job performance in the Bureau was rated very high (mean = 4.42, SD = 0.54).

The overall level of mental health symptoms measured (primarily negative indicators such as hopelessness, loneliness, sadness) was low (mean = 2.21, SD = 0.99), which can be interpreted as relatively good psychological well‑being (lower symptom load).