Objective: Transformational leadership serves as a key driver for the success, sustainable productivity, and continuous excellence of leading organizations. The enactment of this leadership style by Admiral Sayyari during his command of the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy (IRIN) has precipitated profound transformations within this defense organization. The present study aims to identify, classify, and introduce the achievements realized during his tenure.
Methodology: This is an applied, interpretive, and inductive study conducted using a qualitative approach. The data sources include expert opinions, relevant published literature, and pertinent organizational documents. Sampling was performed purposively and judgmentally. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis.
Findings: The achievements resulting from Admiral Sayyari's transformational leadership are classified into three levels: organizational-level achievements (such as the IRIN's strategic transfer to the Sea of Oman, acting as the architect of a modern Iranian Navy, organizational transformation and excellence, fleet modernization and reconstruction, development of maritime infrastructure, a leap in combat capability and readiness, and strategic formulation of the IRIN); national-level achievements (such as the development of the Makran coasts, enhancement of security along the southern coasts and seas, regional and national economic development, safeguarding national maritime interests, and laying the groundwork for maritime-based development); and international-level achievements (such as sustained presence in international open waters, counter-piracy operations, internationalization of the IRIN, effective role-playing in the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), advancement of naval diplomacy, and generation of prestige for Iran and the Muslim world).
Conclusion: The present research identifies and introduces a relatively comprehensive set of achievements stemming from the leadership of a prominent transformational leader in the country's governance context. These findings can contribute to advancing the indigenous knowledge regarding the outcomes of this leadership style and can be utilized for documenting and promoting this successful national experience in the context of organizational transformation and development.