Motivating followers through motivation and inspiration has been viewed as a significant component in teacher professional development and school improvement. Transformational leadership has been noted as one of the pinpoint causes. It has been linked to positive outcomes, such as improved teacher cooperation and enhanced overall school culture.

This qualitative study examines the impact of transformational leadership on teacher professional development, with a focus on schools in the RAK government. Nine senior leaders (six principals and three vice principals) agreed to be interviewed to explore their understanding of and approaches to transformational leadership and the challenges encountered.

The results indicate that the participants viewed transformational leadership as a style of leadership that mainly focused on inspiration, motivation, and empowerment. Strategies used by leaders included collaboration, professional development, and celebrating achievement by providing recognition for effective teaching. Key challenges relate to unforeseen lack of resource materials for distribution, inadequate staff engagement, and faulty external interaction and communication systems.

The study highlights that transformative leadership enhances teacher professional development by fostering a positive learning environment, with a focus on continuous improvement. Adequate school leadership training and policy development, aimed at reducing barriers to resources, time, and information overload, are essential for further research.

Keywords: Transformational leadership, motivation, inspiration, and government school.