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THE IMPACT OF LEADERSHIP TECHNIQUES ON EMPLOYEE’S JOB PERFORMANCE

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1    BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

Leadership in organization is a dynamic social process transcending all generations with emphasis on profit and non-profit oriented organizations alike. Today organizations are desperate of a formidable leadership that would create a favourable and considerable platform for the employees to thrive legitimately for attainment of the set goals and objectives. Implicitly there is virtually no organization or group anywhere in the world without leadership manning its affairs. The essence of leadership in an organization is to provide direction with an inspiration to ensure prudent utilization of organizational resources in effective and efficient manner to facilitate the immediate attainment of organizational set goals and objectives by influencing the behaviour of individual members or group (human component of resources) of the organization through a non coercive means with confidence and encouragement towards an improve performance without debasement of those forces.

According to Griffin, (2015) he asserted that our today’s society is strongly influenced by managers administrators and their organizations. Granted, leadership is tied to a group of people or organization. That is, leadership emerged from group and organization – meaning a leader cannot exists or do without people (group or organization). Ofcourse this presupposes that any group or organization that needs to be viable requires both management and leadership. While the latter is necessary to create change, the former enhance achievement of an orderly results and also works in conjunction with the latter to produce orderly change; And leadership in conjunction with management can keep the organization properly aligned with its environment, (Ibid).

In organization, the concept of power and authority dwell with leadership who exercises same. Organization is both a bundle of anarchy without leadership and a vacuous without people (workers) and where they are dehumanized by means of application of these concepts (power and authority), resulting from leadership techniques, its promote resentment, insubordination, little or no adherence to instruction from superior to subordinate officer. Presently situations warrant that in work environment there is an increasingly awareness that managers or administrators can no longer rely solely on the use of their position in the hierarchical structure as means of exercising the functions of leadership, however for the desired results to be obtained, manager/administrator must also have a deep feeling and regard for worker to encourage or inspire high morale, a spirit of involvement, cooperation and willingness to work which give rise to the consideration of leadership technique.

The public sector organizations are faced with problem often emanated from leadership techniques with its deteriorating effect on workers, demonstrated by low or no participation in decisions making, policy formulation and implementation coupled with lack of sensitivity or irregular or irregular training which eventually resulted to low or no adherent to directives and decisions passed from top to down hierarchy of organisation. In nutshell, there are some techniques of leadership which management would employed that can demotivate workers, thereby making them withheld their contributions which at last have untold consequences or effect on productivity. Studies has shown that adoption of authoritarian leadership technique in organization is mingle with it leads to some set backs and low level of success, since human beings are rationale thinking creatures demanding for some levels of independence.

Still, in Laizzez faire leadership technique, scholars identified it as being marked with indecision, vacillation and indifference. The leaders develop no policies and allow complete freedom to group and its individual members to do as they like. While authoritarian according to studies tends to reduce workers satisfaction and productivity, Laizzez faire is surrounded with confusion, sense of no direction with the lowest output or non at all but rather with workers’ wills (Henry, 2014). However, it is stressed that organization that maintains democratic that gives strength to the feeling of personal dignity and self – respect among the followers. It is believed that this technique permits self expression, initiative, creativity, group cohesiveness and innovation as well as emphasized on nomothetic and idiographic dimensions of organization, hence become people and task oriented, participative and less directive, leading to improved performance and goal realization.

But in a situational approach to leadership, the leaders foremost task is to study the characteristics of the organization (employees, task and environment) and then determine the type of leadership technique to adopt which is deemed to be well situated to organization for attainment of goals. In other words, it is the situation found that determined the type of leadership technique to be practiced. The leader is seen has approaching an organization with zeal and open mind to give the best of his contribution without reservation. Howbeit, his stance depends on elements operating within the organization which make him autocratic, laizzez faire or a democratic leader. From the foregoing, the researcher hoped fervently that this masterpiece will unveil and present leadership technique that seem appropriate in most cases because in the sense an appropriate leadership technique can foster organizational advancement. The study also strive to depict and evaluate its potency on employees and their performance in organization.

THEORETICAL FOUNDATION

No leadership without followership (subordinateship). An organisaiton with no leadership is likened to a sailing ship with no chatting compass or simply, a flock with no shepherd. Without exaggeration, the bible is a great book in leadership and of leaders among other texts and literatures. This is evidenced in the constitution of leadership and governance, stating that leadership is instituted by God, so mortals must be subject to authority. Inferrably, leadership is authority (Paul in Romans, 13:1). When Israelites suffered defeat of wars from their enemies, they requested for a leader (king) who could take them to the battle field and God granted. At another instance when they (Israelites) undergone affliction  in the hand of Egyptians, God raised a leader (Moses) to rescue them. And at exit of Moses, another leader (Joshua) was ordained and commissioned to continue. In an event of falling or dethronement of one leader witnessed the raising or enthronement of another as in case of King Saul and David respectively without vacuum left. Jesus Christ too was a renounced world religious leader of his time. In 539 B.C.E. Babylon was captured and devastated under the leadership of Persian King Cyrus. Suffice to say that leader(s) produce leader(s). Pharaoh, Joseph, Deborah and Gideon were also leaders in various capacities and occasions among others. Sequel to above development, leadership be it at any level had approval from God and is vital to the survival of every human organized system such as family, church, state, institution etc. obviously, is the fact that God-Himself usually communicate to the people through their leaders (Kings, Prophets, Priest, Seers, Commanders) and use them also to  vindicate their subjects in adversities.

Beside, leadership trend continues strongly in the secular world  cutting across all facets of life. Adolf Hitler and Goebels – a German Fuhrers were leaders of Nazism who invaded Europe race in an attempt to become the World power. This brought victory as well as defeats on their part which embitter Germans further by harsh economic and political terms imposed on by victors resulting to 1,700% inflation and economic devastation of German during 1920s which leads to second World war (Rourke T. et al 2013). Moreso, sequel to September 11, 2000 attack on Americans, several attacks were launched by Americans under the leadership of President George W. Bush against the suspected terrorist states and their perpetrators. Implicitly, failures and mishaps that befall people (follower/subordinate) are often attributed and accounted to leaders and in many occasions they are held responsible and accountable. From Yestayears some organizations are where they are today in terms of success and failure because of leadership methods of hand-off and hand-on approaches (Koontz, 2015). However, this unabated march and quest for leadership continues to deepen, penetrating generations, it becomes pertinent to ask a fundamental question such as why do the leader(s) chose certain paths or actions.

In the light of above, Rourke T. et al (2013) admits that a leader who approaches a problem by saying “I don’t know what to do” or “we can’t do anything will be accaused of weakness”. Hence they are surrounded with flawed decision making abilities. In same vein, John W. Stanko in his book “so many leaders…so little leadership” (2000) observed that “leadership is never without its flaws and crisis imbedded in decisions and actions, gendered by modern age putting demands on leaders like never before, changes in technology and the world market place increase pressure on leaders to react swiftly and accurately, and that leaderships mistake can cost or mar an organization its very existence”. Stressing further, he opined that “a pervasive leadership crisis is without precedent, affecting all dimensions of life, with all inadequacies that results in these institutions both serving poorly, hurting people, less achievement of goal and with other serious deficiencies are all traceable to leadership” (Ibid).

The above development underscores that in recent time, leadership both in the secular world and in an organization in particular has not been rosy and cosy experience, in that most management or administrative functions, skills and roles revolves with (leaders) them and in turn they become a force to reckon with, a determinant of what happens in organization, charting path and stepping forward to test the strength of the bridge by shaking it with their…and then order their subordinates to follow. Deducibly, leadership is vested with an utmost desirable ability to foresee where to go, how to go willingness to take risks or going out ahead to the way and trusted by the people that follows. It is indeed a pyramid and a cornerstone that every organization yearning to succeed rests.

1.2   STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The crux of existence of all organizations is to achieve its set goals and objectives. However, the envisaged goals and objectives may be attained minimally or not at all without a cooperative efforts of its workers. Therefore to secure this, leadership serves as a two-way bridge or traffic  which provide a firm foundation for achievement of an institutional corporate goals which  link the workers to that philosophy, as well as present them with the problem of meeting the goals of an individual employees working in its convoy too. In an attempt to overcome the hurdles and draw backs, managers/administrators are always constantly scanning for avenues to motivate their subordinates to greater coupled with awareness that human elements are crucial constituting an integral parts of an organization that make production possible. With this understanding that high morale and interaction are essential to happy working forces for optimum performance, managers/administrators are committed to ensure that their organizations succeed by the nature of leadership technique they adopted.

Unarguably, today’s organizational successes are tied to motivation, but the managers or leaders are often puzzled or disturbed of how and what in leadership can motivate workers in specific manner to become achievement oriented, even with an unabated trend of increasingly attendance of technological explosion world wide with machines and computers doing the work of most people in organization. Nevertheless, public driven institutions like Ministries of Health and Finance in Akwa Ibom State have long encountered leadership motivational related problems associated with techniques, hence the prime concern of management has been that of addressing or using leadership technique(s) as a nexus to motivate and inspire workers to give their very best in production process voluntarily. This situation affected both ministries for some years now resulting to its inability to meet the targets of most of its programmes and policies well formulated thereby leading to poor service delivery. Equally, these problems impinged on the progress of both ministries. Therefore this research focused on identifying leadership technique problem(S) and also propose an antidote that would checkmate the menace of leadership techniques excessiveness and resilience problems that is a pitfall to production or service delivery.

1.3    THE PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

The objective of this study is to assess how leadership techniques in the Ministry of Health and Finance has impacted on employees’ jobs performance as well as techniques’ efficacy in promoting workers involvement in decision making and its implementation resulting to greater productivity. The study also examines the strategies and methods adopted by the management to motivate workers to respond either collectively or individually. It’s also a pointer to certain defects in bureaucratic organizations in general. The study is anticipated to enable managers/leaders adjust to incorporate a more balance approach, motivational in nature to enhance workers’ positive attitude to their work willingly and above all highlight some issues on technique that seem appropriate to organization.

1.4    SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The study is considered to be of immense benefits to present leaders, managers, administrators and management of both private and public institutions of our society. To others such as researchers, politicians, clergymen, students, student-in-leadership, readers, scholars among others, they would also enjoy maximum advantage because of strategies that would be highlighted towards ensuring the most suitable or balance leadership technique. The research is theoretically and practically relevant because of its desperate desire for a sustainable leadership in every organization and in our state polity. Above all, it would served as a guide in understanding of the impact of leadership techniques for motivation of workers, operations and also contribute or add to body of knowledge and others numerous literatures / texts in the area of study.

1.5   SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The study on impact of leadership techniques on employees’ job performance focuses on Akwa Ibom State Ministry, particularly the Ministry of Finance and Health respectively from 1997-2007 of and is centred on how management leadership affect productivity in meager and mega levels.

MAJOR ASSUMPTIONS OF THE STUDY

The following assumptions were postulated by the researcher in fear of frustrating the findings by the respondents. That the target population of staff (respondents) of both ministries (Finance and Health) would give their needed maximum cooperation by completing the questionnaire and returning same to the researcher to facilitate the study. The completed questionnaires would get to the researcher within the stipulated time to enhance early production of the project within the time frame. That this piece of work will give maximum succour or provide a limelight to all managers, administrators and leaders on the technique of leadership appropriate for multiplicity effect on productivity. That the information required for the study would not be hoard but rather provided accurately by both ministries chosed by the researcher for the study.

1.6    LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

The quality of this study is subjected to number of constraints such as time allotted to data collection, unfriendly attitude of respondents to the researcher in both ministries, hoarding/refusal to tick some essential information provided in the questionnaire and time specified for the submission of the project are all crucial to the study. Though the study covers only Ministry of Finance and Health, it takes into consideration of selective minimum concern of both managers and administrators on leadership techniques as evidence to support their link with their employees’ performance. Lastly the study imposed financial strain on the researcher who depends solely on the lean financial resource and support of both the parent and friends.

1.7    RESEARCH HYPOTHESES

The hypotheses that would be utilized for the empirical analysis of this study is as follows:  The more leadership technique creates disinvolvement of workers, the greater the unproductivity level of the organization increases. Demotivation resulting from leadership technique tends to induce dissatisfaction on the part of workers in organization. The dissatisfaction of workers in their job is directly proportional to the unattainment of organizational goals and objectives.

1.8   RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The following questions were raised objectively by the researcher to unveil the essence of this study. Does the leadership technique adopted by management encourage workers active participation in activities and programmes of the ministries? Are workers of the ministries motivated by the technique of the leadership for effective and efficient performance? Does performance and service delivery ratio of workers in the ministries affected by technique of leadership adopted by management? Does the technique of leadership promote team spirit, innovation, creativity and workers dignity?

1.9   DEFINITION OF TERMS

The  definition of terms are provided either in real or technical sense to convey meaning fit for this study.

LEADERSHIP: A dynamic social process in which a leader influences the group or others to contributes voluntarily to the achievement of group tasks in a given situation “ G. A. Cole, published 2002”. It is a platform to exercise power and authority.

LEADERS:  People with ability to influence the behaviour of others without having to rely on force; or they are those accepted by others (followers) as leaders ‘Griffin, published 1999’ ‘It is a limited number of ‘privileged’ individuals entrusted with power and authority by followers to function’.

TECHNIQUES: The manners or ways in which function of leadership are carried out and the behaviour adopted by manager to subordinate staff, “mullins, published 2004”. It is also the behaviour or attitude of leaders towards subordinates. A patterns of behaviour that a manager exhibits in dealing with subordinates ‘Ronald J. et al published 1987’.

MANAGER/ADMINISTRATOR: Someone whose primary responsibility is to carry out management/administrative processes of planning, making decisions, organizing, leading and controlling of human, financial, physical and information resources of organization, ‘published by Griffin, 1999’.

SUBORDINATE: Someone who has a lower position and less authority than someone else in an organization. ‘Longman contemporary English Dictionary’.

FOLLOWER:  Someone who believe in a particular system of ideas, or who supports a leader who teaches these ideas, ‘Longman Contemporary Dictionary’.

MANAGEMENT: The process of getting things done through other people by means of planning, organizing, coordinating, controlling and directing for the purpose of accomplishing the set goals of an organization, ‘Henri Fayol 1916’. Management is a small group of top executive or officials that exercise power and authority, decision and control over the resources of organization and its activities to achieve its desired goal for the benefit of its members and society, ‘Add mine’.

ADMINISTRATION: ‘Obikeze published 2004’, sees administration as a process of coordinating, mobilizing group activities combining and harmonizing mobilized efforts to achieve organizational goal. Simply put it as a process of combination, utilization, coordination of men, money and other material resources within and outside organization for accomplishment of identifiable goals.

ORGANIZATION: Man-made structure created to solve rational problem. Or it is a group of people with like minds working together in structured and coordinated fashion to achieve a set of common goals, ‘Mullins, 2002’.

POWER:  It is simply an added advantage over the follower/subordinate. It is the base of every organization. The ability to make someone (subordinate) to conform with the leader’s desire, ‘Nwankwo published 2002’.

AUTHORITY: The right conveyed by the status. It is the right to exercise power by means of directing and commanding of the followers, (Ibid). It is the base of leadership and organization.

MOTIVATION: The process of stimulating an individual to take an action that will aid in an accomplishment of a desired goals and objectives. Or it is a driving force within individuals by which they attempt to achieve some goals in order to fulfil some needs or expectations, ‘Mullins, published 2002’.

WORK:  a physical and mental activity that is perform by an individual or group at a particular time and place in accordance with instruction in  return for pay or money.

WORK MEASUREMEN: ‘G. A. Cole, published 2002; it is a collection of techniques, particularly time study aimed at establishing the time taken by a qualified worker to complete a specific job at a defined level of performance.

PRODUCTIVITY: The out-put input ratio within a time period with due consideration for quality, ‘Koontz, published 2005’.

POLICY: A statement of a principle or group of principle with their supporting rules of action, that conditions and governs the achievement of certain objectives to which Business is directed, ‘David and Filley, 1977 in Obikeze’. Or better still, it is a guiding principles towards the realization of organizational objectives, ‘Obikeze, published 2004’.

AUTHORITARIAN LEADER: a complex personality traits with rigidity, adherence to conventional values, uncritical submission to morale authorities, aggressive and domineering attitudes towards social deviants, preoccupation with power and toughness, and generalized hostility, ‘the New lexicon Webster’s Dictionary’.

LAIZZEZ FAIRE LEADER: A leader with the philosophy or practice of avoiding planning and controlling of people. It is a doctrine of letting things alone, ‘Ibid’.

DEMOCRATIC LEADER: A leader that consults, inspires or motivates, builds concensus through participation, share leadership’s functions with members of the group and encourage active participation from subordinates which himself also is a member of team buildings, ‘Mullins published 2002’.

SITUATIONAL LEADER: A leader with a combination of different styles of leadership to suit various circumstances or situational mixes in an organizational environment. Or a leader who understands his behaviour, that of the subordinates and the situation of organization/environment before utilizing a particular leadership style, ‘Gibson and Ivancevich, published 1997’.

1.10  ORGANISATION OF THE STUDY

This study is organized into five (5) chapters: Chapter one looks briefly at the introduction/background of the study which include the theoretical foundation, statement of the problem, purpose of the study, significance of the study, scope of the study, major assumptions, limitations/delimitations, research hypotheses, research questions, definition of terms and organization of the study Chapter two(2) considers review of literatures where sources of information include textbooks, Journals, magazines, Internet paper presentation by eminent researchers/scholars and encyclopedia.  Chapter three (3) addresses procedures/ research methodology, research design, area of the study, preliminary study, population and sampling techniques, method of data collection, instrumentality of data collection, validation of the instrument, technique of data analysis and problems of data collection. Chapter four (4) deals with data presentation, analysis/interpretation with the use of tables, figures and explanation on the results. Chapter five (5) provides the summary of the study, conclusion, recommendations,  Bibliography and Appendix.

REFERENCES

Cole G. A. (2013), “Management” Theory and Practice, fifth (ed).

Griffin, R. W.

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