Abstract
The study focus on examining leadership style and organizational performance with emphasis on National Youth Service Corps Nasarawa State office. The evaluation was done through the use of questionnaire and structured interview question, tailored towards: determining the impact of effective leadership on the performance of the organization; assessing the effect of the relationship between effective leadership and organizational performance in promoting maximization of the objectives of the organization examining whether three are leadership obstacles that hamper organizational performance in the Nasarawa Sate NYSC; finding out if there are possible way of enhancing organizational performance in the Nasarawa State NYSC. The study employed survey research design in the work. The questionnaire was structured in four point scale in line with the objectives set out to be achieved in the study. The instrument was checked for reliability using test-re-test method. A sample size of 132 was selected from a total population of 198 and stratified random sampling was used to select the respondents. The data generated from the field survey were presented and analyzed using quantitative method like frequency distribution tables and simple percentage (%). The test of hypothesis was performed using chi-square statistical test. The result arising from the primary data tested at 0.05 co-efficient interval and degree of freedom revealed that there is positive and significant relationship between effective leadership and organizational performance in NYSC Nasarawa State. The study also revealed that there are no leadership obstacles that hamper organizational performance in the Nasarawa State NYSC resulting from the structure of the organization management. However, the study revealed that in-spite of the above, there are other factors that affect organizational performance.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
- Background of the Study
The role of leaders in ensuring excellent organisational performance can not be over emphasized. Adequate motivation, suitable work environment, compensation, efficient communication between managers and subordinates play an important role in promoting this goal. Planning and organisation of work is also very crucial in organisational goals attainment. Some researchers have argued that the most common problems affecting organisational performance in Nigeria businesses and other institutions are poor attitude to work among workforce, inefficiency as well as ineffectiveness of leaders in most places, though others share a contrary view.
This second school of thought believes that organisations in Nigeria are managed through leadership styles that are strange to typical Nigerian culture. In the wake-up call to address this issue, management practitioners in Nigeria have embarked on series of studies in an attempt to establish the relationship between Active leadership and organisational performance. Some found out that active leadership styles are positively related to organisational performance while others have a different view. Still there is no empirical evidence to show how active leadership styles impacts on organisational performance. Given our cultural background, educational qualifications, environmental factors, it is still not too clear how a true leader can be if he must combine the three types of leadership styles to achieve high performance in Organisations (Usoro 2000). Given this scenario, this study will try to fill this gap. The extent (degree) to which all members of an organisation use their abilities and influences in the effective utilization of resources depends upon how well the leaders of the organisation understand and perform their jobs. (Maddock and fullton 1998) in (Iyang 2006) explain that Leadership styles and its processes in the organization must maintain good interaction and relationship with the organization, this will make each members express their mind and values.
Despite thus, individuals have their needs to satisfy and that is why they offered their labours to become organisational members and the extent to which they are committed to the organisation depends on the degree of their conviction that their membership of the organisation will enable them realize their predetermined objectives. In this case, the support an organisation gets from the individuals will be based on the realization that by doing that, his personal objectives and goals will be met, otherwise his interest in the organisation will wane. Based on that, leadership effectiveness should be given adequate attention of the organisaiton intends to achieve it objectives. That is why it is a common agreement among management scholars that the success or failure of an organisation is largely a function of leadership and its styles.
In view of this, impact of job performance in an organization or establishment depends largely on its leadership style. The word leadership means the art by which a person is privilege to direct thoughts, plans and activities of others in such a way as to command their respect, obedience and cooperation. According to Orway. (1983), leadership style can be defined as the way a leader combines the leadership skill with the function which he performs in order to motivate those who he is leading. It has be suggested that there are transformational transactional, and lassies faire, which shall be discussed in detail in this write up. Early theories identified two basic ideas of leadership: That there was one vetted leadership style for all situations that is leaders emerge as situation arises. That leaders are born not made, which means that people are born with leadership qualities in general research uncovered the following characters of a good leader which include intelligent, social festivity, originality, self-confidence and social participation, communication skill etc. The term leadership therefore can be defined as the exercise of influence in a social situation in which the followers’ (influences) attribute .leadership qualities to the leader (influencer).
Leaders are leaders because other people view them as such. It must be noted that not all leaders are effective managers and not all managers are effective leaders. In other words, leadership has been described as a process of persuasion where the leader (or team of leaders) act as an example for a group in order to motivate and induce the group to pursue the objectives of the leader and the organization. In this regard, it is important to realize the culture of their working environment. They are integral parts of the system in which they arise yet dependent upon two-way communication with constituent and the forces that create the circumstances in which they emerge. In addition, leaders are accountable for the performance of their organization or the success of the government, which is dependent on employee’s productivity.
The role of leadership in management is largely determined by organizational culture of the company. It has been argued that manager’s beliefs, values and assumptions are of critical importance to the overall style of leadership they adopt. Maxwell (2002) says that 21” century leader is one who empowers others to be leaders. Managers and supervisors must know the techniques, challenges and benefits of facilitative leadership. According to him, “the old world was composed of bosses who told you what to do and think and made all the decisions. In the new world, no manager can know everything or make every decision now to be successful, a manager has to work in partnership and in collaboration with everyone, in other to tap everyone’s ideas and intelligence. Managers now are coach, counselors and team builders. Their job is to find people with talent and skill, and help them work together towards common goals. Leadership is influential processes which distinguish a leader by their actions, and also encourage a group of people to more towards a common or shared goal. A leader is an individual, while leadership is the function that the individual performs. Besides, an individual within an organization who have authority are often referred to as a leader, regardless of how they act in their job. But just because someone is supposed to be a formal leader in an Organization, him or her or not exercise leadership.
Leadership style as an aspect of management is very vital for the success of any organization. The quality of leadership can affect the behavior of the subordinates toward the achievement of the organization’s objectives. This is so because it is the leaders that carry out the planning, directing, coordinating and controlling of all activities in the organization in order to ensure that goals and objectives are achieved. Thus, when subordinates see their leaders in bad light, such perception will affect their performance and if the subordinates are satisfied with leader’s style, they will be effective in their duties.
1.2 Statement of The Problem
Managing people in Organisations is part and parcel of management Process. Therefore, managers should realize, that people are the critical elements in Organisations and that they should be recognized as being synonymous with the organisation. But the problem is, to what extent do managers recognize this fact that employees are synonymous with Organisations and that they should be adequately motivated so that they can give their best to ensure high performance? Again the leadership behaviour/style in most organisations which believe that workers could be treated anyhow as a result of unemployment situation in the country which makes job switch difficult has resulted in the hardship workers face in their places of work in Nigeria.
This behaviour/style of leadership has an impact on reforming and/or creating organisational culture which in turn affects organisational performance and commitment. So given this situation, how effective and active can a leader be to elicit the best response from subordinates and make for the highest or best performance (Usoro, 2000). Furthermore, some researchers are of the opinion that the most common problems affecting organisational performance in Nigeria businesses and other institutions are poor attitude to work among the workforce, inefficiency and ineffectiveness of leaders in most places, others still belief that organisations in Nigeria are managed through leadership styles and behaviours that are strange to typical Nigerian culture.
In view of the above contending issues, it was necessary to look at leadership style and organisational performance in Nigeria using National Youth Services Corps Nasarawa State Secretariat as a case study. Therefore, this study will be investigating the following.
- To examine the impact of leadership style on organisational performance.
- To study the effect of leadership behaviour on the execution/implementation of the programmes of the NYSC in Nasarawa State.
- To examine if there is any leadership style obstacles affecting the organizational performance and the management structure of Nasarawa state NYSC.
- To suggest recommendations aimed at engendering effective leadership of the Nasarawa State NYSC.
1.3. Research Questions
The following research questions were asked in this study.
- Is there a significant relationship between Autocratic Leadership style, and Transformational Leadership style in Nasarawa State NYSC?
- Is there a leadership obstacles affecting the organizational performance and the management structure of Nasarawa State NYSC?
- Is there any possible ways of enhancing organizational leadership style for effective performance in Nasarawa State NYSC?
1.4 Objectives of the Study
The main objectives is to examine the effect of leadership style and organizational performance in Nasarawa State NYSC; other specific objectives includes:
- To examine the relationship between effective leadership style and organizational performance in Nasarawa State NYSC.
- To examine if there is any leadership obstacles affecting the organizational performance and the management structure of Nasarawa State NYSC.
- To suggest recommendations aimed at engendering effective leadership of the Nasarawa State NYSC.
- Statement of Hypotheses
- i. Ho There is no significant relationship between leadership style and organizational performance in Nasarawa State NYSC.
H1 There is a significant relationship between leadership style and organisational performance in Nasarawa State NYSC.
- Ho There is no leadership style obstacle affecting the organizational performance and the management structure in the Nasarawa State NYSC.
H1 There is leadership style obstacle affecting the organistional performance and the management structure in the Nasarawa State NYSC.
- Ho There are no possible ways of enhancing organizational leadership for effective performance in the Nasarawa State NYSC.
H1 There are possible ways of enhancing organizational leadership for effective performance in the Nasarawa State NYSC.
1.6 Significance of the Study
This study will enable the leadership of National Youth Service Corps, Nasarawa State Secretariat to see the effect which leadership style has on their employees or subordinates.
It will help the leaders to have a better understanding of their employees and know the leadership style they adopt in order to effectively influence or motivate their subordinates.
This work will also be of importance to other organization especially those having problems with leadership. They can draw lessons from the recommendation of this study to enhance the qualities of their leaders.
This research work will also be of relevance to individuals most especially students in the field of business studies as it will enlighten them on how to become efficient leaders.
Lastly, it is of great significant to the researcher because it has broadened his knowledge on the importance of leadership in an organization
1.7 Scope of the Study
This study is limited to National Youth Services Corps Nasarawa State Secretariat. Thus, the Respondents are expected to be drawn from the different categories of workers in all the departments in the organization. Issues covered in this study are the theories of leadership, organisational performance, leadership styles and the effect of leadership styles on worker’s performance.
1.8 Definitions of Terms
Leadership: This is the act of persuading/inspiring subordinates to perform and engage in achieving a goal.
Performance: The accomplishment of a given task measured against preset known standard of accuracy, completeness, cost and speed.
Organizational Performance: This comprises the actual output or results of an organization as measured against its intended outputs (or goals) and objectives.
Satisfaction: This are the contentment or pleasure a worker drives from his work.
Leader: A person who influence and direct the affairs of others
Organization: A structured process in which people interact to attain an objective.
Impact: Impact in this study refers to the effect of revenue generated on service delivery by local government.
Leadership style: Itrefers to a kind of relationship that someone uses his rights and methods to make many people work together for a common task.
Organizational Performance: This comprises the actual output or results of an organization as measured against its intended outputs (or goals) and objectives.
