Download the effect of principals leadership styles on teachers productivities

THE EFFECT OF PRINCIPALS LEADERSHIP STYLES ON
TEACHERS PRODUCTIVITIES/PERFORMANCE IN SECONDARY
SCHOOLS IN OGUN STATE, NIGERIA
CHAPTER ONE
1.0
INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
The success of any organization is highly rated upon the head, boss or the manager
of such an enterprise, like business, school or any organization. The leadership impact is
desirable in organization to aid easy and maximum success. Leadership is an instructional
used in an organization for behaviour modification.
It determines the goals of organization and means of accomplishing them.
Therefore, leadership in organization has been seen as motivator whereby one person
who is the head motivates others towards, the achievement of specific goals of the
organizations. However, fellowship is the essence of leadership, in other words it is
willingness of the people to follow that makes a person a leader. Moreover, people follow
those perceived to be providing means of achieving their own desires, wants and needs.
In this case, we can see that leadership and motivation are closely interconnected.
Motivation enables us appreciate better what people want and why they act as they do.
In secondary school administration, the success of any school to achieve its stated
goals or objectives depends on the ability of the chief administrator otherwise known as
the principal and his leadership style.
Effective leadership role provided by the principal will lead to the achievement of
the school’s goals and objectives. There is on adage which says “Get the right man in the
leadership and your problem will be solved”.
Education among other concern is an instrument for effecting national
development. As a gender towards this accomplishment, the national policy on education
has been formulated. To achieve the stated aims and objectives of the national policy, all
stakeholders in the educational sector have different roles to play. At the grass root level,
the management available resources rest solely upon the schools principals inclusive in
principals roles is the provision of effective administrative skills which cannot be
separated from their leadership styles.
The principals’ leadership styles in secondary schools is a pointer the level of
productivity of teachers or their job performance. How effective the principal is in
performing these roles has been a mother of concern to many educationists (Aghenta,
2000, Ige, 2001).
With the close review of the setbacks being experienced in some secondary
schools, pressure groups are agitating for effective leadership styles. It is glaring that
some principals have not considered their styles of leadership as the determinants of
teachers job performance level. Hence, some principals seem to find it difficult to
effectively administer their schools (Gronn, 2000, Adeyemi 2004).
Every school principal is in a unique position as the manager or administrator of
the resources in their schools.
The school administrator is a leader of the staff and the students of the school. He
is expected to be knowledgeable in the area of administration and should be in nature. He
should be able to address difficult issues or problems of different point in time.
Leadership is concerned with human experience and energy in an organized group and
the concept is also of prime importance to administration. The leadership style of the
principal is demonstrated in his abilities which make him to be recognized as leader of a
group. Many people strongly believe even when there is an educational plan, good school
programme, adequate staff and facilities, what is more important is good administrative
leadership to coordinate all these for the progress and success of the school.
Incase, where the leadership style of the principal is ineffective, even the best
school programme, the most adequate resources and the most motivational staff and
students will be rendered unproductive.
Therefore, the importance of good leadership style in an organization cannot be
overemphasized.
It is highly pertinent to know that leadership style is concerned with the invitation,
organization and directions of the members of a group in a specific situation towards
achieving the objectives of the group. As far as standard of education is concerned in the
country, a large section of the people strongly believe that the standard of evaluation
falling and the value of education consequently depreciating. Over the years, different
reasons have been given for this decline. The society blamed schools for mass promotion
of students and teachers were equally blamed left out of the blamed in that they are not
paying enough attention to their children’s academic development.
In addition, the government is also being blamed for the failure to meet the needs
of the teachers. As a result to this, teachers spend most of their time doing their private
business as instead of reading and preparing their lesson notes. All of which is in a bid to
make ends meet in the face of economic challenges. The principals of schools were also
blamed for failing to do their jobs in exercising their leadership role in their various
schools. In the light of the above, there is the urgent need to investigate the impact of the
relationship of the principal’s leadership style on teacher’s morals in term of commitment
and productivity in secondary school in Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State.
Students too not left out of the reason for the blame as most of them are not ready
to face their studies as required. Teachers and students level of productivity in school
determine how the principals’ administrative role and leadership style are rated. The key
for an effective leader is the ability to lead effectively, coordinate a complex situation and
show concern through prudent manage of human and material resources available.
According to Koontz (1980) “If all school principals can’t rely upon all the
subordinates to contribute toward group goal accomplishment with zeal and confidence,
there would be no need to develop the act of leadership”. There is always the need to
boost the moral of teachers, which will even make them to serve to their maximum
capability.
Therefore, among the administrative functions of the principal is to persuade
teachers and use his leadership style to coordinate all activities to ensure they contribute
willingly to organizational goals. It worth knowing that the improvement of any
educational institution depends on quality of its teachers. The main objectives of any
educational system is to promote teaching and learning process. Teachers are therefore
expected to be committed to facilitate the teaching process. To ensure the possibility,
principals too must provide conductive atmosphere for their teachers. The type of
leadership style being operated in the school will make staff in schools to be inspired,
zealous and co-operate to work harmoniously with the principal.
Educational objectives can only be achieved with the full co-operation of the
school community. effective administrative leadership involves the understanding of the
behavior of members.
To be led in any organization or institution of learning. this understanding is
necessary especially where team members include professional qualified specialists.
Homan, G.C. and the Human Group: New York Harcourt Brace and World Inc.
(1950) stated that belief of people that the efficiency with which any school organization
can be operated depends to a large extent on the effectiveness of the teachers on their
jobs, both individually and collectively. The issues of teachers performance in the
classroom, based on principals leadership style is a concern of this project.
The question of what factor generally influence teachers morale is amply
discussed in several literatures a summary of which is simply presented by Lawler (1996)
thus:
In addition to being influence by motivation, productivity is affected by workers
ability and a number of situational and environmental factors. The objectives of the
school will not be achieved if there is no harmony in the school between teachers
performance and principal’s leadership style.
Moreover, it will be erroneous to conclude that all school principals in this country
fail to acknowledge the significance of good human relation. It is evident that leadership
approach vary from one principal to the an other as a result of prevailing situation.
“What can be said to be true about one situational environment may not be true
about another. What may be wise action in one situation may be wise action in one
situation may be unwise in another. The understanding of the existence of a great variety
of patterns, conditions and responses in the beginning of wisdom of approaching the
problem of leadership style.
The statement could be viewed as signifying that effective leadership should take
into account people, process and the system. The need for effective interaction between
the staff and the leader in the school system cannot be overemphasized, when one
considers the fact that no school problem can be treated effectively without the
involvement of all concerned.
1.1
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
 To find out the most commonly used leadership style among principals in Ifo
Local Government Area
 To examine if there is any significant relationship between principal and
leadership style and job performance
 To investigate the differences in teachers’ job performance under principals
using autocratic leadership style and those using democratic leadership style
 To discuss the differences in teachers’ job performance in schools having
principals using autocratic leadership style and in schools using autocratic
leadership style
 To contribute to the growing body of knowledge on the need to employ better
leadership style to boost teachers’ productivity.
1.2
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The relationship between principals’ leadership style and teachers’ job
performance has been a subject of controversy by many researchers. The controversy was
centered on whether or not the style of leadership of principals influences the level of job
performance among teachers. Common observation in the school system shows that the
style of leadership of a principal could perhaps have serious impact on teachers’ job
performance.
1.3
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
 Which leadership style is most commonly used by principals in secondary schools
in Ifo Local Government Area?
 Is there any significant relationship between principals’ leadership style and
teacher performance?
 Is there any significant difference in teaches’ job performance in schools having
principals using autocratic leadership style and in schools having principals using
democratic leadership styles?
 Is there any significance difference in teachers’ job performance in schools having
principals using democratic leadership style and in schools having principals using
laissez-faire leadership style?
1.4
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The extent to which the various leadership approaches by secondary school
principals has influenced the teaching learning situation is an important area of
investigation. The study will enable us examine the influence of the relationship and the
school work and to examine the nature of the principal behavior towards the staff and
students and to examine the key position held by principal in school organization.
Finally, it enables to examine the crucially of human input such as teachers to school
organization and the damage a principals bad behaviour may do the school organization.
In addition, principals of school are always regarded by their teachers as leaders in
the administration and in school board of education, parents and teachers and other
various public people usually hold principal responsible for success and failure of school
organization. In the light of this, the study finds out the extent to which principal’s style
or behavior contribute to high or low performance of both staffs and students in school.
The out-come of this study would be of significance to:
i.
The practicing educational administrator/principal.
ii.
Educational administrators in training and
iii.
Local State board and ministry of education officials.
1.5
LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
For easy data analysis, cost reduction and avoidance of complexity that may arise due to
large population , five schools have been selected. In most cases the characteristics of
teachers are generally similar hence this research findings will be generalized to include
all teachers in secondary schools.