EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP STYLES AND ACHIEVEMENT OF ORGANIZATIONAL OBJECTIVES

CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
Leading a team or group is a real skill that takes time, thought and dedication. Leadership is the most studied aspect of organizations because it is one overarching topic that makes the difference between success and failure. Every organization has its set objectives which it intends to achieve. For such objective to be achieved, there must be an active and effective leader; this is because the success and failure of any organization depends on the leadership style adopted in the organization.
Leadership style is the manner and approach of providing direction, implementing plans, and motivating people. Leadership is a process of influencing others commitment towards realizing their full potentials in achieving a value-added, shared vision, with passion and integrity. The nature of this influence is such that the members of the team cooperate with one another in order to achieve the objectives which the leader has set for each member, as well as for the group. The relationships between the leader and employee, as well as the quality of employees’ performance, are significantly influenced by the leadership style adopted by the leader. Leadership style in an organization is one of the factors that play significant role in enhancing or retarding the interest and commitment of the individuals in the organization. The effectiveness of an organization depends largely on ability and behavior of its formal leader who may be a manager or a first-line supervisor.
Leadership is a critical management skill, involving the ability to encourage a group of people towards common goals. Leadership focuses on the development of followers and their needs. Managers exercising these leadership styles, focus on the development of value system of employees, their motivational levels and moralities with the development of their skills. Autocratic leadership emphasizes domineering and commanding attitude towards subordinates. Democratic leadership usually implies consensus decision making and a high degree of support from the leader. Laissez faire is a carefree leader who often surrenders his authority to his subordinates. He basically helps his followers to achieve their goals as they work in the organizational setting; he also encourages his followers to be expressive and adaptive to new and improved practices and changes in the environment. Leadership has a direct cause and effect relationship upon organizations and their success. Leaders determine values, culture, change tolerance and employee motivation. They shape institutional strategies including their execution and effectiveness. Leaders can appear at any level of an institution and are not exclusive to management. Successful leaders do, however, have one thing in common. They influence those around them in order to reap maximum benefit from the organization’s resources, including its most vital and expensive ones. Leadership is an act that involves influencing others to act toward the attainment of a goal. This the leader does by exerting both intrinsic and extrinsic influences on the group.
1.2 Statement of Problem
Managing people in organizations is part and parcel of the management process. Therefore, managers should realize, that people are the critical elements in organizations and that they should be recognized as been synonymous with the organization. But the problem is, to what extent do managers recognize this fact that employees are synonymous with organizations and that they should be adequately motivated to enable them give their best to ensure high performance. Again the leadership behavior/style in most organizations which believe that workers could be treated anyhow as a result of unemployment situation in the country has resulted in the hardship workers face in their places of work in Nigeria. This behavior/style of leadership has an impact on creating organizational culture which in turn affects organizational performance and commitment. So given this situation, how effective can a leader be to elicit the best response from subordinates and make for the highest or best performance?. Furthermore, some researchers are of the opinion that the most common problems affecting organizational performance in Nigerian businesses and other institutions are poor attitude to work among the workforce, inefficiency and ineffectiveness of leaders in most places, others still belief that organizations in Nigeria are managed through leadership styles and behaviors that are strange to typical Nigerian culture.
In view of the above contending issues, this research work aims at evaluating leadership styles applied by the management of Champion Breweries Plc and how such application has helped the organization to achieve its objectives.
Therefore, this study will be investigating the following:
To examine the impact of effective leadership on organizational performance.
To find out the extent to which the management structure influences the performance of the organization.
To make recommendations concerning how to use effective leadership styles to achieve organizational goals.
1.3 Objectives of the Study
The objectives of the study were to find out whether there was any significant relationship between effective leadership styles and achievement of organizational goals.
In particular the specific objectives were as outlined below:
To examine the impact of effective leadership on organizational performance.
To find out the extent to which the management structure influences the performance of the organization.
To make recommendations concerning how to use effective leadership styles to achieve organizational goals.
In the final analysis, the study would highlight which leadership styles the company has combined to make it achieve its objectives.
1.4 Research Questions
The following questions were constructed for use in the research work:

To what extent can the various styles of leadership adopted by the company, aid in the achievement of its objectives?

Can effective leadership style lead to successful achievement of its objectives?

How does leadership style affects employees’ motivation towards attainment of its objectives?
1.5 Statement of Hypotheses
The following research hypotheses have been formulated to guide this research work:
The research hypotheses were as outlined below:
Ho: There is no significant relationship between effective leadership style and achievement of organizational productivity goals.
Ho: There is no significant relationship between effective leadership style and motivation of employees.
Ho: There is no significant relationship between effective leadership style and good communication.
1.6 Significance of the Study
It is believed that this study would be of immense importance because its findings would reveal how effective leadership impacts on organizational goals productivity.
As managers of human and material resources, this study would assist them to understand leadership. Know how to manage human and material resources effectively in order to achieve organizational goals and objectives and understand what it takes to achieve maximum performance through effective leadership.
The result of the study would also help officers in managerial positions to become conscious of their roles as the propelling force towards achievement of organizational goals.
Highlight qualities that show effective leadership and are critical to the growth and development of the private sector.
1.7 Scope of the study
The scope of the study covers only Champion Breweries Plc. Thus, the focus of the study was on effective leadership styles and achievement of organizational objectives. However, to facilitate a sound grasp of the subject matter within the thought framework of the objectives of the study, the scope of the study covered such issues as the concept of leadership, the relationship between authoritative leadership as well as democratic leadership style and achievement of organizational objectives.

1.8 Limitation of the Study
Major limitation to the work was inability of the researcher to get necessary information from management staff. This could have made the work richer but such data were not forthcoming due to the unwillingness of officials in the company to give out confidential information, so the researcher resorted to getting information from subordinates.
In conducting the research project, the work would have view more thorough if all the industries in Akwa Ibom State were covered. However, it was difficult to study all the manufacturing companies in the state due to costs associated with logistics and time constraints.
1.9 Definition of terms
Leadership: Is the process of influencing others to work willingly and confidently towards attainment of organizational goals. (Lawal A, 2010).
Leadership Style: Is a leader’s style of providing direction, implementing plans, and motivating people. (www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leadership_style).
Organization: Is the process of organizing, planning, leading and controlling resources within an entity with the overall aim of achieving its objectives. (businessdictionary.com/definition/organizational- management.html).
Achievement: It may be defined as the result gained by effort. (businessdictionary.com/definition/achievement- oriented-leadership.html)
Objectives: It may be defined as the purpose towards which an endeavor is directed (Businessdictionary.com).