LEADERSHIP STYLE AND STRATEGIES ON THE PRODUCTIVITY OF WORKERS IN AN ORGANISATION (A CASE STUDY OF AKWA IBOM WATER BOARD COMPANY, ITAM, UYO)
CHAPTER ONE
Leadership is one of those qualities that you know when you see it but is difficult to describe. There are almost as many definitions as there are commentators. Many associate leadership with one person leading four things standout in this aspect first to lead involves influencing others, second, where there are leaders there are followers, third leaders seems to come to the force when there is crises or special problem.
In other words, they often become visible when on innovative response is needed. Fourth leaders are people who have a clear idea of what they want to achieve and why. These leaders are people who are able to think and act creatively in non-routine situations and who set out to influence the actions beliefs and feeling of others in this sense being a leader is personal. It flows from an individual’s qualities and actions. However, it is also often linked to some other roles such as experts or managers.
Previous researchers have shown that successful interaction between leaders and their followers are central to the overall functioning of a company. A leader is the most influenced person in an organization who provides direction, guide group activities and ensure that group objectives are attained. A good leader therefore is one who is capable of persuading others to show interest towards the achievement of the organizational goals. Leaders characteristically induce or inspire others to achieve leadership occurs within a specific situation (Nwachukwu, 2008).
The problem is all about how most leaders can apply leadership skills to settle internal conflict in their organization and how to motivate their employees to enhance a better productivity of workers in an organization. The study also takes a critical look on how the strategies of leadership style can assist to increase the productivity of workers of Water Board Company, Itam in Akwa Ibom State.
Finally, the researcher intends to examine critically the strategies of leadership with the view of finding or aim of finding out how it present and absent in organization can affect workers job performance and the productivity.
The objectives of this study are:
- To investigate the strategies of leadership style on the productivity of workers in the Akwa Ibom State Water Board Company. Itam, Uyo.
- To evaluate the important of leaders/employee relationship in organizational building.
- To identify the problem associated with leader/employees in an organization.
- To find out if using leadership and management synonymous will lead to increase in productivity.
This study will examine the following questions:
- To what extent does leadership style influence employee performance?
- How does leader/employee relation affect organizational growth?
- What are factors that affect cordial leader/employee’s relationship?
- What leadership style could be adoption to improve employee’s performance?
Ho: Leadership style does not influence employee’s performance.
Hi: Leadership style influences employee’s performance.
Ho: There is no significance relationship between leaders and employees job satisfaction.
Hi: There is significance relationship between leaders and employees job satisfaction.
Ho: Employees training do not bring changes in the organizational productivity
Hi: Employees training brings changes in the organizational productivity
- SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
In the organization, this study helps to provide a particular way in which problems are solved or act as a mechanism for assisting the decision makers to perform.
While studying the employee as well, in this research work, the major limitations or constraint on this study was the short time allowed for its completion. The necessary length of time that would have been allowed for a more exhaustive theory research was absent.
- Another limitation or limiting factor is cost involvement in undertaking a more exhaustive research which is beyond the research resources.
- Another major limitation was the financial constraint or lack of fund which delay the researcher in finishing the project on time.
- SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
This study is mainly concern with the leadership style and strategy as in regard to the productivity of workers in Akwa Ibom State Water Board Company, Itam, Uyo. It also illustrates and identifies the different leadership styles and their application in an organizational productivity. The following are leadership styles:
AUTOCRATIC LEADERSHIP STYLE: It is a types of leadership where the ruler has unlimited authority and power. The leader may employ exploitation, intimidation and coercion.
BUREAUCRATIC LEADERSHIP STYLE: A style of leadership that emphasizes procedures and historical methods regardless of their usefulness in changing environment
DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP STYLE: It is also known as participative leadership. It is a leadership style in which members of the group take a more participation role in the decision – making process.
CHARISMATIC LEADERSHIP STYLE: Guidance provided to an organization by one or more individual seen as heroic or inspiring and has therefore been granted the organizational power to make dramatic changes.
SITUATIONAL LEADERSHIP STYLE: This refers to when leader or manager of an organization must adjust his style to fit the development level of the followers he is trying to influence.
- OBJECTIVES: These are aims a department is trying or attempting to achieve or accomplish.
- EFFECTIVE: This is the achievement of an organizational objective.
- ORGANIZATIONAL: A term used as an alternative to co-operate body.
- LEADERSHIP: This is a special influencing process for the attainment of goals.
- EMPLOYEE: This is a person who is paid to work for somebody.
- MANAGEMENT: It is a process of planning, directing, analyzing, coordinating and controlling activities for the purpose of accomplishment of organizational goal.
- PRODUCTIVITY: It is the measure of how well resources are brought together in an organizational and how it is utilized for accomplishing a set goal or result.
