THE IMPACT OF LEADERSHIP ON EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1    BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

The phenomenon of leadership has been around since antiquity. Yet the systematic study of leadership and management did not begin until the 1930s. Group discussions of leadership are fascinating; where the participants are business executives, college students, or academics. Many executives believe strongly that when it comes to leadership, you have either got it or you have But when it comes to defining what it is you have gotten or have not gotten, they cannot agree. In contrast, academic views of leadership range from the being we don't really know what it is to rigorous definitions based on very narrow research (Shani and Lau, 2005).

Virtually in all organizations regard leaders as a requisite resource, without appropriate leadership most organizations will have difficulty in realizing the goals for which they are established. Nigerian public companies are no exception. Leadership initially implies excursive of power, authority, resource management and control in organization of all types. Leadership is a important aspect of groups and organizational dynamics. Hardly can any group or organization exist without someone to lead it in the desired direction. Leadership has been subjected to a variety of definitions in behavioural science. According to Nwachukwu 1988, leadership in a social influencing process for the attainment of goals. a leader in the most influential person in an organization who provides direction, guides to group attitudes and ensures that group objectives are attained.

Many leadership styles have been identified and adopted to motivate employees in completing a task. the approach to effective leadership today stresses that no one styles is the best but rather successful a leader in the one who can assess the situation and choose the most appropriate style, paying attention to the need of the individual, the group and the organization. Leadership style has an important role to play in the success of organizational goals. However, today, the most prevalent view is that leaders are not born. Leaders can be developed by proper leadership programmes. Sound leadership development programmes must have both education and behavioural foundations. People can develop and learn leadership just as they learn any other complex skill. But that the learning process requires intensive effort, study and continuing application within the work environment.