A Survey of Principals’ Leadership Styles Associated with Teachers’ Job Performance in Public and Missionary Schools in Enugu State Nigeria

Abstract

In Nigeria there is a rapid and increasing awareness in various sectors and fields especially educational institutions such as universities, colleges, secondary schools e.t.c. on the impact of effective leadership styles. In this country, secondary schools administrators are called principals. Leadership in any organisation especially secondary schools implies the action and interaction with persons and things with a view to attaining a specific objective. It is a process through which persons or groups intentionally influence others in the attainment of personal or group goals. The objectives of this study seek to investigate or to identify the most commonly used leadership styles by principals in public and mission schools and to determine the level of teachers’ job performance where these leadership styles are applied. The survey research method hinged upon descriptive research was adopted. The instruments for data collection were structured questionnaire and interviews. The Yamane’s (1964) statistical formula was utilized for sample size determination. A total of 285 copies of the questionnaire were administered to principals, teachers and supportive staff of the selected secondary schools using simple random sampling technique. Result of the research reveals that autocratic, participative and paternalistic leadership styles were commonly practiced by the principals. It is recommended therefore that principals should administer their schools by applying a mix of the leadership styles contingently. This is because there is no single global best leadership style known yet.