ABSTRACT

Much is known about leadership yet the real concept behind leadership is misunderstood by many. This project enlightening us what leadership is all about. From the meaning of a leader to the process of leading right called leadership. The constitution of a leader, their traits and characteristics are not left behind. From there, the different types of leadership styles were touched with detailed explanation to every type. Factors that make employees respond well to their leaders and managers were discussed. The variables and determinants that decide a leader's' choice of leadership style were discussed as well. Moreover, ways in which the right choice of leadership is chosen has being mentioned. In all this, this project is all about leading right to help in the attainment of the goals and objectives of business organization.

 CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.0      BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

The influence of leadership style on job performance, satisfaction, stress and turnover intention has been well established in organizations. While leadership has an impacts on organizations, departments, teams as well as work climate and atmosphere (work), managements who want the best results should not be dependent on a single leadership style (Goleman 2000).

Leadership is the active ability to inspire by one's own example to ardently motivate others to achieve with integrity and accountability their greatest potential, for both personal and professional progress. (Christin Lin, 2008). Thus, one of the key elements of concern in an organization is how to attract trained manpower and keep people who will be effective leaders. According to (Farid Dadashev, 2007), "leadership is beyond focusing and motivating a group to enable them to achieve and sustain common goals. It involves being accountable and responsible for the group as a whole. It is about providing continuity, momentum, and flexibility in accommodating changes in the course of direction.

Spencer Hutchins, (2007) argued that "leadership is more than just giving directions and seeing that they are carried out. It's about helping set a vision, inspiring people, enabling others to achieve results.

Ryskia, (2002) further said that leadership occur when there is an objective to be achieved or a task to be executed, and when more than one person will be involved in doing it. Leadership centres about encouraging and inspiring individuals and teams to give their best to achieve a desired result.

Leadership is motivating your people, making informed, tough decisions for your organization, and accepting responsibility for the consequences of your actions. (Monisha Merchant, 2004).

Organizational success in achieving its aims and objectives depend on managers and their leadership style. When the appropriate leadership style(s) is/are used, managers can have positive effect on employee's job satisfaction, commitment and productivity.

Leadership style can be regarded as a series of managerial attitudes, behavior, characteristics and skills based on individual and organizational values, leadership interest and reliability of employees in different situations (Mosadeghrad, 2003).

An organization may have excellent plans and the instrument necessary for carrying them out. However, without effective leadership to unify the actions of the members of the organization the so called excellent plans may not be carried out effectively and thereby becoming a failed plan.

It is based on the forgoing that this study seeks to investigate the effects of leadership styles specifically transformational leadership styles in recent time, on the job performance of employees in food and beverage industry.

1.1      STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The business environment is dynamic and changes continuously. Thus, organizations have to monitor closely, the key elements that can influence them. Leadership is one of such that can exert tremendous influence on the survival of the organizations given that success or failure of an organization rests on its leaders who will attract trained manpower and keep people to be effective.

Recently, there has been increase in the rate of business failure. In most cases, it was due to lack of effective leaders, the prime motive of any organization is to achieve it goals and objectives at the same time making profit. Hence, the need to effectively co­ordinate and motivate the employee towards this end by an effective leader.

It is against this backdrop that this study seeks to find out the effect of transformational leadership styles on employees' job performance.

1.2      OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The major objective of the study is to investigate the effect of transformational leadership style on employees' job performance.

Other specific objectives are:

        i.            To find out what is transformationa1leadership style.

     ii.            To examine the relationship between transformational leadership style and employees' job performance.

   iii.            To determine the differences between the job performance of employees under transformational leaders and employees under other leadership styles.

   iv.            To offer suggestions on how well transformational leadership style can be used to improve employees' job performance

1.3      RESEARCH QUESTIONS

        i.            What is transformational leadership all about?

     ii.            Is there relationship between transformational leadership style and employees' job performance?

   iii.            Could there be differences between the job performance of employees under transformational leaders and employees under other types of leaders?

   iv.            What can be done to improve employees' job performance using transformational leadership style?

1.4      HYPOTHESES

Hypothesis 1

HO:     There IS no significant relationship between transformational leadership style and employees' job performance.

HI:      There is significant relationship between transformational leadership style and employees' job performance.

Hypothesis 2

HO:     There is no significant relationship between job performance of employees under transformational leaders and employees' under other type of leaders

HI:      There is significant relationship between job performance of employees under transformational leaders and employees' under other type of leaders.

1.5      SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

It is believed that if the findings of the research are fully implemented, it will help in highlighting how a manager can adopt the right style of leadership or combine the different styles of leadership in any given situation in order to be an efficient and successful leader.

The study will also teach potential managers and other interested researcher to inspire confidence and facilitate accomplishment of both informal groups and diverse individuals in attaining high job performance of employees.

The analysis of the findings and recommendations would provide basis for the management of the organization under-study, to improve and adjust where situation demand and trusting the leadership style being adopted by them.

1.6      SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The scope of this study is limited to analyzing the effects of transformational leadership style on the job performance of employee. It also goes further to explain some key component attached to leadership. The study will be carried out using a structured questionnaire and validation will be done using statistical tools. UNILEVER NIGERIA PLC, AGBARA will be used as the case study.

1.7      LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

As it is usual with most research work, there are bound to be constraints. Therefore constraints encountered with this investigation should not be neglected. As a full time working lady, I would have appreciated it, if I had more time at my disposal as the subject of the study is quite voluminous. Therefore, the only constraint is the time limit.

1.8      OPERATION DEFINITION OF TERMS LEADER

Leadership:

Is the ability to successfully integrate and maximize available resources within the internal and external environment for the attainment of organizational and societal values.

Transformational Leadership

This is the kind of leadership in which the leader inspires his subordinates to adopt the organizational vision as their own, while attempting to heighten their values, concerns and developmental needs.

Styles

Is the manner and approach implementing plans, and motivating values, preferences and culture.

Employees

A person who is hired to provide services to a company on a regular basis in exchange for compensation and who does not provide these services as part of an independent business.

Performances

The act of performing; the carrying into execution or action, execution, achievement; accomplishment representation by action; as the performance of an undertaking of a duty.

Employees Performance

Means the level at which your employees are performing.