LEADERSHIP STYLES AND EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE IN PRIVATE ORGANIZATION: CASE STUDY OF CCA BANK

ABSTRACT

failure to adjust their style of leading to the changing situations and business environment due to the lack of understanding of the fact that no one particular style of leadership can fit all conditions and must be flexible to give room for change has been a major obstacle to improving employee performance at CCA bank.

The aim of this study therefore is to examine the impact of the various leadership styles and how there affect (improve/hamper) employee performance and in what circumstances this leadership styles can be employed. The study relied on simple random and purposive sampling techniques in selecting it respondents for the study. Probability sampling techniques was adopted and the questionnaire method was used in collecting the data.

Data were analyzed using simple percentage and Excel. The findings show that there is a significant relationship between leadership style and performance. It is recommended that transactional leadership style should be more adhered to since it have strong effect on organizational performance and leaders with laissez-faire leadership, democratic and bureaucratic style should always be available for group members for consultation and feedback.

CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the study

Leadership is an essential aspect of management in any organization, and it plays a crucial role in shaping the behavior and actions of employees. Leadership style refers to the approach or method used by a leader to guide, direct, and motivate his/her subordinates towards achieving organizational goals.

There are various leadership styles such as autocratic, democratic, transformational, transactional, and laissez-faire, each possessing unique characteristics, strengths, and weaknesses. Employee performance, on the other hand, is the measurement of how well an individual employee or group of employees accomplishes assigned tasks and achieves organizational goals.

In the public sector, employee performance is critical to the success of the organization, as it often affects the quality of services provided to the public. The relationship between leadership styles and employee performance has been a subject of research for many years, with studies showing that different leadership styles can have varying effects on employee performance.

For instance, transformational leadership has been linked to high employee motivation, job satisfaction, and performance, while autocratic leadership has been associated with decreased employee satisfaction and motivation. Therefore, understanding the relationship between leadership styles and employee performance in a public organization is crucial for managers and leaders to adopt effective leadership styles that promote employee engagement, productivity, and overall organization performance. This study aims to examine the various leadership styles used in a public organization and their effects on employee performance.

Chuang (2008), explain that the excellent leader not only inspires subordinates’ potential to enhance efficiency, but also meets their requirements in the process of achieving the common target of the organization. Bass (2007) define leadership as an interaction between members of a group. Leaders are agents of change, persons whose act affect other people more than then other people’s act affect them. Leadership occurs when one group member modifies the motivation or competence of others in the group.

Also, Nongo (2009) In his study, investigated the relationship between leadership styles and employee performance in Cameroon’s public sector. The study used a case study approach to collect data from one public sector organization in Cameroon. The findings of the study showed that transformational leadership style was the most effective leadership style for promoting employee performance in the organization studied. The study also found that the relationship between leadership styles and employee performance was influenced by factors such as organizational culture, employee motivation, and communication.

These findings provide insights for managers and leaders in the public sector in Cameroon and other similar contexts on the most effective leadership styles to adopt for promoting employee performance.
This study aims to investigate the relationship between leadership styles and employee performance in CCA Bank Cameroon. The study will provide insights into the best leadership styles that can enhance employee performance in the bank and make recommendations for improving organizational culture to support effective leadership and employee performance.

The findings of this study will be useful to the bank’s management in developing strategies for improving employee performance and achieving organizational goals. One of the most widely recognized leadership models is the transformational-transactional leadership model developed by Bass (1985), and later expanded by Bass and Avolio (1994).

Transformational leadership is characterized by inspiring and motivating followers to exceed expectations, while transactional leadership is based on a system of rewards and punishments for achieving predefined goals (Bass & Avolio, 1994). Previous research has shown that transformational leadership can lead to higher levels of employee satisfaction, engagement, and performance compared to transactional leadership (Judge & Piccolo, 2004).

However, the impact of these leadership styles on employee performance in the specific context of the Cameroonian banking industry remains largely unexplored. This study will contribute to the current understanding of how leadership styles affect employee performance in CCA Bank Cameroon, providing valuable insights for management, practitioners, and organizations operating in similar environments. By examining the relationship between leadership styles and employee performance within this particular organization, the study aims to support the development of effective leadership strategies tailored to the unique challenges and opportunities faced by CCA Bank Cameroon.

1.2 State of the problem
The findings reveal what seems to be a blind spot among company planners about their own leadership and leadership styles. You might look at this and say that leadership is just about being nice to people, however, it’s far more complex, coercive leaders can have a slightly positive impact on standards and pacesetters on responsibility. No one leadership style is going to be right one in every situation.

Leaders in Private Organizations like CCA Bank have to balance their concern for their co-workers with their responsibility to the community they serve. A lot of people think that one need to pay people more money to motivate them, wrong there are plenty of low and no-cost strategies you can use to motivate staff, executives who want to improve performance will bring in tough leaders or promote the most productive staff member as a pacesetter. Leadership is the art and craft of influencing the thinking and behavior of audiences to achieve mutual goals, leadership is not about what leaders do, but the relationship between leaders and audiences.

1.3Research questions
There are two types of research question. They are general question and specific questions which
are given below.
The general question can be mentioned as;
1). What is the effect of leadership style on employee performance?
Similarly, the specific questions are as follows;
1). What is the effect of transactional leadership style on employee performance in CCA bank?
2). What is the relationship between transactional leadership style and other leadership styles on employee performance in CCA bank?
3). What is the effect of other leadership styles on employee performance in CCA bank?

1.4 objectives