The Influence of Leadership Style

Guillermo S. Fabillar

Leadership is one of the key driving forces for improving a firm’s performance. It is assumed that the kind of leadership style employed in an organization has an impact on its overall performance. The study examined the leadership

There has been significant theoretical and empirical work carried out on organizational performance across the globe. For some decades now, how leadership impacts on organizational performance has gained prominence among academics and practitioners working in the area of leadership. This is premised on the notion that a style of leadership of an organization has a correlation with organizational performance .The style of leadership adopted is considered by some researchers to be particularly important in achieving organizational goals, and in evoking performance among subordinates. Organizations undergo rapid changes daily as a result of diverse factors. Some of these factors are external such as competition, global market trends and technological changes. Some of the changes over time also occur within the organizations themselves. Examples are employee motivation, innovation, organizational culture and human resource strength. All these tend to affect the performance of these organizations. One key factor that also has the potential to largely affect an organization’s performance is its leadership. The role of leaders in ensuring excellent organizational performance cannot be over emphasized. Adequate motivation, suitable work environment, compensation, efficient communication between managers and subordinates play an important role in promoting this goal. Planning and organization of work is also very crucial. It has been argued by some researchers that the most common problems affecting organizational performance in business and other institutions are poor attitude to work among workforce, inefficiency as well as ineffectiveness of leaders in most places, though others share a contrary view . Leadership style practiced by an organization has an impact on the success or otherwise of its operations. Leadership style in an organization is one of the factors that play significant role in enhancing or retarding the interest and commitment of the individuals in the organization. Organizational theorists contend that effective leadership is one of the most important contributors to overall organizational success. Many leadership theories have been proposed in the last fifty years, which are claimed to have influenced the overall effectiveness of organizations where they have been employed. In the competitive world with technological changes within the business environment, it is vital that organizations employ leadership styles that enable them to survive in a dynamic environment. Without leadership, the probability of mistakes occurring increases and the opportunities for success become more and more reduced. The role of a leader is vital for the survival and progress of an organization. In their study on leadership and organizational performance suggest that the role of leadership is critically important for an organization to achieve a high level of performance. It is contended that organizations do not only exist for survival, but also to sustain their existence by improving performance. In order to meet the needs of the highly competitive markets, organizations must continually increase performance by adopting the appropriate leadership style. Leadership style is a key determinant of the success or failure of any organization. Leaders influence, direct, and motivate others to perform specific tasks and also inspire subordinates. Literature suggests that the role of leadership is critically important for achieving the performance of organizations. It is believed that the organization has achieved some feats in its operations over the years.

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The author is OIC-School Head/ASPII at Maimpis Integraed High School DepEd, Division of City of San Fernando, (P)