The Manifestation Of Dominant Leadership Style Of Principals On School Performance: A Case Study At The Secondary Schools Of The Southern Region

Abstract

This study was designed to investigate the manifestation of dominant leadership style of principals on school performance in Secondary Schools of the Southern Region in Ethiopia. The problems addressed in the research were the manifestations of dominant leadership styles of principals' on the performance of a school. The main research question that guided this study was: What is the dominant leadership style of principals at the secondary schools? How does this leadership style manifest in the schools? A qualitative method, using a case study design was employed with analyzing observation and interviews as a means of data collection. Through face-to-face and semi-structured, open-ended in-depth interviews with 30 participants, the researcher uncovered personal views of principals' leadership behavior on school performance. Principals used the autocratic as well as the democratic and laissez-faire style. With increasing educational qualifications the employees exhibit more of the democratic leadership tendencies and those who are educated less are inclined towards the autocratic leadership style. It was developed as a strategy that the principals had better equipped with knowledge and skills in management and leadership to transform the Secondary Schools of the Southern Region of Ethiopia.