Employees’ Perceptions of the Role of Leadership Style in Enhancing Employee Performance: Evidence from the Morogoro Municipal Council

Abstract

Leadership is considered to a crucial factor in enhancing employee performance. However, there existing perception employees on the leadership styles on performance regard by intensity tension to organization. The study aimed to assess the employee’s perceptions on roles of leadership styles in enhancing employee’s performance at Morogoro Municipal Council (MCC). Specifically focused to identify employee’s perception on various leadership styles practiced at MMC, to understand the way leadership style influence employee’s motivation and productivity at MMC and to identify the perceived challenges that employees face when there are changes in leadership style practices at MMC. Transformational theory was used; a case study design was employed in this study. The study adopted a qualitative approach while utilizing a case study. A sample size of 22 key informants was purposively selected during the interview. Also, data were analyzed using thematic analysis techniques. The findings showed that various leadership styles practiced were democratic style, transformational style and laissez-far style, autocratic leadership style and laissez-faire style. Also, the results showed that inspires employees, recognition, promotion and development opportunities was the ways leadership styles influence employee’s motivation and productivity at MMC and the challenges employees perceive about change of leadership style was innovation challenge, production challenge, communication and collaboration challenge and rewards challenge. The study concluded that there is no best suitable leadership style that enhancing employee’s performance in the organization, because each style depends to the situation or circumstance that happen leading leadership to choose the kind of leadership that will helps to solve the problems that happen. Further it, recommends that there is need for organization to create a supportive work environment that fosters employee commitment to perform work that help to manage challenge which happen at workplace. This can include providing opportunities for professional development, promoting work-life balance, and creating a culture of respect and appreciation for employees