An Examination of Leadership Styles by Gender in71 Tamale Technical University

Abstract

There is a growing interest in the need to expand frontiers of leadership studies with particular reference to leadership styles that people  practice in both public and private sector organisations. This is to ensure that the right leadership behavioural traits are identified and  encouraged for practice among workers in organisations to enhance efficiency and productivity. This study examines leadership styles in  the Tamale Technical University employees according to gender. Key issues examined include relationship between staff leadership styles  i.e. leadership styles practiced by both male and female staff and how these leadership styles promote efficient performance and  productivity. The study adopted a descriptive survey of non-experimental research method involving the use of both qualitative and  quantitative analytical techniques. The study used purposive and stratified random sampling techniques for selection of respondents  with a questionnaire as the research instrument. The study discovered that there is an association between the gender of staff and their  leadership styles. The study also revealed that although both male and female employees in the university practiced transformational  leadership characteristics than transactional behavioural traits, female staff slightly dominated their male counterparts in the practice of transformational leadership styles whilst the male staff also dominated the female staff in the practice of transactional leadership styles.  The study concludes that behavioural traits of transformational leadership styles promote staff efficiency and productivity than  transactional leadership styles. The study recommends that the university authority should encourage the practice of transformational leadership characteristics among its staff to ensure efficient performance and productivity.