Leadership Practices: A case of selected corporate institutions in Nairobi, Kenya

Abstract

Leadership determines whether an organization, a nation or a group will achieve its goals and also satisfy the followers' needs. This study focused on leadership practices in selected institutions in Nairobi-Kenya. The design of the study was exploratory and snowball sampling methodology was used.

The results of this study revealed that majority of executives in Kenya practiced participative and a combination of transactional and transformational styles of leadership. Majority of the respondents indicated that most of the leaders practice effective leadership. The study respondents revealed that effective leaders are guided by a leadership philosophy. They also stated that valued-based leadership practice is at the core of effective leadership.

Based on the results of these findings, the researcher proposed a value-based leadership model and several values that effective leaders ought to possess have been suggested. The conclusion made as a result of this study is that effective leadership is both task and people-oriented. A leader must always strive to strike a balance between these two.

Keywords: Effective leadership, transactional leadership, transformational leadership,value-based leadership