Abstract:
Leadership seems to be the most operation of influencing people so that they strive willingly and
enthusiastically towards the accomplishment of goals. Leaders design motivation systems not only
to encourage employees to perform in the most effective way but also to draw potential
candidates. The key to create a conducive atmosphere in the school is an answer to the question
what really enhance teachers’ performance. The main objective of this study is to investigate the
influence of leadership styles on teachers’ performance in general secondary schools of
Gambella region, Ethiopia. To accomplish this purpose, the study employed a descriptive design.
The study was carried in ten general secondary schools of Gambella region. A total of 190
individuals have participated in the study. Among them170 teachers were included as a sample
through simple random sampling technique especially lottery method. Additionally, 20 general
secondary school principals were included through available sampling technique. Questionnaire
and interview were the main instruments of data collection. The instrument for the study was a
five-point likert type questionnaire. Principal leadership styles and teachers performance were
identified as the independent variables and as the dependent variable. The questionnaires on
communication, decision-making and delegation of duties were used to describe the principal
leadership styles. While lesson plan, assessing students and involve in co-curricular activities
were to determine the teachers’ performance with in the schools. The analysis of the quantitative
data was carried out by using frequency, percentages, mean, standard deviation, one-way
ANOVA, Post Hoc Test and Pearson correlation. The finding indicates that there is a positive
relationship between leadership styles and teachers’ performance(r=0.980) the relationship is
significance (Sign=0.000 at 0.05 level). The findings revealed that the independent variable
(democratic was the most practiced leadership styles in general secondary schools of Gambella
region. Furthermore, the teachers’ performance was found to be moderate in general secondary
schools. In general the findings supposed to conclude, that principals’ leadership style of general
secondary schools in Gambella region had significance effects on decision-making,
communication and delegation to improve the level of teachers’ performance and thus teachers
have not been performing to the expectation. Based on the findings, it is recommended that the
principals of general secondary schools should neat a mixture of autocratic and democratic styles
of leadership. While teachers’ ideas and taught should be considered in decision-making about
the training criteria in their administration in order to enhance better performance amongst
teachers.
