Effects Of Democratic Leadership Style By Departmental Heads On Secretaries

1.0. Introduction

The effects of democratic leadership style by departmental heads on secretaries: A case study of the Imo State University, Owerri.

1.1. Background of the Study

The success or failure of an institution or organization depends solely on the department heads leadership style. The productivity of any organization or institution can be improved or impeded by the leadership style of the institutional heads.

The productivity of the secretary, who is an integral part of the whole institution is also affected by her departmental heads, leadership style. The secretary is affected to a large extent because she is the image of the organization, and works directly with the departmenta heads.

A leader is a person who occupies an influential position in an organization (Uwaoma, Osita and Ogwudiri, 2000).
According to Nwanchukwu (1998), a good leader is a person who is capable of persuading others to move enthusiastically towards the achievement of groups’ goals. This means that leadership is vested on a leader. Leadership is a managerial ability to accomplish group goals (Nwosu, 1996). By working with and through people. Therefore, the departmental heads achieves his objectives through the secretary who is sometimes referred to as a partner to the boss. Leadership is a social influencing process (Nwachukwu, 1988), for the attainment of organizational goals.

An effective leadership is the leadership where leader provides direction to the efforts of the workers, guide groups activities and ensures that groups objectives are achieved. Without good and effective leadership, organizations would be comprised of un-coordinated group of people lacking unity, and direction (Osuji, 2001).
Leadership style are different approaches through which leadership goals are accomplished.

The leadership style that is very effective in an institution or organization is the democratic leadership style.
The democratic leadership style is a leadership style where the subordinate are allowed to join in decision making and the welfare of the subordinate is also considered. In this case, a secretary will be motivated to use the skills she acquired to perform her job effectively. She will represent the managers in their absence infact the departmental heads and the entire institution will get the best out of her.

1.2. Statement of the Problem

The problem of this research is the effect of democratic leadership style on secretaries: by departmental heads, in Imo State University, Owerri. Its effect on secretaries is that the secretary will do well in every ramification of duty as a secretary. A secretary cannot be abused or under utilized by her boss, because of this style of leadership.

Some leaders as a result of their concern, overload the secretary with work even when there is no available relevant materials and facilities. Some heads regard the secretary as typist, this makes them not to respect the secretary. They talk and treat them anyhow, underpay them, reduce them to mere waiters, to call in large visitors to the organization and does not give them a conducive place or office to carry out their functions effectively.
This has made some of the secretary to abandon their jobs or change to their careers which they think are more rewarding.

1.3. Objective of the Study

The major objectives of this study is to know the effect of democratic leadership style on secretaries by departmental heads in Imo State University, Owerri.

Specifically, the study week to ascertain the following:

To determine how democratic leadership affects secretaries’ performance in the Imo State University, Owerri

How does it affect the skills of secretaries at the University of Imo State, Owerri.

To determine the impact of democratic leadership style on the discipline of secretaries.

1.4. Research Questions

The following research questions are formulated to guide the study.

How does democratic leadership style affect the performance of secretaries in Imo State University, Owerri?

How does it affect the skills of secretaries in Imo State University, Owerri?

How does this style of democratic leadership affect the goals of the institution of Imo State University, Owerri?

What are the impacts of democratic leadership style on discipline of secretaries?

1.6. Statement of Hypotheses

The following hypothesis were stated.

Hi: the heads of department’s leadership style has a significant effect on the secretaries job performance.

Ho: the heads of departmental leadership style have no effect on the secretary’s job performance.

1.7. The Significant of the Study

The outcome of this study will show how the effect of democratic leadership on secretaries. It will provide information on the attitude of departmental heads and how secretaries reach to those attitudes. The secretaries will benefit from this study because it will educate them on the effect of democratic leadership styles and the best way to cooperate with the department heads in order to achieve the goals or aims of the institution.

The departmental heads will also benefit from this study, because it will enable them to know how secretaries respond to various leadership style and enable them to know how secretaries respond to some of the decisions made and how the secretaries reacts to the decision.

The study will equally show the effects of democratic leadership style on the performance and skill of secretaries, which one of them are: cognitive skills, this will enable the secretary to communicate effectively within and outside her organization, that is, she should be able to comprehend easily, speak fluently, read with a commanding tone, write clearly etc.

Finally, the outcome of his study will also enable the departmental heads of the institution to know the type of discipline he will adopt. It will also enable the departmental heads of the institution to know the type of disciple he will render to any of his worker or secretary, whenever he or she fails to the rules and regulation of the institution. This information can be accessed by reading the project; the managers or departmental heads should be able to adopt democratic leadership style.

1.8. Scope of Study

There are many effects of democratic leadership style, but this study is only interested in determining the effect of democratic leadership style on secretary’s by departmental heads in Imo State University, Owerri.

1.9. Limitation of the Study

In writing this project, there are some difficulties that militate against the study such as the time schedule, gathering of research materials even lack of finance. All these seem to be the major problems of the study is the respondents’ attitude. Poor attitude and way of life of Nigeria secretaries. Some of the secretaries were very hard to communicate with, because of the harsh tone. Some respondents were unwilling to give out the relevant information needed.

1.10 Definition of Terms

Democratic:

It is where the subordinates are allowed to join in decision making and the welfare of the mass to the secretary is also considered.

Leadership:

Leadership is the process of persuading others to move enthusiastically towards the achievement of a set goals.

Leadership style:

Leadership style is the pattern which a leader uses in controlling people and resources in an organization or elsewhere.

Secretary:

The secretary is the image of the organization. He/she is the one who have gotten professional qualification, skills and attributes that qualify him to the position of a secretary