Ready to Take Off With 21st Century Leadership Styles to Influence Teacher Commitment in the Central Region of Ghana. (Published)
The study investigated the relationship between head teachers’ leadership styles and their teachers’ commitment. The ‘full-range leadership theory’ by Bass and Avolio (1995) and the ‘organizational commitment model’ guided the study. The study employed a cross-sectional survey design by collecting both quantitative and qualitative data. Data were collected by an adapted version of Bass and Avolio’s (1997) Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire, Meyer and Allen’s (1991) Organizational Commitment Questionnaire to gather quantitative data, and self-constructed semi-structured interview guide was used to gather qualitative data. A multistage sampling technique was used to select 254 head teachers and their teachers from public basic schools in Ekumfi District. The quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation) and inferential statistics like Pearson’s moment correlation and multiple regressions were generated whiles the qualitative data were analyzed through content analysis. The findings revealed a weak but significant positive correlation between leadership styles and commitment (r=.41, p=.00). Further, a weak but significant positive relationship was established between transformational(r= .36,p=.00, transactional(r=.43, p=00) and laissez-faire(r= .13, p= .05) type of leadership and overall teacher commitment. The study disclosed that head teachers’ demographic factors do not significantly impact on their leadership styles. It was recommended that the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service should pay attention to leadership styles of head teachers so as to heighten commitment of teachers in Ekumfi District.
Keywords: Headteachers’ Leadership Styles, Teacher Commitment, Transactional, Transformational Leadership