The objective of this study was to identify the Adoption Levels of Leadership Factors and Leadership Styles by the Hierarchy of Managers. These Adoption Levels were used to assess whether they prevented a company from moving forward, or whether they created motivational problems within the employees of the organisation. The first Research Question investigated whether the Adoption of Leadership Factors by the Hierarchy of Managers prevented the organisation from moving forward. The second Research Question investigated whether the adoption of Leadership Styles by the Hierarchy of Managers created motivational problems within the employees of the organisation. These two Research Questions were investigated further via questionnaires distributed to a population that was segregated into the two levels of managerial hierarchy. A Qualitative approach was used in the analysis of the findings, supported by Reliability and Descriptive Statistics. The results obtained from the first part of the study dealt with the adoption level of Bass and Avolio’s Leadership Factors. Top Managers adopted about 70% of the questions asked, versus the 30% adoption level scored by Middle/First Level Managers. In the second part of the study, we investigated the adoption level of Blake and Mouton’s Leadership Styles. Top Managers and Middle / First Level Managers were found to be Team Players, although the Top Managers were found to be less People Oriented, and more Task Oriented. As a result of the study, a set of guidelines were generated that would be the basis for the Top Managers and Middle/First Level Managers to teach themselves leadership skills. The research has demonstrated that the adoption of leadership factors and leadership styles is an observable and learnable set of practices. The specific skills and behaviours that need to be adopted to assume transformational leadership roles were identified via the questionnaires. It has demonstrated that leadership is not something mystical that cannot be understood by ordinary people.
Global Journal of Business Management Vol. 4 No. 1, June 2010