Influence of leadership styles on implementation of strategic plans in public secondary schools in Kakamega county, Kenya

Abstract

Successful implementation of strategic plans would improve internal efficiency and subsequently enhance good performance output that would enable institutions realize their vision. However, evidence from studies carried out, a number of institutions that have formulated strategic plans, implementation aspect poses a challenge and impedes them from realizing their vision. It was against this background, that this study was carried out with an aim of determining the influence of leadership styles on implementation of strategic plans in public secondary schools in Kakamega County. Specifically, the study sought to; establish the influence of school leadership styles - Autocratic, Transformative, Democratic and Laissez fair on the implementation of strategic plans in public secondary schools from Kakamega County. The study used a combination of descriptive survey design and correlation design and targeted a total of 1604 managers from public Secondary schools and 13 Ministry of Education Sub County Quality Assurance and Standards officers each from the 13 sub – Counties of Kakamega County. Multiple stage sampling techniques were applied. The study used questionnaires and interview schedules as instruments for data collection alongside document guide list. Questionnaires were validated through application of content validity analysis determined by expert judgement. Piloting of the questionnaires was carried out in four selected secondary schools and split half technique applied to ascertain the reliability of the instruments where a correlation co-efficient of above 0.8 indicated high reliability of instruments. Both descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis were adopted. In addition, the researcher carried out document analysis of strategic plans for individual Schools sampled out. Both secondary and primary data was therefore used and analysed using a blending of qualitative and quantitative techniques. The study established that principals were employing to a greater extent, transformational, authoritative and democratic leadership styles and to a very lesser extent, laissez faire leadership style in their schools. However, there was no significant relationships between these four leadership styles and implementation status of the school strategic plans at, p<0.05 level of significance. The study recommends that, leadership styles be applied along other factors in order to enhance implementation of strategic plans in public secondary schools from kakamega. It is envisaged that findings of this study would enhance execution of strategic plans in public secondary schools by secondary schools managers in Kakamega County, Kenya.