Effects of leadership style on job satisfaction of teachers: a survey of secondary schools in dundori zone, nakuru north district, Kenya

The leadership style adopted by head teachers influence various aspects of the school effectiveness including teacher job satisfaction. However, there is still lack of clear understanding of the best and most effective leadership style or a mix of them that positively influence job satisfaction among teachers, especially in developing countries. This study was conducted between May and November, 2010, and sought to assess the effects of leadership style on job satisfaction of teachers among secondary schools. The population included 274 teachers in the 17 secondary schools with a student population of 4557 including 2956 girls and 1601 boys. A random sample of 115 teachers and 11 head teachers was drawn from 12 selected schools. Data was collected using a self-structured questionnaire and in-depth interview schedule administered to teachers and head teachers, respectively. The questionnaires were pilot-tested to validate and determine its reliability. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics with the aid of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 11.5 for Windows. The study findings indicate that the dynamic situations in the school environment required head teachers to adopt different leadership styles.