AN ASSESSMENT OF LEADERSHIP PRACTICE AND CHALLENGES: THE CASE OF FEDERAL DOCUMENTS AUTHENTICATION AND REGISTRATION AGENCY

Abstract

This study aimed to assess the leadership practice and challenges at Federal Documents Authentication and Registration Agency (DARA). The specific objectives in this research were to: examine the perceived leadership style being practiced; determine the level of follower’s satisfaction with the existing leadership style; examine the relationship between the perceived leadership style and employees’ satisfaction, and explore the challenges encountered in the leadership practice, within the Agency. In line with the stated objectives descriptive research design and mixed-methods research approach used. Regarding to scope, from 14 Agency branches addressed only six branches including head office, and available resent year’s data, covered. The sampling technique was systematic random sampling, and the instrument applied in this research was structured questionnaire. The questionnaires distributed to 29 leaders and 201 operational employees of the agency and the response rate was 93% for leaders and 93% for the operational employees. Moreover, 3 top level leaders were included in the study in the form of interview. In order to strengthen the findings of the study, an attempt was made to implement both primary and secondary data. The findings of the study revealed that democratic, and bureaucratic, leadership styles practiced in the Agency at different times. As the study, depicted, dominantly practiced leadership style was democratic followed by the bureaucratic. The study also point out major leadership challenges that DARA faced were: limited team building, inappropriate exerting pressure to improve performance, limitation of giving credit and reward for other performance while lack of qualified and competent human resource etc. Based on the findings of the study, it recommended that the concerned bodies should strive for applying people-oriented leadership style according to nature of the agency, in line with giving space for employees to engage in various phases from planning to practice. Recommend further study on the cause of employee turnover and low performance. This may demonstrate different results regarding to employment challenges for Agency.