The Managerial Leadership and Energy of Kumasi Polytechnic

Abstract

In the 21^st century, educational leaders can no longer simply wait for instructions and decisions from governments. There is no doubt that the pace of change, and the need to be adaptable and responsive to societal needs, requires that educational leaders develop new skills and ways of working. The purpose of the study was to assess the portfolio of leadership styles implored by the management of Kumasi Polytechnic that has created the needed conducive academic climate for the Polytechnic to rub shoulders with top-most institutions in Ghana and Africa. Similarly, the study determined the level of energy of the management that seems to carry all the staff along to achieve goals of the Polytechnic. A cross-sectional descriptive survey design approached in a phenomenal combination of quantitative and qualitative strands was employed. The realized sample included 167 staff members who were selected by randomized stratified sampling method. The data-gathering tools used were survey questionnaire, observations and documents review. The Blake & Mouton Managerial Grid was used together with Cottrell’s leadership energy formula (E = mc²) as it had the face and content validity that allowed it to be modelled and fitted into the formula. The results of the study showed that management have adopted team leadership style where they are concerned about the institutional goals and also concerned about the wellbeing of their staff. The conclusion drawn was that there was effective management with high energy that motivates staffs of the Polytechnic by inspiring high concern for academic excellence, members of staff and the institution, resulting in sustainable way of achieving long-term success. The management in this research is restricted to the six-man team headed by the Rector that oversees the day to day running of the Polytechnic.

Keywords: Kumasi Polytechnic; managerial leadership; leadership energy; and leadership styles