Leadership Practices and the Performance of Public Organizations in Kenya: A Case of Nyeri County Headquarters

Abstract

Despite the central role leadership plays in achieving set objectives for organizations, leadership practices can sometimes be an impediment to achieving those goals and objectives. The study examined influence of leadership practices on performance of public organisations in Kenya, Nyeri County Headquarters. Predictor variables included communication, leadership support, accountability, and delegation. Out of the 159 randomly selected participants, 113 successfully participated, translating into 71% response rate. From the findings, 53%, 76%, 73%, and 64% of the respondents respectively agreed that communication, leadership support, accountability, and delegation influenced performance of public organizations. Inferential statistics showed that communication (p=0.002<0.05), leadership support (p=0.001<0.05), accountability (p=0.004<0.05), and delegation (p=0.003<0.05), all significantly influenced organizational performance in the public sector in Kenya. In conclusion, leadership practices generally significantly influenced organizational performance in the public sector. The study recommended good leadership practices in Kenyan public sector through effective HR policies and management structures for better performance.