Abstract:
The main purpose of this study was to investigate the principals’ leadership styles and teachers’ job
performance in secondary schools of East Hararghe Zone, Oromia regional state. To conduct this study,
descriptive survey design involving quantitative and qualitative approaches was employed. A total of 156
respondents (136 teachers, 10 principals, 5 vice principals and 5 supervisors) were included in the study.
Teachers were selected using simple random sampling technique whereas principals were selected using
availability sampling technique. The data were gathered through questionnaire and interview. Descriptive
statistic (frequency counts, mean and percentages) and inferential statistic (correlation and regression
analyses) with the help of SPSS Version 20 were used to analyze data gathered through questionnaire. Data
obtained through interview and open- ended questionnaire were analyzed qualitatively through narration
for the purpose of triangulation also by organizing it into patterns, categories and through description. The
findings of the study revealed that there is a positive and significant relationship between leadership styles
and teachers’ performance. The study also indicated that democratic leadership was the most practiced
leadership style in secondary schools of East Hararghe Zone Oromia regional state. Furthermore,
teachers’ performance was found to be moderate in the study area. In addition, the findings showed that
principals’ leadership style had significant effects on decision-making, relation and delegation in improving
teachers’ level of performance. However, teachers’ performing was not to the expectation. The implication
of this study is that concluded as the leaders should properly exercise their leadership styles to enhance
teachers’ performances in their profession. Based on the findings, it is recommended that the principals of
secondary schools should knit mixture of autocratic and democratic styles of leadership and should review
their Human resource management implementations promote and sustain the upgrading training system of
secondary school leaders to incapacitate them with adequate technical and administrative skills and give
value to CPD in teachers’ career structure and regional education Bureau devised to provide skill training
for school principals on effects of relationship and on how to relationship with teaching staffs to enhance
their performanc
