The Impact of Transformational Leadership on Employee Performance of Public Organisations in Tanzania: The Case of Mvomero District Council

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between transformational leadership and employee performance in public organisations in Tanzania. Mvomero District Council was used as a case study. Transformational leadership antecedents included idealised influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation and individual consideration. On the other hand, three dimensions of employee performance were considered: task performance, adaptive performance, and contextual performance. The study utilised a quantitative approach to establish a cause-and-effect relationship through which data was collected using questionnaires from a total of 114 respondents who were sampled using a simple random technique. Questionnaires were used to enable data collection from a relatively large sample size. Descriptive and inferential statistics were employed in data analysis. The study found that all the dimensions of transformational leadership were perceived to be moderately positive. This was also the case with the dimensions of employee performance. Further, the study found that all the dimensions of transformational leadership have a significant positive influence on employee performance, hence making transformational leadership an important determinant of employee performance. This study presents new insights in the Tanzanian context with regard to the relationship between transformational leadership and employee performance hence contributing to the existing body of knowledge significantly. The findings add value not only to scholars but also to practitioners and policymakers who can use the findings to align with their day-to-day practices and policies.