Influence of Principals’ Leadership Approaches on Career Progression Among Middle Managers in Secondary Schools in Nairobi County, Kenya

Abstract

Progressing in career is a critical aspect of teachers’ employment life considering that it comes with increased pay accompanying opportunities for individual development. Secondary school principals’ leadership style beyond having influence on individual middle manager’s job satisfaction and organizational commitment, plays a critical role in career progression. The focus of this study was on the influence of supportive, directive and strategic principals’ leadership approaches on career progression among middle managers in secondary schools in Nairobi County. Adopting Path-Goal Theory proposed by Martin Evans in 1970 and employing Ex-Post facto research design, this study sought information using questionnaires and interview schedules from middle managers and principals respectively. Quantitative analysis was used involving both descriptive and inferential statistics . The study found that supportive leadership had   suggesting non-statistical significance in career progression (p-value of 0.172); directive leadership also produced statistical significance with a p-value of 0.017; and strategic leadership lacked statistical significance (P=0.133). The study recommended that MOEST need a policy to encourage secondary schools’ principals to be more directive in guiding middle managers towards career progression. Recommendations on further research on the influence of supportive and strategic leadership approaches on career progression among middle managers in secondary schools was suggested.