Strategic Leadership and Organizational Performance in Nigeria: An Empirical Investigation

Abstract

This paper dealt with the activities of strategists in the behavioural implementation of strategy and stated that the future of strategy is leadership. It contended that the activities of the strategists in leadership positions should be rather seen and appreciated from the standpoint of the varied strategic leadership activities at the beck and call of strategic leaders during turbulent times. This study examined the relationship between strategic leadership and organizational performance in selected manufacturing firms in Nigeria. Primary and secondary data were sourced for this study. Primary data were collected through administration of questionnaire to employees of 31 purposively selected companies out of 45 quoted manufacturing companies on the Nigerian Stock Exchange. Stratified random sampling technique was used in selecting respondents from these companies, using the three levels of management for stratification. The data generated was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings of the study show that strategic leadership have strong significant relationship with the organization performance of some selected manufacturing companies in Nigeria (r = 0.733, p<0.05). Furthermore, the result also indicate a moderate linear relationship established between performance and:  ‘workforce understanding performance goals’ (r=0.386, p = .002); and, ‘rewards aligned with goals/creativity’ (r = 0.324, p = .002). The study recommends that boards of directors of organization should avoid high CEO turnover to allow for the minimum period of time required for implementation of strategic plans as well as manage new business strategies

Keywords: Strategists, Strategy, Behavioural Implementation, Performance