Abstract:
The current study examined the influence of different leadership styles on employee performance, utilising Fiedler's contingency theory as the theoretical underpinning. Three hypotheses were created and subsequently evaluated to achieve the objectives of the study. The collection of primary data for this study was the distribution of structured questionnaires to the entire employee population of 104 individuals employed by the Twifu Hemang Lower Denkyira district assembly. The census sample methodology was utilised to ensure that each member of the workforce had an equitable opportunity to be included in the study. The study employed a quantitative research approach, to offer a comprehensive understanding of the observed occurrences. The data was later examined using IBM SPSS Statistics version 26 and SmartPLS 3. The data underwent analysis to assess the soundness of all hypotheses, utilising the partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) technique. The findings of the study indicate that both transformational and transactional leadership styles have a positive and statistically significant influence on employee performance. The study uncovered that the laissez-faire leadership style has a negative and statistically significant effect on the performance of employee members. As a result, the study proposes to policymakers, practitioners, and district assembly management to actively incorporate both transactional and transformational leadership styles, while also implementing strategies to mitigate or eliminate the adoption of laissez-faire leadership practices.