Abstract:
The study investigated the relationship between teachers’ personality traits and
their desired leadership styles in the Cape Coast Metropolis of Ghana. The descriptive survey
design was used for the study with a total of 417 employees randomly selected from five
secondary schools in the metropolis. Results indicate that all the five personality traits had
significant positive relationship with transformational leadership style, with conscientiousness
having the strongest relationship and neuroticism the weakest. Thus conscientious teachers have
higher preference fortransformational leadership than employees of the other personality traits.
Neuroticism had the strongest positive relationship with transactional leadership style among
the other traits. Agreeableness and openness also had significant (weak) positive relationship
with transactional leadership style. Conscientiousness however did not have significant
relationship, with extraversion relating negatively with transactional leadership style. It was
recommended that school managers should endeavour to know the traits of their subordinates
and apply the appropriate leadership styles when dealing with them to bring about good
interpersonal relationship and satisfaction at the workplace.
