Influence of Strategic Leadership Style on Academic Performance of National Schools in Kenya

Abstract

Strategic leadership, is an ability by the leader to anticipate, prepare and position for the future; It has also been observed to be the leaders ability to anticipate, create a vision, empower others and exercise flexibility, to create a strategic and viable future of the organization. Leaders who are strategic leaders formulate the goals and strategies for the organization. They do this by developing structures and processes that impact the present and future performance of the organization. They are experienced, senior leaders that are knowledgeable and have the ability to create a vision and execute plans and make significant decisions in the dynamic environment. This study sought to examine the influence of strategic leadership style on academic performance of National Schools in Kenya. The study recommended that the national schools should emphasize the role of strategy leadership styles with view of improving on the academic performance of their schools. However strategy leadership styles variables alone cannot influence the academic performance of their schools as strategy leadership styles were found not to have a significant influence on the academic performance with a P value of 0.307. This was largely attributed to the fact that the national schools have a set policies and procedures in which leaders are required to adopt hence little variances in terms of leadership styles in various schools and leadership styles for an individual is hence not a key determinant of academic performance in national schools. School should however focus on leadership traits, resource availability and strategy execution plan besides variables of leadership styles.