Leadership styles and project success in the not for profit health sector organisations: a case study of selected donor funded health projects in Uganda.

Abstract

Considerable resources are devoted to health projects in Uganda and like on the international scene several projects continue to fail to meet their objectives however little is known about the relationship between leadership styles and project success. This study investigated the relationship of leadership styles to project success of health projects in Uganda. The research objectives were; to determine the relationship between the autocratic leadership style and project success; relationship of the democratic leadership style leadership and project success; the relationship of the Laissez faire leadership style on project success of health projects in Uganda. This was a cross sectional study which utilised both Qualitative and Quantitative study approaches. The results of the study revealed that a strong positive relationship exists between the democratic leadership style and project success while the autocratic style had a moderate relationship. There was a weak positive relationship between the Laissez faire style and project success. The study therefore concludes that application of democratic principles of leadership leads to an increase in project success; an increase in autocratic leadership styles leads to increase in project success. However any increase or decrease in the Laissez faire style does not affect project success. The researcher therefore recommends that leaders within health projects should use the democratic style and in some instances the autocratic style in order to attain project success. Though findings reveal that there is no relationship between Laissez faire leadership style and project success, the researcher recommends that this style should be used when the leader is dealing with a team that has acquired a high level of expertise and ability to act independently, most likely towards project closure.