The impact of people-focused leadership style on employee performance in project-based industries in the Cape Metropole

Abstract

Leadership is arguably the most studied discipline and yet is equally the least understood subject since it involves unpredictable human beings. In the same vein, as managers and leaders operate, they operate within the context of followers who have their own expectations from leadership. Consequently, many leadership theories have been developed and at best they are largely a variety of the other with extremities in other aspects. Because there are other people apart from the leader, it means consideration should be made of the characteristics of the followership. There is therefore a need for congruency between the leadership and the followership if the leader is to be influential. Interpersonal skills are critical for this type of leadership, and some research findings indicated that extroverts who are people centered are likely to be more effective. In the process, the leader needs to build relationships as evidenced by the way the leader will encourage, appreciate, forgive, understand others, and be prepared to listen to peers and followers. This papers posits that people oriented leaders develop closeness to the followers and are empathetic, whilst they try to get their work done. The preliminary findings established that a people focused leader will have more influence on the followership, and is most likely to be empathetic to his subordinates.