Assessing the Effect of Leadership on Employee Motivation and Organisational Productivity: Lessons from Zambia

The role of leadership in driving employee motivation and employee productivity still largely remains as an unexplored area in many developing countries. This paper assesses the effect of leadership on employee motivation and organisational productivity and draws lessons from selected middle-tier Banks in Zambia. The study highlights the themes in leadership that drive employee motivation and organisational productivity. The research study was undertaken through qualitative research and four themes emerged, quality of leadership, quality of performance management, growth and development opportunities and organisational culture. To collect the research data, six semi-structured interviews, a qualitative questionnaire and direct observation were employed. The study results have implications for leadership in organisations as the study brings out some of the key issues that organisational leadership has an impact on in driving employee motivation and organisational productivity.