ASSESSING HOW LEADERSHIP STYLES INFLUENCE EMPLOYEE SATISFACTION IN GAMBELLA'S HIGHER EDUCATION SECTOR

This study investigated the relationship between leadership styles and job satisfaction among academic staff at Gambella Teachers’ Education and Health Science College in Ethiopia. Using a correlational research design, the study targeted the entire population of 79 academic staff members and 17 leaders. Data were collected through two standardized instruments: the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ) and the Job Satisfaction Survey (JSS). Quantitative data analysis involved descriptive statistics (means and standard deviations) and inferential statistics, including one-way ANOVA, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression analysis. The findings revealed a statistically significant and positive relationship between transformational leadership and all nine dimensions of job satisfaction, indicating that leaders who exhibit transformational behaviors—such as inspiring, motivating, and intellectually stimulating their staff—contribute substantially to higher job satisfaction. Conversely, transactional leadership showed a positive but non-significant relationship with job satisfaction, suggesting that this leadership approach alone may not be sufficient to enhance academic staff morale. Interestingly, regression analysis showed that both transformational and laissez-faire leadership styles emerged as stronger predictors of job satisfaction than the transactional style, with transformational leadership being the most influential. The study concludes that transformational leadership is the most effective style for fostering job satisfaction among academic personnel in higher education settings like Gambella Teachers’ Education and Health Science College. Based on these findings, the study recommends leadership development programs that emphasize transformational competencies to enhance academic staff engagement, motivation, and retention. Policy implications for institutional leadership training and strategic human resource management are also discussed