The Effects Of Transformational Leadership And Beneficiary Contact On Pro-social Attitude And Performance In Lesotho’s Tertiary Institutions

The study explored the effects of transformational leadership and beneficiary contact on pro-social attitude and performance in Lesotho’s tertiary institutions. A mixed methods design was adopted to investigate the way in which beneficiary contact as the key relational element of job design influenced the Lecturers’ responses to the implemented transformational leadership style. Questionnaires were administered to30institutional leaders,60lecturers and60students and interviews were held with10purposively selected leaders. The Multifactor Leadership questionnaire (MLQ) was used by leaders to assess their own behaviors at work in relation to transformational leadership behaviors and beneficiary contact, lecturers assessed their immediate leaders and students assessed their lecturers. The findings had confirmed the significant impact of transformational leadership and job design that provides beneficiary contact on Lecturers’ perceived pro-social attitude. Transformational leadership and beneficiary contact reflected in Lecturers’ perceived pro-social attitude when interacting with the students did calm the institutional instabilities that lasted for three years (2009-2011). However, both coordinated beneficiary contact by the transformational leader and the follower’s perceived pro-social attitude had no significant effect on Lecturers’performance as transformational leadership style is associated with yielding high followers performance in organizations. The study also highlighted the factors that hinder the Lecturers-beneficiary contact which on the other hand, are affecting negatively the quality of education and performance in tertiary education institutions in Lesotho. Finally, the study recommended the policy makers and the boards of institutions may provide frequently programmes such as workshops, seminars and updates on school administration and leadership in order to sharpen the skills of institutional leaders on the job.