LEADERSHIP CHALLENGES IN THE LESOTHO
Date
2011-06-02
Authors
Noe, Emmanuel M.
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Abstract
Lesotho is one of the developing countries within the Southern African
Development Community (SADC), and as such the provision of quality
education within the country is regarded as one of the basic fundamental
human rights. It is through the provision of education that this country is
attempting to rescue its community from devastating poverty and high levels
of unemployment. The Lesotho Teaching Service Department (TSD) was
established in 1914 with the aim of administering the conditions of
employment and payment of teachers. However, there are serious leadership
challenges which this department is currently experiencing with regard to its
employees. These challenges are in turn influencing the relationship between
administrators within the department and the junior employees. This report
presents the argument that the success and the failure of developmental
institutions depends to a considerable extent on the relationship between the
leader and the workforce because leadership is really about what one does
for people
It is argued that the leadership can play an important role in initiating
collaborative efforts between the junior employees and the TSD senior
management. This collaboration may not bring stability but may bring
commitment through equal participation. This study has established that
commitment to cooperation can be brought about through the use of effective
and proper communication, where both the leadership and the subordinates
maintain regular interaction, and so allow for engagement among all the
stakeholders. The leadership has to involve every stakeholder in the decisionmaking
processes of the organisation. This active participation on the part of
the stakeholders may then result in their commitment to ensure that their
objectives and collective goals are fulfilled.
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This study has concluded that lack of proper communication between the
leadership and the employees, lack of involvement by employees in decisionmaking
processes, as well as employees’ disempowerment and resistance to
change are the major leadership challenges which this department is
experiencing. Therefore the recommendations are that the leadership needs
to evaluate information channels to improve communication, to include
employees in decision-making processes, to empower them and to eradicate
obstacles to organisational change.
Description
MM - P&DM
Keywords
Leadership, Lesotho, Education, Lesotho, Lesotho