Asian Journal of Education and Social Studies

This research explored how different leadership styles impact employee performance in the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Cateel, Davao Oriental. The study focused on four leadership styles—transformational, transactional, authoritative, and laissez-faire—and their effects on three areas of employee performance: task performance, contextual performance, and counterproductive work behavior. Utilizing a descriptive-correlational design with a quantitative approach, data were gathered from 177 employees selected through stratified sampling. Standardized questionnaires adapted from Koopmans (2015) was used, and statistical methods such as mean, Pearson correlation, and multiple linear regression were applied for analysis. Among the leadership styles, transformational leadership had the highest average rating (M = 4.27), indicating it as the most favored by employees, followed by transactional (M = 4.15), laissez-faire (M = 3.97), and authoritative leadership (M = 3.80). Regarding performance, contextual performance received a "Very High" score (M = 4.24), task performance was rated "High" (M = 4.17), while counterproductive behavior was assessed as "Neutral" (M = 2.84). Correlation results showed a significant positive link between all leadership styles and employee performance. Notably, laissez-faire leadership had the strongest correlation (r = 0.486), followed by transactional and authoritative styles (r = 0.454), and transformational leadership (r = 0.377). These results indicate that although transformational leadership is the most preferred, leadership approaches that offer autonomy and clear structure tend to have a greater impact on performance. To improve organizational performance and employee productivity, the study recommends a strategic focus on leadership development. Training supervisors and department heads in transformational leadership can also enhance motivation, creativity, and employee confidence.