Leadership Styles in the Maintenance Industry of UAE: A Focus Group Analysis

Abstract

The primary objective of this qualitative research is to identify and study various leadership styles in the maintenance industry of UAE. The researcher used focus group as a method of data collection. 8 senior officers from the various reputed maintenance companies were invited for the deliberation on the leadership styles being practiced in the various management hierarchies of such companies. The researcher also investigated success level of various leadership styles in terms of employee motivation and moral. The researcher guided the Focus Group Members discussion around these areas, took notes, and finally complied all the views in a report format. Study revealed that Top level management practicing autocratic style of leadership that is not yielding the desired results of higher motivation level and subordinates are also not really happy with it. Targets and being achieved but corporate citizenship feel is missing in the subordinates. Middle level management is practicing almost all types of leadership styles but team leadership is most commonly used by middle level management, subordinates are generally happy with it. Lower level management using autocratic leadership style in order to control the field staff; however field staff never felt happy with it as they feel bad when always engineers / supervisors imposing their decisions on them and being the work floor workers, their suggestions are not taken care of.