Linking Faculty Leadership to Productivity: The Role of Team Building and Professional Development in Universities of South-South Nigeria

Abstract

This study examined the role of faculty leadership in linking team building and professional development to academic staff job performance in universities of South-South Nigeria. Guided by two hypotheses, the study adopted a correlational research design. The population comprised 29,558 academic staff in public universities across the six South-South states, from which a sample of 795 was drawn through cluster sampling. Data were collected using a validated instrument, the Team Building, Professional Development and Academic Staff Job Performance Questionnaire (TBPDASJPQ), with a reliability index of 0.82. Out of 795 questionnaires administered, 701 were successfully retrieved and analyzed using simple linear regression. The findings revealed that both team building and professional development by Deans of faculties significantly predict academic staff job performance. Team building was found to enhance collaboration, motivation, and productivity among academic staff, while professional development initiatives strengthened staff capacity, job satisfaction, and commitment to institutional goals. The study concluded that leadership practices which prioritize teamwork and continuous professional growth are vital drivers of staff productivity in Nigerian universities. It was recommended that Deans institutionalize team-building strategies, strengthen professional development opportunities, and that universities provide adequate resources and policies to sustain these practices.