Comparative Effects of Leadership Styles on Workplace Conflict in the Nigerian Civil Service

The study investigated the effects of leadership styles on workplace conflict among civil servants in Delta state, Nigeria. Specifically, the study seeks to ascertain the influence of transformational. Transactional and Laissez-faire leadership styles on workplace conflict among the civil servants. The study employed descriptive survey research design. The population of the study includes 31 civil servants in the Delta state ministry of health, Asaba. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data which was analyzed using mean and standard deviation for the research questions, while t-test was used to analyze the hypotheses. The findings of the study indicated that there are significant relationships between transformational leadership style and workplace conflict (t_cal<t_crit, 0.2873<2.04), transactional leadership style and workplace conflict (t_cal<t_crit, 0.6998<2.04), and also laissez-faire leadership style and workplace conflict (t_cal<_tcrit, 0.0.974<2.04). The study recommended that managers should imbibe practical leadership styles that achieve organizational goals and objectives and employees job satisfaction in order to reduce incidences of workplace conflict.