Role of Intrapersonal Traits in Service Delivery by Devolved Governments in Central Kenya

Abstract

Public expectation in the public sector performance in delivering services consistent with citizen preferences has been considered weak in developing countries. In the recent years, citizens are demanding more accountability from their Governments. For millennium development goals to be achieved, a well-functioning public sector must be put in place to deliver quality services consistent with the citizens' preferences. Managers in addition to having competencies (knowledge, skills and abilities) required to perform specific tasks or functions, they must demonstrate leadership knowledge in order to successfully perform their roles, which include attributes/ personality traits that may range from soft skills such as collaboration and resilience to more strategic skills and abilities such as forecasting and seeing the big picture. Transformational stewardship is a relatively new concept in Public Service Management that is designed to create a sense of ownership and responsibility for outcomes, while empowering managers to become leaders who serve for the common good as well as delivering results. For transformational steward leaders to deliver quality services to the public, they need to be equipped with intrapersonal traits which include; personal mastery, personal vision and risk taking. There have been many interventions that the Government of Kenya has put in place over the years to improve service delivery, including results-oriented management, introduction of Huduma Centers among others. This study, seeks to assess how intrapersonal traits can enhance service delivery. The study adopted both descriptive and correlation survey design. The population of the study comprised of Chief Officers, Directors, Deputy Directors and County Assembly Heads in central Kenya Counties specifically Kiambu, Kirinyaga, Murang'a, Nyandarua and Nyeri. The study used stratified random sampling technique to select the respondents. A structured questionnaire was used as a data collection instrument in the study. Respondents indicated that more should be done to encourage leaders in County Governments to seek out challenging opportunities that test their abilities and skills. The study established that intrapersonal traits ultimately affected the service delivery of the leaders and that they should employ personal mastery, personal vision and risk taking in order to become better custodians of public resources.The study recommends further research on otherintra personal traits e.g. critical and analytical traits, ethical traits, persuasiveness among others that could affect service delivery.