This study was conducted to assess the effectiveness oj deans on thernselection oj leadership styles. The study was conducted on comparativernbasis in order to investigate the Jactors that influence leadership stylernselection by leaders (deans) in the private colleges and theirrncounterparts in the government colleges. An al/empt was made to assessrnthe effectiveness oj deans using Hersey and Blanchard's situationalrnleadership model.rnThe study was conducted in 5 government owned and in 4 privatelyrnowned TTC colleges Jound in Oromia Regional state. The samples wererndeans oj the 9 colleges, administrative and academic employees oj thernsample colleges. The sample included 9 deans and 164 administrativernand academic employees oj the colleges. /Joth quantitative andrnqualitative research methods were employed to analyze the data.rnStatistical analysis using ANOVA and t-test we;s conducted on majorrn./Clctors that are thought to affect leadership style such as size oj therncollege as indicated by number oj staffs working in the college,rnknowledge in the field oj administration oj college deans, workrnexperience and educational qualification oj deans and level ojrnmotivation oj subordinates.rnThe findings showed that size oj the college, work experience,rnedl/cational ql/alification and knowledge in Ihe field of adminislration ojrncollege deans were not significant Jar Ihe seleclion oj a particularrnleadership style. However, levels oj motivation oj subordinates seem tornaffect the selection oj leadership styles oj deans oj' go vernment andrnprivate colleges.rnThe majority oj deans oj privately owned colleges exhibit initiatingrnstructure leadership style while some (20ut of 5) deans oj governmentrnowned colleges exhibit initiating leadership style. Most (301/t 0/5) oj'rngovernment owned college deans exhibit transactional leadership stylernwhile one dean of privately owned college exhibit il'Onsactionalrnleadership style.rnIt was thus suggested that to improve the leadership CClpacity o.f deans;rntraining Jor incumbent leaders, ejJarts to boost employee morale,rntraining opportunities for both academic and administrative stafJ,'rnproblems such as under representation oj female academe in colleges,rnappointment of deans in government owned colleges aild Jormulation ofrncollege charter must be tackled before deans effectiveness can bernrealized.