Leadership styles in educational administration and their impact on teacher job satisfaction

Abstract

Behind every motivated teacher lies a leader who inspires, supports, and empowers. This study examined the relationship between perceived leadership styles of school heads and teacher job satisfaction in District 5, Lapu-Lapu City Division, during School Year 2025-2026. Using an embedded mixed-methods design with quantitative dominance, the study gathered data from 6 school heads and 72 teachers through validated questionnaires, complemented by interviews with administrators. School heads most strongly perceived themselves as employing participative, servant, and transformational styles. Teachers reported overall “Satisfied” job satisfaction, with the highest ratings in Job Responsibilities and Work Engagement, while Security and Community Linkages showed lower means. Pearson correlation revealed significant positive relationships between teacher satisfaction and transformational leadership (r = 0.292, p < 0.05), servant leadership (r = 0.233, p < 0.05), and participative leadership (r = 0.230, p < 0.05). Thematic analysis identified administrative challenges: financial constraints, adaptive leadership demands, communication gaps, and policy compliance pressures. Interviews further explained that financial limitations and policy pressures hindered consistent leadership implementation, potentially accounting for lower satisfaction in Security and Community Linkages. The study concludes that transformational and servant leadership styles are significantly associated with higher teacher satisfaction; however, systemic hurdles impede consistent application. Recommendations include mentorship programs for new school heads, servant leadership workshops, transformational coaching, communication seminars, and resource mobilization initiatives. Proactive strategies such as streamlined policy procedures and stronger school-community partnerships are also proposed to foster a more supportive educational environment.