Summary of the Findings on leadership styles on the job satisfaction of the teachers
The study investigated the effects of the leadership styles on the job satisfaction of the
teachers, and the findings revealed female teachers were more than males. Most female
teachers were more satisfied with the leadership styles due to the high number of female
head teachers, and the under-representation of males in leadership. Furthermore, females
dominated in leadership positions. This indicates gender disparity in opportunities thus
job satisfaction is felt. The study revealed that many teachers have high academic
qualifications implying the ability to achieve goals. Teachers with higher education
(mostly in senior high school) expressed low job satisfaction concerning leadership styles
due to their higher levels of conceptualization than head teachers. Teachers in primary
and kindergarten seem to be more contented though they work in a more isolated
environment that primarily has no focus on departmental structures. There are abundant
opportunities for teachers to practice leadership, but they miss them due to a lack of a
broad structure for improvement.
The study discovered that the democratic leadership style had a considerable favorable
impact on teachers' job satisfaction. This suggests that when school administrators
employed a democratic leadership style, teachers were more satisfied with their jobs. Head
teachers’ application of two-way communication significantly and strongly affected the
teachers’ level of JS positively (r=0.564, p=<0.001). The use of two-way communication
by head teachers had a significant and favorable impact on teachers' job satisfaction
(r=0.564, p=0.001). Furthermore, the findings revealed that the headteacher's demeanor
encourages employee teamwork (r=0.319, p=0.001). Because head teachers aren't experts
in every subject, listening to others before making conclusions is more effective and
precise.
In addition, the head teachers sought input from the teachers on upcoming plans and
initiatives (r=0.547, p=0.001). Teachers also received frequent and helpful
communication from their principals (r=0.496, p=0.001). Headteachers who assisted
teachers in accepting responsibility for their work (r=0.549, p=0.001) had a significant
and moderate favorable impact on teachers' job satisfaction. Teachers, on the other hand,
were not involved in the decision-making process (r=0.013, p=0.816), indicating that
there was a very weak link between JS and disappointments, and demoralization.
The study discovered that the autocratic leadership style did not affect teachers' job
satisfaction. This suggests that when school principals utilized an authoritarian leadership
style, job satisfaction remained unaffected. It was discovered that having the headteacher
retain final decision-making authority did not affect the degree of job satisfaction of the
instructors (r= 0.387, p= 0.000). Furthermore, because they are sole decision-makers, they
get speedier results. The data also revealed that the headteacher routinely supervised their
work (r=0.351, p=0.000), administered rewards or punishment, when necessary (r=0.364,
p=0.000), and gave directions and clarified processes (r= 0.317, p=0.000), had no
significant impact on the teachers' job satisfaction. Teachers get unsatisfied with their jobs
when they find they are not involved in critical choices. Some respondents, however, said
that authoritarian leadership had a negligible impact on teachers' job satisfaction. This was
especially true where the principals issued prizes or punishments as needed. In contrast to
the teachers who carry out the tasks, autocratic leaders are results oriented. As a result,
teachers who fail to deliver are reprimanded or threatened with dismissal. However,
respondents indicated that there was a moderately significant negative influence on job
satisfaction when head teachers ignored teacher proposals because they didn't have time
for them (r=-0.062, p= 0.279).
The study discovered that a laissez-faire leadership style had a considerable beneficial
impact on teachers' job satisfaction. This suggests that when school principals utilized a
laissez-faire leadership style, teachers' work satisfaction increased. As a laissez-faire
leadership style encouraged the leaders to keep away while the teachers did their work
(r=0.581, p=0.001), head teachers who used it supervised teachers who were positive and
had less stress. Furthermore, the findings revealed that, on average, head teachers granted
teachers entire autonomy in solving problems (r=0.334, p=0.001), and that, on average,
teachers desired less influence from their leaders (r=0.322, p=0.001). The head teachers'
permission to evaluate their work (r=0.445, p=0.001) had a significant and moderate
beneficial impact on the teachers' job satisfaction. The headteacher allowing the instructors
to work out their problems in their way had a very low significant relationship
(r=0.018, p=0.06).
According to the findings, transformational leadership has a considerable beneficial
impact on teacher satisfaction. This suggests that when school leaders employed a
transformational leadership style, teachers' work satisfaction increased. The headteacher
who utilized this technique proposed new ways of looking at how to accomplish tasks
(r= 0.645, p=0.001), and viewed teachers as persons with distinct needs, abilities, and
goals (r=0.625, p=0.001). The headteacher went above and beyond self-interest for the
welfare of the school (r=0.553, p=0.001), and had a significant and positive impact on
the teachers' job satisfaction. Furthermore, the findings revealed that the headteacher's
emphasis on the necessity of having a collective sense of mission (r=0.341, p=0.001) had
a significant and moderate beneficial impact on the teachers' job satisfaction.
Furthermore, the headteacher inspired pride in the teachers (r=0.069, p= 0.001) had the
greatest and least significant impact on the teachers' job satisfaction.
In conclusion, respondents were most satisfied with various aspects of their jobs,
including participating in multiple job projects, teachers choosing to teach even when
allowed to start a new career, believing that where they work is a good place, the job
providing steady growth, the job being subjected to favorable working conditions, and
teachers believing that their colleagues are motivated. Job satisfaction has been related to
numerous external elements, such as leadership styles, which can alter employees'
perceptions and attitudes about their work, according to Batugal and Tindowen (2019).
The goal of the study was to see how the leadership styles (democratic, autocratic,
laissez-faire, and transformational) affected teacher job satisfaction in a group of
international schools in Nairobi County. The study found that democratic, laissez-faire,
and transformational leadership styles all had a moderately favorable association with
teacher work happiness, whereas authoritarian leadership styles had both a negative and
minor relationship with teacher job satisfaction. This means that democratic, laissez-faire,
and transformational leadership styles were appropriate for managing international
schools in Nairobi County, whereas authoritarian leadership styles might be used in some
circumstances.
According to the findings, various leadership styles have distinct consequences on job
satisfaction. Adopting an authoritarian leadership style appeared to reduce job satisfaction to
some level, as these head teachers always held final decision-making authority, gave
commands, defined procedures, and routinely supervised the teachers' work. However, it had
a negligible impact on teachers' job satisfaction. This is especially true when school heads
issue incentives or punishments as needed, and it has a negative connotation when school
heads do not accept teacher proposals and do not have time for them.
On the other hand, the democratic leadership style was found to be positively associated with
job satisfaction. This suggests that using a democratic leadership style encourages employees
to work together, which improves job satisfaction. Teachers were asked for their opinions
and comments on upcoming plans and projects, had frequent and supportive communication
from their supervisor, and were assisted in accepting responsibility for their work, all of
which had a beneficial impact on the teachers' job satisfaction. Teachers, on the other hand,
were not involved in the decision-making process, indicating that there was no link
between their job happiness and their job satisfaction. Teachers prefer this sort of leadership
to other types of leadership because they feel valued by their head teachers.
Transformational leadership style was found to be a substantial positive predictor of work
satisfaction in the study. This suggests that using a transformational leadership style pushes
the school principal to investigate innovative approaches to completing assignments, which
has a good impact on teacher work satisfaction. Teachers are viewed as persons with diverse
needs, abilities, and objectives by school administrators. Furthermore, the heads go above
and beyond their self-interest for the welfare of the school, highlighting the necessity of a
shared sense of mission. Teachers' job happiness is increased when school leaders create
pride in them. In contrast to the preceding stated beliefs, a transformational leader encourages
people to become more than just employees (Asral-Ul-Haq, & Anwar, 2018).
The adoption of blended leadership styles by head teachers in international schools is
required as part of a collaborative effort to carry out numerous policies and mandates. In
some cases, using an authoritarian leadership style, for example, may be required. The recent
global proliferation of COVID 19 has had an impact on physical education in schools. As a
result, principals were pushed to introduce online learning to their kids, and teachers had no
choice but to comply. Autocratic leadership thrives in dangerous work conditions or
scenarios demanding complex duties with a limited margin for error, such as safety
inspections because each depends on control. However, the head teachers should be able to
grasp how to use each leadership style and how it affects employee or teacher satisfaction in
the school. Teachers are human people who, when subjected to any sort of treatment
because of the employment of a certain style, might react in a variety of ways.
There should be a fair balance between the use of various leadership styles and teacher
work satisfaction.
The following are the recommendations based on the researcher's review of the study's
findings:
To improve teacher work satisfaction, school leaders should adopt democratic leadership
approach in their school administration to ensure that teachers are fully involved in the
implementation of the school policies.
Headteachers should be autocratic in specific situations to boost productivity, such as
planning by drafting schemes of work and lesson plans; nevertheless, excessive usage of
the autocratic leadership style should be discouraged because it has a detrimental impact
on teacher job satisfaction. The Laissez-faire leadership style of the principals should be
partly applied because a school is a system that is monitored by the ministry of education.
Transformational leadership style has been shown to have a considerable impact on
enhancing teachers' job satisfaction. As a result, it is recommended that school principals and
other relevant parties implement, maintain, and enhance their transformational leadership
styles in exchange for improved school quality, performance, and achievement.
7
The study provided the following suggestions for future research:
(i) Research can be conducted to determine the impact of demographic
parameters such as age, gender, education, and teaching experience on the
relationship between a principal's leadership style and teacher job satisfaction.
(ii) The research was conducted in a single county's schools. A similar study
should be carried out in Kenya's other counties.
(iii) Research should be conducted in various Kenyan educational institutions,
such as public and private schools, to determine headteacher leadership styles
and teacher job satisfaction.
More research is needed to uncover the problems and issues that prevent head teachers at
international schools from exercising some LSs over teachers in terms of internal politics,
leadership philosophy, and personality, as well as how these concerns might be solved.
98
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