This study examined the relationship between school principals’ shared leadership behaviours and teachers’ job satisfaction with the mediating effect of teachers’ self-efficacy perceptions. In this context, the main aim of this study is to contribute to the international literature in the field of educational administration regarding the effect of leadership on job satisfaction. Correlational cross-sectional research method was used in the research. Data were collected from a total of 384 teachers in 10 provinces in the western, central, and eastern regions of Turkey. Structural equation modelling was used to analyze structural relationships among variables. It was found in the research that shared leadership behaviours of principals had both direct and indirect effects on teachers’ job satisfaction through teacher self-efficacy. The evidence from this study suggests that leadership practices that involve employees in decision-making processes and encourage cooperation in schools contribute to increasing teachers’ job satisfaction by improving teacher self-efficacy.

Y?ksek??retim Dergisi / Journal of Higher Education

In this study, the effect of servant leadership behaviors of school principals on teachers’ job satisfaction was examined according to teacher opinions. A total of 434 teachers working in public schools in 12 provinces in different regions of Turkey participated in the research. In this study, casual-comparative and correlational survey models were used. Data were collected by using the “Servant Leadership Scale” and “Job Satisfaction Scale”. Descriptive and probative statistical techniques were used to analyze the data. As a result, it was determined that school principals’ servant leadership behaviors and teachers’ job satisfaction were high. It was also determined that the job satisfaction of teachers with a seniority of 21 years and above was higher than that of teachers with a seniority of 11-15 years. It was revealed that male teachers’ servant leadership perceptions were higher than female teachers. In addition, the results showed that there was a positive and moderate relationship between servant leadership and job satisfaction. The study also concluded that servant leadership was a significant predictor of teacher job satisfaction. Suggestions were made for practitioners and other researchers considering the results and limitations of the research.

This qualitative study examines how school administrators enact “heartfelt leadership”—a socially and emotionally attuned form of leadership—within Türkiye’s bureaucratic school cultures. Using semi-structured interviews with six administrators and six teachers across primary, secondary, and high school, we employed a basic qualitative design with maximum-variation sampling. Thematic content analysis yielded four themes: (1) principals acknowledge the humanity of their teachers; (2) principals prioritize relationships and go beyond formal duties; (3) bureaucracy constrains but does not fully silence heartfelt leadership; and (4) heartfelt leadership fosters motivation, resilience, and retention. Heartfelt leadership was marked by empathy, recognition of significant moments, and proactive care that extends beyond job descriptions, cultivating trust, motivation, and commitment. Yet rigid procedures and centralized decision-making limited leaders’ autonomy and responsiveness. No consistent gender differences emerged among principals, because all participating teachers were female; therefore, cross-gender comparisons among teachers were not possible. Theoretically, the study bridges emotional-intelligence and bureaucratic-organization scholarship, showing how relational leadership can be sustained in centralized systems through micro-level strategies. Empirically, it broadens global leadership discourse by examining emotional leadership in a non-Western, bureaucratic context. Practically, findings suggest embedding social and emotional competencies in leadership preparation and enabling greater discretionary authority for responsive, human-centered school leadership.