LEADERSHIP STYLES, CONFLICT CAUSED BY DYSFUNCTIONS IN ADMINISTRATIVE LEADERSHIP AND THE RELATIONSHIP WITH TEACHER MORALE AND STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT

Abstract

The purpose of this quantitative research study was to determine the relationship between leadership styles, conflict caused by dysfunctions in administrative leadership teams, teacher morale, and student performance on the reading and math sections of the State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness (STAAR). A total of 58 elementary school principals and assistant principals from Title I and non-Title I schools in an urban public-school district in Southeast Texas participated in the study. The variables used in this study included leadership styles according to the grid theory, dysfunctional conflict in leadership teams, student achievement, and teacher morale. A quantitative, descriptive and correlational research design was utilized. Participants completed an electronic survey to assess leadership style and conflicts in leadership teams, while archival data was used for teacher morale and student achievement. Results showed team leader as the most prevalent leadership style (89.7%), followed by the country club (5.2%), impoverished (3.4%), and authoritarian (1.7%) styles; no respondents identified as middle of the road. The conflicts in leadership teams that demonstrated the most potential for impacting teams were Inattention to Results and Avoidance of Accountability. A negative correlation was found between inattention to results dysfunction and teacher morale. Additionally, Pearson correlation coefficients ranged from -.13 to .29 for 3rd grade STAAR reading performance and from -.78 to .44 for 3rd grade STAAR math performance across the five dysfunctions. This study helps the understanding of leadership styles and the potential dysfunctions that may cause conflicts within leadership teams. Implications for the ongoing evaluation and self-reflection of school leaders is discussed. Future research should focus on longitudinal studies and a mixed-methods approach to track changes over time. Additionally, research is needed to understand the underlying mechanisms and causal relationships between these variables and other factors influencing student performance.