Leading with Impact: The Relationship Between School Heads’ Multifactor Leadership Styles and Teachers’ Job Satisfaction in Public Secondary Schools

Abstract

This study examined the relationship of school heads’ leadership styles on teacher job satisfaction across 19 public secondary schools within the Department of Education (DepEd) Schools Division of Siquijor. Grounded in Bass’s Multifactor Leadership Theory and Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory, the research explored the effects of transformational, transactional, and passive-avoidant leadership styles on teacher satisfaction. Utilizing a descriptive-correlational research design, data were collected through the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ) and a modified version of the Teacher Job Satisfaction Questionnaire (TJSQ). Statistical analysis revealed that transformational leadership, particularly the Individualized Consideration dimension, exhibited the strongest positive correlation with teacher satisfaction. Transactional leadership, notably Contingent Reward, also showed a positive association, whereas passive-avoidant leadership was linked to lower levels of satisfaction. These findings highlight the critical role of leadership in cultivating supportive and motivating work environments for teachers. The study recommends the strategic development of transformational leadership competencies among school heads to enhance teacher satisfaction and promote overall school effectiveness.