A descriptive analysis of the impact of leadership styles on teacher job satisfaction

Teacher attrition is a threat to public education in the United States. However, little information exists regarding teacher attrition and its root causes in international schools. Research, such as Barnett and McCormick's (2004) Leadership and Individual Principal-Teacher Relationships in Schools and Rockoff's (2004) The Impact of Individual Teachers on Student Achievement: Evidence from Panel Data, indicates educational leaders have an impact on their teachers' decision to stay or leave, and high attrition negatively impacts student achievement. Darling-Hammond's (2003) Keeping Good Teachers suggests that reducing teacher attrition is a critical focal point educational leaders must adopt as part of their work in today's schools. This study explored the dynamic relationship between leaders and educators in international schools in Switzerland, specifically focusing on whether a correlation exists between a leader's chosen management style and teacher job satisfaction. A quantitative approach was taken administering two surveys to teachers at three international schools in Switzerland. One survey collected information on teachers' perceptions of their own job satisfaction and motivation, and the second questionnaire surveyed teachers' perceptions of their Head of School or building principal's leadership style. The predictor variable was principal leadership style and the criterion variable was teacher job satisfaction, with the results indicating a relationship between the two variables exists. Statistical analysis further affirmed a stronger correlation between the transformational leadership style and teacher job satisfaction than other leadership styles. International school leadership training programs may be able to reduce teacher attrition in the international school setting by adopting this study's findings.