Relation between Secondary School Administrators’ Transformational and Transactional Leadership Style and Skills to Diversity Management in the School

Abstract

This study investigates the relation between secondary school administrators’ transformational and transactional leadership style and skills to diversity management in the school, based on branch teachers’ perceptions. The relational survey method was used in the study. The sample for the study was comprised of teachers 735 public school teachers from 34 different schools in the city of Siirt during the academic year of 2010-2011. In the research, “Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire” scale was used to determine the leadership styles of school administrators and “Questionnaire for Diversity Management” scale was used to indicate the degree of behavior related to diversity management. In the result of research it was determined that there was a positive and moderate relationship between school administrators’ transformational leadership style and skills to management diversity. This study it was found that there was a positive and moderate relationship between all dimensions of transformational leadership and contingent reward sub-dimension of transactional leadership and administrative practices and policies sub-dimension of diversity management, and between intellectual stimulation and individual support sub-dimensions of transformational leadership and contingent reward sub-dimension of transactional leadership and individual attitudes and behaviors, organizational values and norms dimensions of diversity management. It was also found that there was a negative and weak relationship between management by exception (passive) and laissez-faire leadership dimensions of transactional leadership and individual attitudes and behaviors, administrative practices and policies sub-dimensions of diversity management, and between management by exception of transactional leadership (passive) and organizational values and norms sub-dimension of diversity management. Findings of study reveals that practices, such as individual attitudes and behaviors, managerial practices and politics associated with individualized consideration, dimension of transformational leaders and contingent, dimension of transactional leadership were significantly predictors of management skills diversity in schools. Furthermore practices of dimensions of transformational leadership, individualized consideration, idealized stimulation and of dimensions of transactional leadership, contingent reward significantly predictor dimensions of management diversity in schools in respect to organizational values and norms.