The Impact of Interpersonal Relations Between Teachers and Principals on Organizational Change and Cynicism in Public Elementary Schools Through the Lens of the Leader-Member Exchange Theory

Abstract

Although research abounds on organizational change in various fields of study utilizing various theoretical frameworks, a dearth of research is present in the extant literature about how the Leader-Member Exchange Theory applies to studies in the field of public education. In this study, the interpersonal relations between teachers and principals engaged in professional learning communities were investigated with regard to development of these relations in the face of organizational change in public elementary school settings. The possible implications of such relations to organizational change were also investigated. The methods of data collection involved quantitative data in the form of Likert-scale surveys and qualitative data in the form of semi-structured interviews. The data acquired during the initial quantitative phase of this study guided selection of participants in the subsequent qualitative phase of this study. Elementary school teachers and principals were selected as participants in order to proffer insight into how organizational change develops when professional learning communities (PLCs) are used as a change agent. Descriptive statistics of central tendency and a frequency analysis were conducted with the survey data. Additionally, a chi-square statistical test was conducted to determine what effects, if any, that four demographic categories (number of years in profession, number of years at present school, highest level of educational attainment, and field of study) had on the survey responses of the participants. The interview data was coded and the themes that emerged from this data were Emotional Intelligence, Adaptability, Leadership, and School Atmosphere. The results of this study indicated that while a leadership style that is more shared and distributed in nature facilitated collaboration in PLCs and in schools in general, change should be done purposefully and gradually in order to ease a transition into such a leadership style and to diminish cynicism. Suggestions for future research were given upon conclusion of this study.