Authentic Leadership, Engagement, and Trust: A Study of Schools in United States, China, and Germany

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Thursday 1:45 pm Four Seasons Ballroom 2-3
  In Roundtable Session: School Leadership and Teacher Retention (Table 2)

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between school principals' authentic leadership and their teachers' level of trust, engagement, and intention to remain in the profession. The sample included 81 teachers in the United States, 380 teachers in China, and 65 teachers in Germany. A positive relationship was reported between teachers' ratings of authentic leadership and teacher’s engagement and trust. Results of path analysis suggested that teacher’s trust was a significant mediator between principal’s authentic leadership and teachers’ engagement. In general, Chinese teachers reported higher levels of principal’s authentic leadership and engagement than German and American teachers. As for trust, Chinese and German teachers reported statistically higher levels of trust than their American counterparts.
 

Authors

• Chuang Wang, University of North Carolina - Charlotte

• Dawson R. Hancock, University of North Carolina - Charlotte

• Ulrich Müller, Pädagogische Hochschule Ludwigsburg

• Lan Liu, University of Macau

• Tianxue Cui, University of Macau

• Tobias Bernd Stricker, Pädagogische Hochschule Ludwigsburg, Institut für Bildungsmanagement

• Leonardo Herrera-Mosquera, University of North Carolina - Charlotte