Philippine E-Journals

Transformational Leadership of School Administrators and Teachers’ Performance: The Mediating Role of Perceived Motivation

Raymart Gorosin | Laila Teressa Bersoto | Marjurie Catuguran | Ronielyn F. Pinsoy

Discipline: Teacher Training

 

Abstract:

Transformational leadership has been widely recognized as a key driver of teacher outcomes; however, its underlying mechanisms, particularly the role of motivation, remain inconsistently supported in empirical research. Grounded in Self-Determination Theory and Transformational Leadership Theory, this study examined whether teachers’ perceived motivation mediates the relationship between school administrators’ transformational leadership and teachers’ performance. Using a quantitative descriptive-correlational design, data were collected from 166 public secondary school teachers in Kabacan, North Cotabato through stratified random sampling. Standardized instruments, including the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ), motivation scales, and Classroom Observation Tool (COT) ratings, were utilized. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Spearman correlation, and mediation analysis in Jamovi. Findings revealed that transformational leadership was not significantly associated with teachers’ motivation or performance, and motivation did not significantly mediate the relationship between leadership and performance. These results suggest that the assumed motivational pathway linking transformational leadership to teacher performance may not hold in all educational contexts, highlighting the need to consider contextual and organizational factors. The study contributes to the literature by providing empirical evidence that challenges the universality of motivation as a mediating mechanism and underscores the importance of context in leadership–performance relationships.