The Relationship between School Principals’ Ethical Leadership Behaviors and Teachers’ Perceived Organizational Trust and Mobbing

Abstract

The aim of this research is to determine the relationships between the level of ethical leadership behaviors of school principals and the level of organizational trust and mobbing in primary schools. The research was based on the relational survey model. The population consisted of 2131 teachers working in public primary schools of Ministry of National Education in Kastamonu. “The Ethical Leadership Scale”, “Organizational Trust Scale” and “Negative Acts Questionnaire” were used in the study. The findings of the research showed that the perceptions of teachers about subscales of ethical leadership were at medium level. Primary school teachers perceived “trust to principal” and “communication environment” subscales of organizational trust positively, however, they had medium level of perception on “openness to changes” and “sensitivity to workers” subscales of organizational trust. Results also showed that teachers were sometimes subject to negative acts stemming from their duty and social relations. In addition, ethical leadership behaviors have positive and siginificant effects on organization trust and negative and siginificant effects on mobbing. School principals should be aware of ethical principles, understand and practice them. Educational programs in which school principals learn more about ethical principles might be prepared.