Leadership in Action: Teachers' Lived Experiences of School Leaders' Leadership Styles and Their Influence on Professional Skills Development in the City Division of Santiago

Abstract

School leadership plays a vital role in promoting teachers' professional growth, instructional effectiveness, and organizational commitment. As educational institutions continue to respond to evolving curriculum reforms, technological advancements, and increasing accountability demands, school leaders are expected to adopt leadership styles that foster collaboration, innovation, and continuous professional learning. Although numerous quantitative studies have examined the relationship between leadership styles and teacher performance, limited qualitative research has explored how teachers personally experience school leaders' leadership practices and how these experiences shape their professional skills development. This phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of teachers regarding school leaders' leadership styles and their influence on professional skills development in the City Division of Santiago. Guided by transcendental phenomenology, twelve (12) purposively selected public school teachers participated in in-depth semi-structured interviews. Data were analyzed using Colaizzi's Seven-Step Phenomenological Analysis. Five major themes emerged: (1) Experiencing Visionary and Transformational Leadership; (2) Strengthening Professional Competence through Supportive Leadership; (3) Building Confidence through Mentoring and Instructional Guidance; (4) Overcoming Professional Challenges through Collaborative Leadership; and (5) Fostering Continuous Professional Growth through Empowerment and Organizational Learning. The findings revealed that school leaders significantly influence teachers' professional development by cultivating supportive work environments, encouraging collaboration, providing instructional mentoring, and empowering teachers to become reflective practitioners. The study concludes that effective leadership extends beyond administrative management and serves as a catalyst for continuous professional skills development and sustainable educational improvement. The findings provide valuable implications for leadership development, teacher professional development programs, and educational policy formulation within the Philippine basic education system.