Leader-member exchange in education : the effects of principal and teacher dyadic relationship quality

Abstract

The purpose of this qualitative research is to explore the dyadic relationship between principals and novice teachers that have decided to leave teaching as a career. The participants in this study are novice teachers that left teaching in their first to fifth year of their educational career. This research utilized Leader-Member Exchange Theory (LMX) as a lens to investigate if the existence of high or low LMX relationships between principal and teacher had an impact on the teacher's sense of relational trust with the principal and colleagues, self-efficacy, creativity, sense of autonomy, sense of belonging, happiness, and decision to leave teaching. The research also included generational identifiers to better understand the needs of the novice teacher and if there was an impact on their decision to leave based upon a generational gap between them and their principal.