The operation of distributed leadership and the relationship with organizational commitment and job satisfaction of principals and teachers: A multi-level model and meta-analysis using the 2013 TALIS data

Abstract

Distributed leadership has been operationalized focusing on the perception of favorable conditions that lure leadership distribution, staff empowerment, and shared decision-making, etc., but the evidence for operational aspects of DL is far from complete. Using the 2013 TALIS data, this research used rigorous multi-level models and meta-analysis to investigate how principals, management-team members, teachers, and governing board members embark on different school leadership and management functions; and how the variations in the operation of distributed leadership are related to principals and teachers’ organizational commitment and job satisfaction. The results suggested that principals’ and teachers’ role in developing colleagues, and the management team’s leadership in instructional management are positively related to principals and teachers’ job satisfaction and organizational commitment. Due to the nuanced variations found regarding how operational facets of DL are related to principals and teachers' job satisfaction and organizational commitment, future efforts to better understand this topic requires cautious evaluations of interactions between leadership functions and multiple stakeholders.