RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PRINCIPALS' ADAPTABILITY AND TEACHERS' JOB INVOLVEMENT

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between principals’ adaptability and teachers’ job involvement in secondary schools across Abia State. Principals' adaptability, a key component of emotional intelligence, plays a vital role in how effectively they respond to dynamic educational environments and manage staff relationships. Guided by a research question and a hypothesis tested at the 0.05 level of significance, the study adopted a correlational research design. The population comprised 16,650 secondary school teachers, from which a multi-stage sampling technique was used to select a representative sample of 639 teachers (approximately 4% of the population). Data were collected using two instruments: the Principals’ Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire (PEIQ) and the Teachers’ Job Involvement Questionnaire (TJIQ), both of which were validated by experts in the Faculty of Education, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka. Reliability was established using Cronbach’s alpha, yielding coefficients of 0.80 and 0.84 for the PEIQ and TJIQ respectively. Analysis using the Pearson Product Moment Correlation revealed a strong positive and statistically significant relationship between principals’ adaptability and teachers’ job involvement. The study concludes that when principals are adaptable in managing challenges and interpersonal relationships, it positively influences teachers’ commitment, engagement, and productivity. The study recommends continuous professional development for school leaders focused on emotional adaptability and people-centered leadership skills to enhance teacher effectiveness and overall school performance.