| Abstract [eng] |
Modern educational institutions face various challenges such as constant changes, increasing competition, integration and preventive processes, and decreasing human resources. This complex environment imposes requirements on educational institutions and demands new solutions, often related to effective leadership, as leaders are responsible for creating a trustful atmosphere, which is essential for better student achievements, higher teacher job satisfaction, and overall school performance. Trust is a complex concept that encompasses honesty, openness, reliability, competence, and goodwill. A trusting atmosphere fosters positive activity within the school community, encourages curiosity, motivation to learn, and professional development. In contrast, a lack of trust creates tension, decreases employee motivation, and hinders both student and teacher progress. The object of the study is the mutual trust between leaders and teachers in educational institutions. The aim of the study is to analyze mutual trust between leaders and teachers in educational institutions in the city of Panevėžys. The objectives to achieve the aim are: to examine the theoretical foundations of mutual trust between leaders and employees (the concept of trust, dimensions of trust in leaders and trust in employees), to analyze research on mutual trust between educational institution leaders and employees, and to empirically evaluate mutual trust between leaders and employees in educational institutions. The methodology chosen to achieve the research objectives includes analysis of scientific literature, interviews, written surveys, qualitative (content) analysis, and descriptive statistics. The analysis of scientific sources suggests that trust is a key factor influencing organizational success, employee satisfaction, and work atmosphere. However, it is quite difficult to define it unambiguously, as different perspectives on trust include moral commitment, communication and collaboration, mutual expectations, and relationships with people and the social environment. These perspectives help understand the multifaceted nature of trust and its importance both in personal and professional contexts, encouraging strong and effective social bonds and long-term cooperation. Promoting trust in educational institutions helps create better working conditions for teachers, who can freely share ideas, develop professionally, and aim for higher student achievements. Therefore, trust in leaders is one of the key factors contributing to the creation of such an environment. The analysis of scientific literature helped identify the key dimensions of trust in leaders (managerial competence, communication, honesty, goodwill, reliability, and openness) and trust in employees (honesty and fairness, employee loyalty, creativity, psychological well-being, employee productivity, and effectiveness) in educational institutions. The empirical part of the study, based on quantitative and qualitative research results, indicates that the mutual trust between both leaders and teachers has a significant impact on the work environment and organizational success. The quantitative data show that teachers positively assess the managerial qualities of their leaders; however, certain aspects, such as decision-making transparency and communication, still raise concerns. The qualitative study revealed that teachers value honesty, openness, and emotional support, which strengthen their trust in the leader and loyalty to the organization. Trust and collaboration between both parties promote creativity, independence, and improve work results. It is likely that the research results will contribute to the improvement of educational institutions' performance, and the practical recommendations presented in the study will help improve teaching quality, reduce tension, and create a more open and motivating environment, where all members of the community trust each other and can achieve better results. |
