Building relational trust in a BC context between administrative leaders and teachers

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore different ways administrators can generate relational trust with teachers. The research question was: How can administrators build relational trust between themselves and teachers within their schools? Five semi-formal interviews were conducted with the participants of this study. Each participant was selected from Vancouver Island and each participant held an official administrative role in his or her district. Three themes emerged from the findings: to develop trust with teachers, administrators should: demonstrate competence as a leader, show respect towards teachers, and be open in their communication and in their collaboration with teachers. It was found that the benefits of having strong relational trust between administrators and teachers led to increased collaboration, effective schools, greater teachers participation and increased student achievement.