The impact of professional burnout on the managerial abilities of rural school directors

Introduction . In the context of rapid and dynamic changes, increasing demands on the professionalism of comprehensive school managers entails increased pressure on their personal structures, which leads to overexertion and professional burnout of administrators and to the deterioration of the organizational environment of the school. We find a contradiction between the mobilizations of energy, personal resources, professional competencies required from the school director and the presence of real internal reserves. The main professional competencies of school administrators are managerial competence. In the study, managerial abilities are considered within the framework of the model proposed by M. Woodcock and D. Francis. The purpose of the study is to determine the presence and nature of the influence of professional burnout on the managerial abilities of comprehensive school directors. Materials and methods . We studied the severity of professional burnout of school principals using the professional burnout questionnaire by K. Maslach, managerial abilities were measured using the method of "Analysis of one's limitations" by M. Woodcock and D. Francis, the test of N. Hall "Emotional intelligence". 40 principals of comprehensive rural schools took part in the study, of which 30 % were school principals, 70 % were deputy principals. The average age of the study participants was 43,5 years (standard deviation SD=9.29). Their work experience ranged from 1 year to 39 years. Results . The results of the study showed that the overall level of professional burnout of rural school administrators is in the average range, while the level of depersonalization is high, which significantly distinguishes them from urban school administrators. Average values are typical for the integral indicator and all parameters of managerial abilities, as well as most indicators of emotional intelligence of rural school administrators, while the managers’ best assess their skill of influencing others and managing the emotions of others, the worst – awareness of their own values and managing their own emotions. Professional burnout determines the implementation of managerial abilities. The greatest role in this is played by a decrease in the sense of one's own professional competence and productivity, loss of meaning in work. To the greatest extent, professional burnout of rural school administrators hinders the implementation and application of innovations in the management of an educational organization. Discussion and conclusions . Rural school administrators maintain their own emotional-energetic balance through emotional detachment and formalism in their work. The implementation of managerial functions is based on the skill of influence, the ability to empathize and teach. The limitations of their managerial activities are blurred personal values, weak innovation and insufficient self-regulation skills. Professional burnout of rural school administrators worsens the implementation of managerial competencies: creativity, influence skills, leadership, organizational skills and emotional intelligence, therefore, burnout prevention and restorative psych hygienic measures are the key to the productivity of managerial activities. It is important to maintain self-confidence in school administrators, record successes, implement motivational events, and conduct high quality, modern and timely managerial training, in addition to enriching them with emotional resources.