How does principals transformational leadership affect teachers’ continuing professional development? The mediating role of teachers innovative leadership

This study explores the impact of the principal’s transformational leadership, teachers’ innovative leadership, and teachers’ continuing professional development. Theoretical frameworks highlight transformational leadership as a key element of contemporary leadership theory, especially in promoting school reform and enhancing teachers' professional development. Principals' transformational leadership profoundly impacts teachers' professional development, with teachers' innovative leadership acting as a mediating factor in their growth. This study proposes that principals' transformational leadership directly influences teachers' professional development and indirectly enhances it through promoting innovative leadership. The results indicate that principals' transformational leadership significantly improves teachers' innovative leadership, which acts as an important mediating variable. Therefore, principals' transformational leadership effectively supports teachers' continuing professional development by fostering innovative leadership. These findings offer theoretical support for educational management, emphasizing the core roles of principals' transformational leadership and teachers' innovative leadership in fostering professional growth.