The influence of leadership-management style of primary school principals on crisis management among teachers caused by conflicts

Conflicts are presented as an inevitable phenomenon in every organization, and therefore also in the school unit, due to the diversity of the individuals who interact. The phenomenon of conflict is significant because it can negatively affect the climate, the operation of the school, and the achievement of its goals, and for this reason, it has been the subject of study. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the views of principals and vice-principals of Primary Education in the Regional Unit of Ilia regarding the leadership style they have adopted, as well as the techniques they use for managing crises arising from conflicts among teachers. A total of 61 principals and vice-principals (out of 79) from school units in the Regional Unit of Ilia participated in the research. The questionnaire used was created specifically for the needs of this study, following an in-depth review of relevant literature and previous research. The results showed that principals and vice-principals consider their role in crisis management to be highly effective, mainly by adopting a combination of democratic, supportive, and guiding leadership styles. Their leadership style enables them to influence, predict, and resolve conflicts. Important factors for crisis management include communication skills and sincerity. They consider peaceful coexistence of the involved parties, collaboration, and the use of alternative courses of action as important management methods. Finally, most of the conflicts with teachers are resolved internally within the school unit, with satisfactory results.