Leading with Purpose: Exploring School Administrators' Leadership Styles, Attributes and Functions as Basis for Training Plan

This study investigates the leadership styles, attributes, and functions of school administrators in Narvacan, Ilocos Sur, during the 2023-2024 school year, aiming to develop a training plan to enhance their leadership skills. The research explores various leadership styles—transactional, transformational, authoritarian, democratic, and laissez-faire—and evaluates the administrators' knowledge, skills, and attitudes, alongside their roles in instructional leadership and school governance. A total of 111 respondents, including school administrators and teachers with at least one year of service, participated in the study. Data collection was carried out using a modified questionnaire, and statistical tools such as frequency, percentage, weighted mean, t-tests, and Pearson’s correlation were employed to analyze the data. The findings revealed that transformational and democratic leadership styles were most prevalent among the administrators, who exhibited strong knowledge, skills, and attitudes, particularly in instructional leadership and administrative functions. The study found no significant differences in leadership styles based on demographic factors, but a moderate positive correlation was observed between leadership styles and administrative functions. Based on these findings, the study recommends the implementation of professional development programs aimed at enhancing transformational and democratic leadership skills, with a focus on instructional leadership. It also suggests tailored training to improve administrative functions and foster collaboration among school leaders, ultimately aiming to improve school performance.