The Impact of Democratic and Autocratic Leadership Styles on
\nTeacher Performance in Basic Education School

This study examines the impact of democratic and autocratic leadership styles on teacher
\nperformance in basic education schools in Baucau town, Timor-Leste. Leadership style plays a
\npivotal role in educational outcomes, yet limited research has explored its influence in the TimorLeste context. Employing a quantitative approach, data were collected via teacher questionnaires
\nand analyzed using multiple linear regression in SPSS. Three hypotheses were tested: the individual
\nimpact of autocratic (H1) and democratic (H2) leadership styles, and their combined impact (H3) on
\nteacher performance. Results reveal that while democratic leadership significantly enhances teacher
\nperformance, autocratic leadership does not have a significant effect. However, both styles together
\nhave a combined impact. These findings underscore the importance of fostering democratic
\nleadership to create inclusive and collaborative school environments. The study recommends that
\nnational education authorities prioritize leadership training and policy reforms to enhance
\ndemocratic leadership practices