Estilos de liderazgo de los directivos percibidos por los docentes en instituciones educativas de Ecuador

In the context of the Ecuadorian educational system, this study focuses on analyzing the leadership styles of managers in educational institutions and the impact perceived by teachers. The main objective was to explore and understand how teachers perceive the different leadership styles present in their managers, specifically evaluating their styles: transformational, transactional, and laissez-faire. The methodology used was a descriptive research design in which 115 teachers from various educational institutions in Ecuador participated. The "CELID-S Leadership Styles Questionnaire" developed by Castro Solano (2007) was applied, which evaluates five dimensions of leadership: charisma, intellectual stimulation, inspiration, individualized consideration, and contingent reward. The data was analyzed using exploratory factor analyses and descriptive statistics to obtain a detailed understanding of teachers' perceptions. The findings revealed that teachers positively value transformational leadership styles in their managers, especially highlighting the capacity for inspiration and individualized consideration toward educational staff. These aspects were perceived as motivators and facilitators of professional and personal development within educational institutions. On the other hand, a moderate perception towards transactional leadership was identified, with areas of improvement in contingent reward and management by exception. This suggests the need to strengthen supervision practices and clarify expectations within the educational setting. The results point towards promoting effective leadership that not only inspires and motivates, but also ensures the fulfillment of educational objectives and student welfare