Relational leadership in education: a study from the perception of teachers

This article presents results of a study aimed at analyzing the perception of teachers from private schools about what they consider important in their relationship with the director and how this relationship influences the team and teaching work. As for the method, qualitative research was carried out involving twelve interviews with teachers from private schools in four Brazilian states. The findings indicate that the relationship is an essential component for successful leadership in the school environment. Therefore, most reports bring relational aspects as key elements for the teacher's identification with the institution. Open and transparent communication; joint construction and sharing of school guidelines and strategies; director as a support point and connector of people and creator of an environment of creativity and autonomy. As for their contributions, the research is relevant in bringing the perspective of those led on the phenomenon of leadership. Particularly in the literature on education, there are few national studies that investigate teachers' expectations in relation to principals. Finally, another contribution is to insert the discussion of the relational approach to leadership, one of the most contemporary in the field, in the school environment, still characterized by a centralized management style.