Leading with heart: Empowering foundation phase teachers with values-driven leadership in times of crisis

In times of crisis, it is not policies but people-guided by empathy, respect, and gratitude, who sustain schools. This study investigates how school leaders in one private, one urban public and one rural public school in South Africa used values-driven leadership, conceptualised here as leading with heart, the leadership rooted in empathy, gratitude and human connection, support foundation phase teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Adopting a qualitative, interpretivist design, the study further explores leadership challenges linked to the rapid transition to online learning while maintaining teacher morale. Data were collected through interviews, observations, document analysis and reflective journals with 35 participants, including departmental officials, principals, teachers and parents. Findings reveal that gratitude and empathy significantly enhanced teacher resilience. While private schools expressed appreciation through praise and small tokens, urban public schools offered inconsistent support with limited personal recognition. In contrast, rural public schools cultivated a strong sense of understanding and gratitude despite resource constraints. The study underscores the importance of values-driven leadership in sustaining teacher wellbeing and trust within school communities. It is recommended that school leaders adopt consistent, heart-led values-based strategies to strengthen resilience and connection both during crises and in post-crisis recovery.