THEORETICAL BASIS FOR EXAMINING EMPOWERING LEADERSHIP IN PRIVATE EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS

ÖZEL ÖĞRETİM KURUMLARINDA GÜÇLENDİRİCİ LİDERLİĞİN KURAMSAL TEMELDE İNCELENMESİ

Abstract

This study examines the theoretical foundations of empowering leadership in private educational institutions and discusses the impact of this leadership style on the success of these institutions. Empowering leadership is based on empowering employees, increasing their motivation, and strengthening their organizational commitment. This leadership style particularly helps teachers and other staff in educational institutions to unlock their potential and contribute to achieving the institution's goals. Empowering leadership can be defined as granting employees more authority and responsibility in their tasks, ensuring their active participation in decision-making processes, and providing autonomy in work processes. This approach enhances employees' commitment to the organization while also supporting their individual development. Private educational institutions operate in a more competitive environment compared to public educational institutions. These institutions must provide higher-quality education to their students and meet the expectations of parents. Therefore, leadership plays a critical role in the success of private educational institutions. In this context, empowering leadership emerges as an effective management model that enables private educational institutions to achieve their goals. The importance of empowering leadership in private educational institutions is particularly evident in terms of teacher motivation and professional development. Teachers are the most important actors in the educational process, and student success largely depends on their performance. Empowering leadership trusts teachers' abilities, empowers them, and involves them in decision-making processes. This makes teachers feel valued and increases their professional commitment. Additionally, empowering leadership encourages the implementation of innovative educational models in private educational institutions. When teachers are empowered, they feel freer to develop and apply their own methods. This creates an educational environment that better responds to the individual needs of students. For example, teachers can develop methods tailored to students' learning styles and deliver their lessons more effectively. Empowering leadership also promotes teamwork in private educational institutions. The leader enhances collaboration and solidarity among employees, facilitating the achievement of the institution's goals. Teachers can create a more effective educational process by benefiting from each other's experiences and knowledge. This situation increases harmony and cooperation among employees, especially in the competitive environment often found in private educational institutions. The effects of empowering leadership on private educational institutions can be examined in terms of teacher performance, student success, and organizational commitment. This leadership style boosts teachers' motivation, enabling them to perform at a higher level. When teachers are empowered, they can manage their tasks better and guide students more effectively. This positively impacts students' academic success. Furthermore, empowering leadership supports the professional development of teachers in private educational institutions. The leader provides continuous training and development opportunities, helping teachers enhance their professional knowledge and skills. This enables teachers to feel more competent and offer higher-quality education to students. Empowering leadership also increases organizational commitment in private educational institutions. When employees feel valued and actively strive to achieve organizational goals, their commitment to the institution grows. This is particularly important in private educational institutions, where staff turnover is frequent, as it ensures institutional continuity.