Examining the Effect of Principals' Inclusive Leadership Practices on Organizational Hypocrisy through the Mediating Role of Trust in Principal

Abstract

This study aims to explore the effect of inclusive leadership and trust in principal on organizational hypocrisy in schools. We employed a quantitative methodology and used a cross-sectional survey design and Structural Equation Modelling to determine the relationships between inclusive leadership, trust in principal, and organizational hypocrisy. The research sample consisted of 408 teachers working in preschool, primary, secondary and high schools in different regions of Türkiye. We collected the data of the study through "Inclusive Leadership Scale," "Organizational Hypocrisy Scale," and "Trust in Principal Scale." The results showed that inclusive leadership, directly and indirectly, affected organizational hypocrisy. According to the total effect, inclusive leadership had a significant, negative, and large impact on organizational hypocrisy and explained 75% of the variance in organizational hypocrisy. Results also indicated a direct effect of inclusive leadership on trust in principal and of trust in principal on organizational hypocrisy. In addition, trust in principal had a mediator effect between inclusive leadership and organizational hypocrisy. Consequently, inclusive leadership and trust in principal were important variables in reducing organizational hypocrisy in schools. In this context, principals need to increase trust in principal by displaying inclusive leadership behaviors to reduce organizational hypocrisy that causes negative consequences in schools.