The influence of principals’ interpersonal communication skills on teachers’ job satisfaction and job performance: A mixed method study

A high level of interpersonal communication skills of principals is absolutely an important determinant for school success because it impacts on teachers’ job satisfaction and performance. This study aims to investigate the influence between interpersonal communication skills of principal and teachers’ job satisfaction and teachers’ job performance. Data was collected from teachers of the nine private preschools in South Vietnam, the schools in this research belong to the five large Congregations of Dominican Sisters where the researcher is a member. This study used both quantitative and qualitative data from teachers\u27 job satisfaction and performance surveys, principal\u27s interpersonal communication skills survey and results from teacher interviews to investigate the relationship between principal\u27s interpersonal communication skills on teachers\u27 job satisfaction and performance. Based on the quantitative data from this research, principal\u27s interpersonal communication skills do impact teachers\u27 job satisfaction and performance. Although the principal\u27s interpersonal communication skills within this study did not statistically predict teachers job satisfaction and performance, teacher interviews clearly revealed the importance of principal interpersonal communication skills regarding teachers\u27 job satisfaction and performance in Dominican\u27s Congregation preschools. The factor that most influenced job satisfaction was recognized as empathic listening, and the trusting factor most influenced teachers’ performance. In addition, effective talk and persuasion factors also influence both teacher satisfaction and performance. The remaining factors that have not been appreciated by teachers are that it affects the teachers\u27 performance (feedback giving and empathic listening) and job satisfaction (trusting and feedback giving). The participants also made suggestions that the principal should improve these factors more. Finally, the participants in this study indicated that the teachers’ job satisfaction and performance are influenced by the following factors: good policies and environment, the students, presence of loving and helpful co-workers, and existence of a principal that possess good characters and attitude. Keywords: Principal’s interpersonal communication skills, Teachers’ job satisfaction, Teachers’ job performance, Dominican Sisters Congregations Preschools, South Vietna