Asian Journal of Education and Social Studies

This study examined how school heads build and sustain relationships with teachers in secondary schools, guided by Relational Leadership Theory and Leader Member Exchange (LMX) Theory. It sought to explore the lived experiences of teachers, the strategies used by school heads, and the insights gained from these interactions in shaping professional relationships within the school setting. Anchored in a constructivist and qualitative research paradigm, the study employed a phenomenological design to capture and understand the meanings teachers assign to their interactions with school leaders. Eight purposively selected Junior High School teachers participated in in-depth interviews and a focus group discussion using a validated semi-structured interview guide to ensure consistency and depth in data collection. Data was collected through audio-recorded interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis, with the researcher maintaining reflexivity throughout the process to ensure accurate and unbiased interpretation. Trustworthiness was ensured through credibility, transferability, dependability, and confirmability. Findings revealed that trust building, empathy, open communication, and supportive leadership practices strengthen teacher relationships and enhance motivation, commitment, and collaboration. The study underscored the importance of relational competence in school leadership and recommended leadership development initiatives and future research across varied educational contexts to further strengthen leadership practices.