Peranan Kepercayaan Interpersonal dalam Hubungan Kepimpinan Autentik Pengetua dan Tingkah Laku Kerja Inovatif Guru [The Role of Interpersonal Trust in The Relationship Between Principals’ Authentic Leadership and Teachers’ Innovative Work Behavior]

Abstract

Kajian ini menyiasat peranan kepercayaan interpersonal sebagai pemboleh ubah pengantara dalam hubungan antara kepimpinan autentik dan tingkah laku kerja inovatif guru. Walaupun kepimpinan autentik sering dikaitkan dengan peningkatan inovasi dalam organisasi pendidikan, mekanisme hubungan tersebut masih kurang diterokai, khususnya dalam konteks pendidikan di Malaysia. Berasaskan Teori Kepimpinan Autentik oleh Avolio, Gardner, Walumbwa, Luthans dan May (2004) serta Teori Pertukaran Sosial oleh Blau (1964), kajian ini mengemukakan bahawa kesan kepimpinan autentik terhadap inovasi berlaku melalui pembinaan kepercayaan. Reka bentuk kajian adalah tinjauan keratan rentas melibatkan 473 orang guru sekolah menengah dari tiga negeri di Pantai Timur Semenanjung Malaysia. Data dianalisis menggunakan Model Persamaan Struktur Berasaskan Varians (PLS-SEM) melalui perisian SmartPLS 4.0. Instrumen yang digunakan telah disahkan dari segi kebolehpercayaan dan kesahan untuk mengukur tiga konstruk utama: kepimpinan autentik, kepercayaan interpersonal dan tingkah laku kerja inovatif. Dapatan menunjukkan bahawa kepimpinan autentik memberi kesan langsung yang signifikan terhadap kepercayaan interpersonal, manakala kesan terhadap tingkah laku kerja inovatif hanya berlaku secara tidak langsung melalui kepercayaan. Kajian ini menekankan kepentingan pemimpin sekolah membina hubungan kepercayaan yang tulen dengan guru untuk memupuk budaya inovatif. Implikasi praktikal mencadangkan agar pembangunan kepimpinan memberi fokus kepada keautentikan dan hubungan interpersonal. Kajian ini menyumbang kepada literatur kepimpinan pendidikan dengan menonjolkan peranan penting dinamik kepercayaan dalam merangsang inovasi guru.

This study investigates the role of interpersonal trust as a mediating variable in the relationship between authentic leadership and teachers’ innovative work behavior. While authentic leadership is often associated with fostering innovation in educational organizations, the mechanisms underlying this relationship remain underexplored, particularly within the Malaysian education context. Grounded in Authentic Leadership Theory by Avolio, Gardner, Walumbwa, Luthans, and May (2004) and Social Exchange Theory by Blau (1964), the study proposes that the impact of authentic leadership on innovation operates through the cultivation of trust. Adopting a cross-sectional survey design, data were collected from 473 secondary school teachers across three states in the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia. Data analysis was conducted using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) via SmartPLS 4.0. The instruments used were validated for reliability and validity to measure three main constructs: authentic leadership, interpersonal trust, and innovative work behavior. The findings revealed that authentic leadership has a significant direct effect on interpersonal trust, while its influence on innovative behavior is only indirect through trust. The study underscores the importance of school leaders building genuine trust-based relationships with teachers to foster a culture of innovation. Practical implications suggest that leadership development should focus on enhancing authenticity and interpersonal relationships. This study contributes to the educational leadership literature by highlighting the critical role of trust dynamics in stimulating teachers’ innovation.