The Relationship between Teachers' Collective and Individual Perceptions of their School Principal as Authentic in Mediating their Workplace Attitudes and Behaviors

Purpose:
The study’s goal is to explore the mediating role of workplace attitudes: professional identity (PI) and career aspirations (CA) between perceptions of principals' authentic leadership (AL) and teacher behaviors: intent to leave, organizational citizenship behavior (OCB), counterproductive work behavior (CWB), lateness and intention to leave among teachers.

Methodology:
The sample was comprised of 605 teachers, randomly selected, nested in 41 Israeli elementary, junior high and high schools. Data analysis was based on Multi-Level Structural Equations.

Findings:
The findings indicated that the more the school was perceived by the teachers as having an authentic leader, the PI of the teachers was higher and was negatively associated with CWB toward colleagues in the school, while the teachers’ CA was higher and negatively associated with CWB toward the organization.

Originality/value:
This study shows the importance of teachers' individual and collective perceptions and their impacts on teacher behaviors. The practical contribution may include encouraging principals to promote high standards of AL, in order to raise teachers' PI and their career aspirations and reduce teachers’ CWB and intention to leave.