Principal Leadership in Improving Teacher Performance: A Comparative Case Study of Two Vocational High Schools in Sukabumi Regency
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59944/postaxial.v4i2.1630Keywords:
Principal leadership, Teacher performance, Vocational high school, POAC, Situational leadershipAbstract
This study investigates principal leadership in improving teacher performance at SMK Ar-Rahma and SMK Tunas Bhayangkara, Sukabumi Regency, Indonesia. The study employed a qualitative approach with a comparative case study design involving two school principals and two teachers selected purposively. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, observation, and document analysis, and were analyzed using the interactive model of data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing. The analysis was structured around the managerial functions of Planning, Organizing, Actuating, and Controlling (POAC), complemented by a situational leadership perspective. The findings reveal that both principals implemented the four managerial functions, but with different leadership patterns. SMK Ar-Rahma demonstrated a more directive and priority-oriented approach, emphasizing discipline, administrative compliance, structural clarity, and direct guidance, while SMK Tunas Bhayangkara showed a more participatory, communicative, and delegative approach. Differences were also identified in workload distribution, teacher involvement, supervision mechanisms, and follow-up practices. The findings indicate that principal leadership effectiveness is not determined by the use of a single leadership style, but by the ability to adapt managerial functions and leadership behavior to teacher readiness, organizational conditions, and available resources. The study contributes to educational leadership research by integrating the POAC framework with situational leadership in explaining teacher performance improvement within resource-constrained vocational school contexts. Practically, the findings highlight the importance of participatory planning, proportional task allocation, differentiated leadership, and systematic supervision follow-up in strengthening teacher performance.
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