Abstract
The purpose of this study is to record the leadership styles of primary education schools’ authorities (principals) in Cretan prefecture. Leadership styles were measured using the VannSimpCo or VLS questionnaire. Principals completed the leadership questionnaire and occupational and demographic questions online. A total of 148 questionnaires were answered by principals from approximately 300 elementary schools in the region. It was found that the democratic transformational leadership style is the most frequently encountered. Variations in leadership styles were mainly presented in the transformational leadership style with age, position, tenure, experience as a teacher or principal, studies at universities or academies, while similar variations were found in styles with a transformational form, such as authoritarian transformational and democratic transformational style. The self-reporting of principals regarding the type of leadership they use in elementary schools in Crete is a first attempt to record how leadership is applied in school units.
