This study examines the impact of two leadership styles—authentic and transactional—exhibited by faculty deans on faculty members' innovative work behavior and the subsequent influence on student motivation to learn. Addressing the pressing issue of declining student engagement and enthusiasm in higher education, the study highlights faculty creativity as a critical mediating factor linking leadership styles to students' learning outcomes.
Empirical analysis revealed that authentic leadership, characterized by self-awareness, transparency, and moral decision-making, significantly enhances faculty creativity, leading to the adoption of innovative and student-centered teaching practices. These practices foster deeper student engagement and improved learning experiences. In contrast, transactional leadership, with its focus on routine tasks, hierarchical control, and reward-and-punishment mechanisms, suppresses faculty creativity, resulting in rigid teaching methods and diminished student motivation.
The findings underscore the pivotal role of leadership in shaping the educational environment and call for a shift towards promoting authentic leadership in Egyptian universities. Practical recommendations include professional development programs to cultivate authentic leadership traits among deans, restructuring institutional policies to reward creativity, and integrating student-centered pedagogies to address systemic challenges in higher education.