An investigation of the relationship between school administrators' creative personality traits and organizational creativity

The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between school administrators' creative personality traits and their perceptions of organizational creativity. In the study, the sub-dimensions of creative personality traits goal orientation, intrinsic motivation, self-confidence, and risk-taking were analyzed in terms of their influence on school administrators' organizational creativity perceptions. The study was conducted using the relational survey model, one of the quantitative research methods. The research population consists of 292 school administrators working in public schools affiliated with the Efeler District Directorate of National Education in Aydin during the 2024–2025 academic years. The sample includes 164 school administrators, selected through simple random sampling. Data were collected through a personal information form developed by the researcher, the "Creative Personality Traits Scale," and the "Organizational Creativity Scale." In addition to descriptive statistics, independent samples t-test, ANOVA, correlation, and regression analyses were used in data analysis. According to the results, school administrators' perceptions of creative personality traits were found to be generally high, with intrinsic motivation emerging as the most prominent sub-dimension. Their perceptions of organizational creativity were also high, with the individual creativity dimension having the highest mean score. Correlation analysis indicated a significant and positive relationship between creative personality traits and organizational creativity. Regression analysis revealed that goal orientation and intrinsic motivation significantly predicted organizational creativity, whereas self-confidence and risk-taking did not show a statistically significant effect. In line with the findings obtained, it was concluded that school administrators with creative personality traits assume leadership roles that support organizational creativity and contribute to the formation of a creative school climate. Therefore, it is recommended to increase in-service training programs aimed at improving administrators' intrinsic motivation and goal orientation, to establish a flexible and participatory school culture that supports creativity, and to place greater emphasis on practices that promote creative collaborations with external institutions.