eng Science and Education Publishing American Journal of Educational Research 2327-6150 2024-11-24 12 11 455 463 10.12691/education-12-11-6 EDUCATION202412116 article Martin Muyingo muyingomartin00@gmail.com 1 Department of Foundations & Curriculum Studies, School of Education, College of Education & External Studies, Makerere University, Box 7062 Kampala Uganda Given the inherent challenges in headteacher transfer and succession process in Uganda, coupled with the extraordinary new challenges of school leadership, a headteacherĄŻs cognitive, academic and technical competences are no longer sufficient for effective school leadership. This brings emotional intelligence to the fore of effective school leadership. In this multiple case study, I explored teachersĄŻ perception of four transferred headteachersĄŻ self-management competences in government secondary schools. I collected data from 12 teachers, three from each school, using key informant interview protocol. I established that three headteachers, whose transfer was due to forced, promotional, and overstay basis, were perceived to possess adequate social awareness leadership competences, while one headteacher, whose transfer was requested, was perceived to have limited self-management leadership competences. I did not establish a direct link between the basis of the four headteacherĄŻs transfer and their social awareness competences. Accordingly, I recommend that all headteachers develop social awareness competences needed for resonant school leadership. https://pubs.sciepub.com/education/12/11/6/education-12-11-6.pdf TeachersĄŻ Perception Transferred headteachers Social awareness leadership competences Government secondary schools Uganda