The key to effective leadership is to successfully lead by empowering teachers with support because they are the most valuable resource to enhance student learning. The purpose of this quantitative correlational regression study was to examine if the teacher's perception of the principal's actions to influence teacher self-efficacy predicted the teacher's level of trust in the principal. The 69 participants were secondary teachers who taught in one of the four large suburban public school districts located in a Central Southwest state. The school districts were chosen based on similar demographics and convenience, and the participants volunteered for the study. An electronic survey with questions based on a Likert scale was distributed to all secondary teachers in the school districts. Heslin's (2017) Theoretical Framework of Efficacious Management was used to determine the relationship between the independent variables of self-efficacy components and the dependent variable of trust. The key finding was that the independent variables and dependent variable were significant and accounted for 57% of the variance in a teacher's trust. Furthermore, teaching years of experience did not influence self-efficacy; however, the importance is how the principal enhanced or hindered teacher development with the years taught. Effective instructional leadership that provides support, meaningful feedback, and intentionality can affect teacher performance and student outcomes while building trust. The principal establishes the school climate, and further research could examine if trust levels alleviate teacher burnout and enhance student outcomes. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]