Effective Leadership in Higher Education: A Review of Leadership Style Preferences among Faculty and Staff within the United States
- 1 Palmetto College, University of South Carolina, Sumter, SC, USA
Abstract
This causal-comparative study reviewed the leadership style preferences of faculty and staff from participating higher education institutions (HEI). A total of 146 participants completed the Leadership Style Questionnaire (LSQ), a research instrument consisting of demographic questions and the Vannsimpco Leadership Survey (VLS). A single factor, one-way ANOVA (analysis of variance) was conducted, and significant differences were identified within the nine styles, ( F [8, 1305] = 93.65, p < 0.001). Tukey’s HSD (honestly significant difference) post-hoc tests were required and revealed significant differences between 24 of the 36 leadership style pairings. The statistical analysis showed collective preferences toward Democratic-Transformational Leadership ( M = 4.25), Democratic Leadership ( M = 4.21), Transformational Leadership ( M = 4.21), and Transactional Leadership ( M = 4.20). The least preferred style was Laissez-faire Leadership ( M = 2.63). This study also compared leadership style preferences of participants classified as faculty versus those classified as staff. Significant differences were identified within responses for Democratic Leadership and Transactional Leadership styles.
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