Student leadership behavior and goal attainment in student professional organizations at De La Salle University-Manila

• Main Author: del Rosario, Rey Runtgen Martin L.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2010
• Subjects: Leadership; Professional associations; Student activities; Educational Leadership
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_masteral/7189
• Institution: De La Salle University

The study sought to describe and analyze student leadership behavior and goal attainment of student professional organizations in De La Salle University- Manila. The research covered twelve (12) organizations categorized as top ranking, middle ranking, and lowest ranking student professional organizations. These categories were based on the criteria given by the Office of Student Leadership Involvement, Formation and Empowerment (Student L.I.F.E.) during the school year 2008-2009. Data were collected from questionnaires with 144 respondents, focus group discussions with 39 participants, and analyses of the constitutions of the student professional organizations. The results identified the following leadership behaviors as being engaged in by the student leaders: path-goal clarifying behavior, achievement-oriented leader behavior, interaction facilitation, and supportive leader behavior; motivation; and goal attainment. Results showed that student leaders described their student leadership behavior as “high” in achievement-oriented behavior, and interaction facilitation in contrast to path-goal clarifying behavior, and supportive leader behavior which were rated as “average”. On the other hand, members described their student leaders as “high” in achievement-oriented behavior, and interaction facilitation in contrast to path-goal clarifying behavior, and supportive leader behavior which were rated as “average”. Moreover, when student leaders were compared to members’ description on student leadership behavior, there were no marked of differences observed. Finally, the student leaders employed motivation in leading the members to encourage them towards the attainment of organization goals and their personal goals. Recommendations such as the use of qualitative and quantitative method in describing and analyzing leadership behaviors and attainment of goals, explore the use of theories in motivation or volunteerism, other sample of student organizations, and explore other factors that may contribute to the performance of student leaders and members were recommended.