Leadership Training and Behavioral Adjustments in Undergraduates

Colleges and universities continue to develop and expand offerings for students who desire to enhance their leadership abilities. However, little empirical data exist on the effectiveness of these programs. This research addressed whether university students experienced behavioral adjustment in leadership skills after specialized training. The purpose of the study was to determine if there was a relationship between training and an individual's ability to identify leadership problems from multiple vantage points. The research questions were designed to understand if relationships existed between university students who received structured leadership training and their behavioral leadership styles. The theoretical framework used in this study involved Bolman and Deal's multi-frame organizational construct which posited that effective leaders operate and make decisions based on experiences, personality, and points of view and that the most effective leaders used multi-frame thinking.