Leadership Practices And Effectiveness Among Greek Student Leaders

College Student Journal, June, 2000 by Todd C. Adams, Marybelle C. Keim

Table 1 Mean Scores on Student Leadership Practices Inventory

                        General    Executive

Challenging the Process
          Women          24.66        25.26
          Men            23.76        22.92
Inspiring a Shared Vision
          Women          25.32        26.04
          Men            24.96        23.46
Enabling Others to Act
          Women          26.34        26.76
          Men            25.02        24.36
Modeling the Way
          Women          24.90        25.38
          Men            24.18        23.34
Encouraging the Heart
          Women          25.38        25.92
          Men            24.66        23.70

                       President    Total Mean

Challenging the Process
          Women            25.20         25.02
          Men              25.08         23.52
Inspiring a Shared Vision
          Women            25.08         25.62
          Men              25.92         24.36
Enabling Others to Act
          Women            27.06         26.58
          Men              25.62         24.78
Modeling the Way
          Women            24.66         25.08
          Men              25.32         23.88
Encouraging the Heart
          Women            26.22         25.68
          Men              25.98         24.36

Results of two-way ANOVA procedures are presented in Table 2. A statistically significant difference was found between men and women on Challenging the Process, with women rating their presidents higher than men did (p [is less than] .05). Another significant difference was found by position within gender on Inspiring a Shared Vision (p [is less than] .05). The mean scores of women general and EC members were higher than the mean scores of men general and EC members. A statistically significant difference was found by gender on Enabling Others to Act (p [is less than] .05). Women felt more strongly than men that their presidents were effective leaders.

Table 2 Two-Way ANOVA on Student Leadership Practices Inventory

                            df    F       p

Challenging the Process
       Position              2   0.87   0.420
       Gender                1   4.03   0.046(*)
       Position by Gender    2   1.71   0.183
Inspiring a Shared Vision
       Position              2   0.55   0.580
       Gender                1   1.32   0.251
       Position by Gender    2   3.47   0.033(*)
Enabling Others to Act
       Position              2   1.26   0.771
       Gender                1   5.13   0.024(*)
       Position by Gender    2   0.41   0.666
Modeling the Way
       Position              2   0.28   0.736
       Gender                1   1.26   0.262
       Position by Gender    2   1.64   0.197
Encouraging the Heart
       Position              2   0.87   0.420
       Gender                1   2.23   0.137
       Position by Gender    2   1.21   0.301

(*) p <.05

For each of the eight statements included on the effectiveness survey, mean scores of men and women presidents, executive council members, and general members are presented in Table 3. On all eight statements, mean scores for women were higher than mean scores for men. The highest mean score for men was on the statement, "He/she (I) is (am) successful at representing our chapter to alumni" (M=6.01) The highest mean score for women was on the statement, "He/she (I) is (am) successful at representing the organization to faculty and administrators" (M=6.18). Men and women rated their presidents highest on the same statements: meets chapter objectives; represents chapter well to faculty and administrators; and represents chapter well to alumni. Regardless of the position level, both men and women agreed that their presidents were good at representing their organization to external groups.