Date of Award

5-2018

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Executive Leadership

First Supervisor

Byron K. Hargrove

Second Supervisor

Janice Kelly

Abstract

There continues to be mixed evidence regarding interest in, knowledge about, and preferences for leaders among Generation Y Latinas, despite their ability to vote. While a few studies have begun to profile leadership preferences among Generation Y samples, no previous studies have focused exclusively on Generation Y Latina college students. The purpose of this descriptive, quantitative research was to reveal a profile of the leadership preferences consistently endorsed by Generation Y Latina college students at a small, urban liberal arts college in the northeastern United States. Across five themes: (a) competence, (b) interpersonal relations, (c) management of others, (d) self-management, and (e) communication, using the online administration of the Leadership Preference Inventory, 50 female participants answered 44 items addressing their degree of agreement. The results show that participants most frequently agreed that leaders should: (a) provide opportunities for growth, take risks, exude authority, inspire others, and provide constructive feedback; (b) treat everyone with respect, provide encouragement, praise employees when they earn it, and be approachable; (c) be intelligent, provide mentoring, respect work-life balance, be a problem solver, and have a sense of humor; (d) set a positive example, consider the future when making decisions, control their emotions, and set realistic expectations for employees; and (e) communicate with confidence, create a fun work environment, be a good listener, and be trustworthy. These findings were consistent with previous research. Recommendations for stakeholders and research include: focus groups, mentoring, and larger survey population.

Included in

Education Commons

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