Educating Student Managerial Leaders: What Critical Behaviors Should Be Developed?

Abstract

If we want student leaders to be prepared for the workforce, we need to develop their managerial leadership behaviors while they are in school. Peterson and Peterson (2012) identified a set of critical managerial leadership behaviors that should be taught while students are in college. However, the empirical work was done at a single Southwest university. This manuscript replicates the Peterson and Peterson study at a Midwest university. In addition, it extends the research by having the subjects rank order the managerial leadership behaviors they initially selected. The results identify a set of managerial leadership behaviors that could be taught and practiced by student leaders while they are still in a university setting. These students could then enter the workforce prepared to lead and manage.