Ideal expectations and real perceptions reported by presidents, members of boards of trustees, and administrative staff members relative to leadership behaviors of selected Christian college presidents

The purpose of the study was to determine the nature and extent of differences in expectations and perceptions reported by presidents, members of boards of trustees, and administrative staff members relative to Christian college presidential leadership behavior. Study participants included fourteen presidents, ninety-three members of boards of trustees, and one hundred and two administrative staff members from fourteen charter member colleges of the Christian College Coalition.Each participant completed the Leader Behavior Description Questionnaire - Ideal in order to report expectations relative to ideal presidential leader behaviors. Each participant also completed the Leader Behavior Description Questionnaire - 1957 in order to report perceptions relative to actual presidential leadership behaviors. The Leader Behavior Description Questionnaires measure perceptions and expectations relative to two dimensions of leadership behaviors, Initiating Structure and Consideration.- Initiating Structure refers to leadership behaviors which define and establish patterns of organization, channels of communication, and methods of procedure. Consideration refers to leadership behaviors which encourage friendship, mutual trust, respect, and warmth between the leader and his subordinates:Four different scores were generated from responses provided by each participant. The four scores related to ideal presidential Initiating Structure behaviors, ideal presidential Consideration behaviors, actual presidential Initiating Structure behaviors, and actual presidential Consideration behaviors. Mean scores were, calculated for responses from each of the three reference groups relative to each of the four dimensions of leadership.Seven null hypotheses were developed in order to facilitate the determination of differences in expectations and perceptions relative to presidential leadership behaviors as reported by the three reference groups. The .05 level was established as the critical probability level for rejection of hypotheses, and significant findings were reported at both the .05 and .01 levels.Group mean scores were treated by means of the analysis of variance statistical technique in order to determine the statistical significance of differences between scores.Ten major findings resulted from the analysis of data:1. Presidents and staff members reported similar expectations relative to ideal Christian college presidential Initiating Structure behaviors.2. Reported expectations of trustees relative to ideal Christian college presidential Initiating Structure behaviors were statistically significantly higher than the expectations relative to ideal Christian college presidential Initiating Structure behaviors reported by either presidents of staff members.3. Presidents, trustees, and staff members reported virtually the same level of expectations relative to ideal Christian college presidential Consideration behaviors.4. Reported expectations of presidents relative to ideal Christian college presidential Consideration behaviors were statistically significantly higher than the expectations reported relative to ideal Christian college presidential Iniating Structure behaviors.5. Trustees reported virtually the same level of expectations relative to both ideal Christian college presidential Consideration behaviors and ideal Christian college presidential Initiating Structure behaviors.6. Reported expectations of staff members relative to ideal Christian college presidential Consideration behaviors were statistically significantly higher than the expectations reported relative to ideal Christian college presidential Initiating Structure behaviors.7. Presidents and staff members reported similar perceptions relative to actual Christian college presidential Initiating Structure behaviors.8. Reported perceptions of trustees relative to actual Christian college presidential Initiating Structure behaviors were statistically significantly higher than perceptions relative to actual Christian college presidential Initiating Structure behaviors reported by either presidents or staff members.9. Presidents and trustees reported similar perceptions relative to actual Christian college presidential Consideration behaviors.10. Reported perceptions of staff members relative to actual Christian college presidential Consideration behaviors were statistically lower than perceptions relative to actual Christian college presidential Consideration behaviors reported by either presidents or trustees.Three general conclusions were drawn:1. Christian colleges are unique educational communities with common religious ties which tend to produce a family-like atmosphere among members of the college community. The atmosphere appears to influence community member perceptions relative to the leadership role of Christian college presidents.2. The leadership role of Christian college presidents is perceived differently by members of boards of trustees and administrative staff members in spite of religious homogeneity among community members.3. Christian college presidents interact in different communication patterns and organizational settings with members of boards of trustees than with administrative staff members.Thesis (D. Ed.