An Analysis of ROTC Students’ Perception of Leadership Based on Yukl’s Hierarchical Taxonomy of Leadership Behavior

Abstract: An Analysis of ROTC Students’ Perception of Leadership Based on Yukl’s Hierarchical Taxonomy of Leadership Behavior
Bao Anh (Amber) Pham, Omaima Hajjami , Margaret Duplantier, Leslie Blanchard
Louisiana State University, Louisiana, USA 
Abstract
Gary Yukl’s research identifies leadership behaviors across four categories: task-oriented, change-oriented, relations-oriented, and external (Yukl, 2012). For this project, researchers examined the perception of leadership of ROTC students and categorized their responses based on Yukl’s hierarchical taxonomy. In line with an initiative of a partnership between Louisiana State University’s Leadership Development Institute and the ROTC training program at LSU. This research was started to explore what preexisting ideas of leadership these students hold. This is especially important when considering the students’ potential future in the Army, Navy, Air Force, etc. and their stance as leaders of the United States of America. Up until this point, there is limited literature on the perceptions ROTC students have especially at the start of their college experience. Comprehending the ideas that ROTC students have about leadership behaviors will influence the structure of future ROTC training programs and approaches to leadership development.
Each year, more than one thousand universities and colleges across the nation host a group of college students interested in developing a career in the Army, Navy, or Air force. These students enroll in a university-based program called Reserve Officers for Training Corps (ROTC) which provides them with leadership development education and training for their future career in the military (U.S. Army, 2021). Upon completion of this 4-year program, students graduate with college experience along with a guaranteed career in the military at an officer level (U.S. Army, 2021). In the Fall of 2022, twenty-three students recently enrolled in the ROTC program at LSU were asked to complete a survey that included three open-ended questions.
• What is your perception of leadership?
• What is a synonym of leader?
• What skills/ behaviors do you think are important for leadership?
The researchers are currently in the process of compiling these results through a thematic analysis. This includes coding each participant’s response to investigate for the presence or absence of each behavioral category in Yukl’s framework. From here, the researchers will quantify the data to summarize the major themes of the student’s perceptions and beliefs about leadership. By identifying the beliefs that they already have and learning about the areas where their ideas of leadership are limited, instructors in this field can gain insight into where to direct future education as well as how to meet these students at their current understanding of leadership.
Keywords: ROTC students, leadership perceptions, Yukl’s taxonomy
 
References
U.S. Army. (2021). Army ROTC. https://www.goarmy.com/careers-and-jobs/find-your- path/army-officers/rotc.html
Yukl, G. (2012). Effective Leadership Behavior: What We Know and What Questions Need More Attention. Academy of Management Perspectives, 26(4), 66–85. https://doi.org/10.5465/amp.2012.0088