Leadership Life Skills Development: Perceptions of Senior 4-H Yout

Leadership development has been and continues to be a major goal of most youth programs. As the world enters the 21st century, many youth programs, including 4-H, are focusing on the effectiveness of their leadership training. A general perception prevails that participation in a variety of activities or programs such as public speaking or holding office develops leadership life skills and self-understanding. The question remains: How accurate is this perception?

Miller (1987) defined youth leadership life skills development as the "development of life skills necessary to perform leadership functions in real life." The purpose of this study was to determine predictors of youth leadership life skills development among 1992-93 senior 4-H members in Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico. The study further sought to determine the extent to which senior 4-H members participate in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of 4-H leadership activities.

A mail questionnaire was sent to 400 senior 4-H members from Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico. A random sample, stratified proportionally by state, was generated, and data were collected from March through June, 1993. A response rate of 59% (n = 234) was obtained. Complete data for the regression analysis was submitted by 228 (57%) of the respondents. Ten nonrespondents were contacted by telephone. No significant differences were found between groups when nonrespondents were compared statistically to respondents.

Respondents answered questions about their perceived leadership life skills development on a 30-indicator Youth Leadership Life Skills Development Scale (YLLSDS) (Dormody & Seevers, 1993). Participation in 4-H leadership activities was measured by a 21-indicator index adapted from Mueller (1989), which listed leadership activities by various levels of participation. Participants chose and ranked three leadership activities from the participation index they perceived to have helped them the most in developing leadership skills. They then identified if they were involved in the planning, implementing, and/or evaluating of each of the three activities. Achievement expectancy was assessed with a two-indicator summated scale adapted from Canfield (1976). Self-esteem was measured by the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (Wylie, 1986).

Characteristics of Respondents

The number of years 4-H members had been in 4-H ranged from one to 11 with a mean of 5.9. Ages ranged from 12-20 with a mean of 16.3 years. Minority members consisted of 10.5% of the sample. Members who lived on a farm or ranch comprised 44.3% of the sample. Another 33.3% were either rural non-farm or from a town under 10,000 in population. 4-H members were 59.2% female and 40.8% male.

Predicting Leadership Life Skills Development

Four variables--participation in 4-H leadership activities, achievement expectancy, ethnicity, and gender--explained significant amounts of the variance in YLLSDS scores after controlling for self-esteem, years in 4-H, age, ethnicity, and place of residence. Participation in leadership activities explained approximately 12.6%; achievement expectancy, 2.0%; ethnicity, 3.3%; and gender, 1.8%. The four-variable solution explained 19.6% of the variance in YLLSDS scores.

Participation in Leadership Development Activities

4-H members identified level of participation in 4-H activities by circling the response that indicated their highest level of participation. Twenty-one 4-H leadership activities were identified. Over 100 4-H members participated each in ten different leadership activities, indicating that 4-H members are participating in many different leadership activities. Participation in 4-H leadership life skills activities was greatest at the club level. However, high participation was also found to exist in activities at the county/district levels, suggesting that more 4-H members may be participating in a wider range of leadership development activities.

Members selected and ranked the top three activities from the 21-item leadership activities index they felt contributed the most toward their leadership life skills development. Activities identified and ranked as the number one contribution toward leadership development were holding office, teaching younger members, fairs, livestock shows, judging contests, demonstrations, public speaking, and community service. The top three activities contributing toward leadership development remained the same when the top three activities were combined.

4-H members identified with a yes or no response if they were involved in the planning, implementing, or evaluating of the top three leadership activities they identified as contributing to leadership life skills development. Members indicated their greatest involvement in leadership activities was in implementing (88.2%), followed by evaluating activities (69.7%). Only 49.7% of the respondents indicated involvement in planning leadership activities.

A more standardized measure of perceived leadership development value of the activities was determined by dividing the overall participation frequency in the activity by the frequency each activity was identified within the members' top three leadership activity choices. The highest ratios obtained were for holding office and teaching younger members. 4-H members are "doers" and not planners or evaluators of leadership activities in which they are involved. One possible explanation for this finding is that adults who work with 4-H programs may not be providing youth the opportunity to be involved in the total leadership process.

The four-variable model predicted 19.6% of the total variance in youth leadership life skills development scores. The Extension Service-USDA and the 4-H Youth Development program are Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action institutions. Minority 4-H members were found to have higher youth leadership life skills development scores than non-minority members. However, minority membership represents a small percentage of the total enrollment. Minority youth should greatly benefit from participation in the 4-H program and 4-H leadership activities. 4-H leadership activities predicted 12.6% of the variance of leadership life skills development. Participation in many different leadership activities at a variety of levels promotes personal development as well as the opportunity to work with other youth and adults, set goals and priorities, accept responsibility, and have a greater role in the planning, implementing, and evaluating of leadership development activities.

Mueller (1989) found a significant relationship between leadership life skills development and involvement in planning, implementing, and evaluating leadership activities. Experience in implementing leadership activities is a necessary reference from which to draw upon in planning future activities. A significant number of 4-H youth are involved in implementing leadership activities; however, most are not taking the next steps of reflection, evaluation, and drawing on experience to plan future activities. Adults who work with 4-H programs may not be providing youth the opportunity to be involved in the total leadership process. Staff development and 4-H leader training should be conducted to ensure greater participation by youth in planning, implementing, and evaluating program activities. Adults may need to be taught to share authority roles and respect youth for the contributions they can make in the leadership process.

Miller, R. A. (1976). Leader/agents guide: Leadership life skills. Stillwater: Oklahoma State University.

Dormody, T. J., & Seevers, B. S. (1992). The youth leadership life skills development scale: A tool for evaluation and research. Las Cruces: New Mexico State University.

Canfield, A. A. (1976). Learning styles inventory. (Available from Humanics, P.O. Box 5277, Northville, MI 48167)

Wylie, R. C. (1986). The self-concept (Vol. 1). Lincoln: University of Nebraska.

Mueller, D. (1989). Taking the lead in leadership. Unpublished master's thesis, Washington State University, Pullman.