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I’m guilty! I’ve done it! Like many of us, I’ve fallen into the trap of trying to reduce leadership to a simple formula or catchy phrase. But don’t be tricked – leadership is beautifully, necessarily complex, and we do our emerging leaders a disservice when we pretend otherwise.
This complexity takes on new significance as we witness Baby Boomers retiring and Generation X leaders maturing in their roles while Millennial administrators ascend to senior positions in unprecedented numbers (McClellan & Stringer, 2016).
A recent study of 55 Millennial senior student affairs officers (SSAOs) reveals how this generation is reshaping leadership in higher education, bringing fresh perspectives shaped by digital fluency, economic uncertainty, and rapidly evolving social dynamics (Pacurari, 2024). Using the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ), the research uncovers how these leaders blend transformational vision with practical execution in distinctive ways. At a time when colleges and universities face daunting challenges – from enrollment cliffs to financial pressures to rapid technological change – understanding these emerging leadership patterns becomes crucial. Let’s explore the research on how this new generation of leaders navigates this complex landscape (Grawe, 2021).
Key Findings
The study revealed clear preferences in how Millennial SSAOs approach leadership, with statistical analysis showing significant differences between three primary leadership styles:
- Transformational Leadership (M = 3.09, SD = 0.28): A leadership approach focused on inspiring, developing, and empowering followers through vision-setting, intellectual stimulation, and individualized consideration. Leaders motivate teams to exceed expectations and align personal growth with organizational goals.
- Transactional Leadership (M = 1.46, SD = 0.55): A leadership style based on clear exchanges between leaders and followers, where performance expectations are linked to specific rewards or consequences. This approach emphasizes structured goals, monitoring, and feedback systems.
- Passive-Avoidant Leadership (M = 1.01, SD = 0.54): A hands-off approach where leaders avoid making decisions, delay responses to urgent issues, and generally abdicate leadership responsibilities until problems become severe.
The strong preference for transformational leadership among Millennial SSAOs aligns with previous research identifying authenticity, development opportunities, and meaningful work as key values for Millennial professionals (Omilion-Hodges & Sugg, 2019). The significantly lower scores for passive-avoidant leadership suggest Millennial SSAOs reject disengaged leadership approaches in favor of more proactive strategies.
Two critical elements of transformational leadership fundamentally shape how Millennial SSAOs lead their organizations.
Inspirational Motivation emerged as a significant predictor of transformational leadership effectiveness, explaining 35% of the variance in overall transformational leadership behavior. This manifests as optimistic communication about future goals, enthusiastic articulation of shared vision, clear expression of confidence in team capabilities, and meaningful connection of daily work to a larger purpose.
Idealized Influence showed an even stronger predictive relationship with transformational leadership, accounting for 57.7% of the variance. This encompasses behavioral attributes demonstrating integrity, character attributes inspiring trust, values alignment, and prioritizing group interests over personal gain.
Demographics and Context
The study participants represented diverse institutional settings, though skewing toward private institutions (83.6%) versus public (16.4%). The sample was predominantly Caucasian (80%), with a balanced representation between doctoral degree holders (50.9%) and master’s degree holders (49.1%).
Looking Forward
This research highlights how a new generation of leaders approaches higher education administration with fresh perspectives and timeless wisdom. For those serving as Christian student development professionals, these insights take on additional meaning when viewed through the lens of Psalm 78:72, which tells us that David “… shepherded them with a pure heart and guided them with his skillful hands.” This beautiful scripture speaks to the dual calling of our work – to lead with pure hearts and skilled hands, combining conviction with competence.
The balanced leadership approach demonstrated by Millennial SSAOs – blending transformational vision with practical execution – echoes this biblical wisdom. Their emphasis on inspirational motivation and idealized influence suggests a generation of leaders who understand that authenticity and skill must work together to create meaningful change in our institutions.
I look forward to sharing practical reflections on how these leadership behaviors can be thoughtfully applied within our unique contexts in the coming months. I will explore concrete strategies for developing the “integrity of heart” and “skillful hands” needed to serve our students well in these complex times. Together, we’ll discover how to blend timeless principles with contemporary insights, creating leadership approaches that are both winsome and conventional – true to our values while meeting the evolving needs of today’s higher education landscape.
References
- Grawe, N. D. (2021). How demographic change is transforming the higher education landscape. HigherEdJobs.
- McClellan, G. S., & Stringer, J. (2016). The handbook of student affairs administration (4th ed.). John Wiley & Sons.
- Omilion-Hodges, L. M., & Sugg, C. E. (2019). Millennials’ views and expectations regarding the communicative and relational behaviors of leaders: Exploring young adults’ talk about work. Business and Professional Communication Quarterly, 82(1), 74-100.
- Pacurari, N. (2025). Coming of age: Leadership behaviors of millennial senior student affairs officers (SSAO) [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. University of the Cumberlands.
