The relationship between leadership styles and learning styles of youth pastors

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between leadership styles and learning styles of youth pastors. The research design for this study was quantitative in nature while utilizing descriptive and inferential statistics. Youth pastors, who were members of the National Network of Youth Ministries and serving in the United States, were surveyed to identify their predominant learning style and leadership style and to explore the relationship between the two. This study utilized the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (5x) (MLQ), designed by Bernard Bass and Bruce Avolio to determine the self-perceived leadership styles of youth pastors as well as the Learning Style Inventory (LSI), designed by David Kolb, to identify the self-perceived learning styles.

Survey data was retrieved and analyzed using a series descriptive and inferential statistics including frequency tables, a one-way ANOVA, and Tukey's post-hoc test to determine if there was a significant statistical relationship between leadership styles and learning styles of youth pastors.

The research found that Idealized Behaviors (50.3%) was the predominant self- perceived leadership style and Balanced (46.8%) was the predominant self-perceived learning style of youth pastors. In addition, the research identified a significant statistical relationship between leadership styles and learning styles of youth pastors: Idealized Attributes leadership style and Accommodating learning style; Inspirational Motivation leadership style and Accommodating learning style; and Contingent Reward leadership style and Accommodating and Assimilating learning styles. Lastly, the research determined Idealized Behavior (52%) to be the leadership behavior most frequently associated with all five learning style groups identified in Kolb's experiential learning theory.