From personality to performance: the role of leadership potential in undergraduate leadership education
Loading...
Date
2025
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
UMT.Lahore
Abstract
The study examined the relationships between Big Five personality traits, leadership potential, and academic
performance among undergraduate students by applying the Big Five Personality Model and Trait Leadership
Theory. For the purpose of investigation, data from 152 undergraduate aviation students aged 18-25 years were
analysed to study the predictive effects of personality traits on leadership potential and the mediating role of
leadership potential between personality characteristics and academic performance during their undergraduate
education. It was found that the predictive effects of Openness to Experience, Conscientiousness, Extraversion,
and Agreeableness on leadership potential were significant, while Neuroticism showed a negative influence. The
analysis further reveals that leadership potential positively mediates the relationship between specific personality
traits and academic performance among undergraduate students. Among the five personality dimensions,
Extraversion emerged as the strongest predictor of leadership potential, while Conscientiousness showed the most
significant indirect effect on academic performance through leadership potential. This outcome addresses a critical
gap in educational leadership literature by focusing on undergraduate students rather than workplace settings,
hence highlighting the novelty of this study in examining personality-based leadership development in educational
contexts. The research provides empirical evidence for the development of personality-driven leadership
programs in higher education, with significant implications for educational institutions seeking to enhance
leadership development programs and improve student outcomes. Finally, study implications for variety of
stakeholders in aviation education were underscored, limitations were acknowledged and recommendations for
future research in personality-based leadership development were also discussed