The Efficiency of a Leadership Program on Saudi Students Perception of Leadership Skills

This study was conducted to examine if a leadership training program increases university students’ perception of leadership skills. Female students, like males, have to take role in the economy of the country, regardless of the exciting social constrains. Therefore, they need to be equipped with leadership skills to be capable of making real changes in the society. The survey included 42 items with seven subscales that measure leadership skills: Communication, Planning, Teamwork, Decision Making, Controlling, Motivation, and Evaluation skills. The sample consisted of 36 female students who participated in the leadership training program that was lasted for two days at the University of Dammam. The program is provided annually to a small group of students who are selected on some basic criteria. The program is presented by experienced faculty members in the area of leadership and is supervised by the Deanship of Academic Affairs. The results showed that the program significantly develops participants’ perception about leadership skills, t (35) = 7.81, p < 0.05, regardless of students’ specialization or their participation in social institutions or participation in leadership roles or having previous leadership training.