Are We Raising Future Leaders? Parenting Styles and Leadership Traits in Adolescents

Abstract

A leadership deficit is perhaps Pakistan’s most pressing problem. You talk to any
expert or analyst; all would agree that Pakistan has a serious dearth of leaders.
Is it possible that we are raising more followers than leaders? Research shows
that parenting styles may hinder or enhance leadership traits in children (e.g.
children of authoritarian parents may lack critical social/communication
skills). This study investigates how parenting styles (authoritative,
authoritarian, permissive) influence leadership behaviors in children. Data was
collected from Lahore high schools (both public & private schools, boys and
girls). Parenting styles were assessed by approaching respective parents.
Overall, results indicate that children significantly lack leadership characteristics.
It was also noticed that majority of the parents had authoritarian style, whereas
authoritative parenting style positively predicted (β = .27, p< .001) leadership
behaviors. Implications are discussed highlighting the contribution of parents in
development and emergence of leadership behaviors at younger ages in the
Pakistani context.