An Empirical Analysis of What Counts as Attributes for Vocational Technical Educational Leaders in Ghana

Abstract

Effective leaders are needed to manage vocational technical educational institutions in Ghana as government plans to raise the skill level of its workforce. Leadership development programmes need to be designed for the preparation and in-service training of vocational technical leaders. This study aimed at identifying what leadership attributes need to be developed in vocational technical institutional leaders and what learning activities need to be incorporated into training programs for these leaders. The study revealed that vocational technical leaders demonstrated managerial skills more often than they do demonstrate social skill and leadership skills. They also demonstrated attributes such as energetic, achieve-ment-oriented, accepting responsibility, insightfulness, networking, influencing, and intelligent with practical judgement more often than they do demonstrate attributes such team building, openness, motivating others, tolerance, conflict man-agement, and sensitivity. It is therefore recommended that the Leadership Attributes Inventory (LAI) be utilized concurrence with traditional evaluation tools for potential candidates for vocational technical institution leaders. Any curriculum designed for leadership development of vocational technical educational leaders should be measured against the attributes identified by the Leadership Attributes Inventory to ensure that they addressed the development of needed attributes.