INVESTIGATING LEADER SKILLS THAT EFFECT LEADERSHIP EFFECTIVENESS: A CASE STUDY ON VOCATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL HEADMASTER

The objective of the research was to investigate the effects of interpersonal skills, task structure and directive leader behavior on leadership effectiveness. This research was conducted at Vocational High Schools (SMK) in Medan, using the survey method with 132 principals as population and the sample of 60 principals as respondents who were selected by applying proportional random sampling. The hypotheses were tested by path analysis. This research findings were as follows (1) There was a significantly direct positive effect of interpersonal skills on directive leader behavior (Hoy and Miskel, 2008); (2) There was a significantly direct positive effect of task structure on directive leader behavior (Hoy and Miskel, 2008); (3) There was a significantly direct positive effect of interpersonal skills on leadership effectiveness; (4) There was not significantly direct positive effect of task structure on leadership effectiveness (Robbins and Coulter, 2007); (5) There was a significantly direct positive effect of directive leader behavior on leadership effectiveness (Hoy and Miskel, 2008)