What is the MSL
The Multi-Institutional Study of Leadership (MSL) is an international study of leadership development among college students that explores leadership capacities utilizing the Social Change Model of Leadership.
The Socially Responsible Leadership Scale (SRLS) is the instrument utilized by the MSL to assess college students’ leadership participation. The SRLS is a 103-item instrument that measures the values associated with leadership development as defined by the Social Change Model (SCM). There are seven categories of the SCM: consciousness of self, congruence, commitment, collaboration, common purpose, controversy with civility, and citizenship, as well as an eighth area referred to as change.
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Constructs and Definitions
The SRLS measures eight areas identified in the SCM for leadership development. The eight constructs and their definitions are as follows:
Consciousness of Self:
Being aware of the beliefs, values, attitudes, and emotions that motivate a person to take action.
Congruence:
Thinking, feeling, and behaving with consistency, genuineness, authenticity, and honesty towards others.
Thinking, feeling, and behaving with consistency, genuineness, authenticity, and honesty towards others.
Commitment:
Having the energy that motivates an individual to serve and that drives the collective effort.
Having the energy that motivates an individual to serve and that drives the collective effort.
Collaboration:
Working with others in a common effort.
Working with others in a common effort.
Common Purpose:
Having shared goals and values when working with others.
Having shared goals and values when working with others.
Controversy with Civility:
Believing in two fundamental realities of any creative effort—(1) that differences in viewpoint are inevitable, and (2) that such differences must be aired openly but with civility.
Believing in two fundamental realities of any creative effort—(1) that differences in viewpoint are inevitable, and (2) that such differences must be aired openly but with civility.
Citizenship:
Believing in a process whereby an individual and/or group becomes responsibly connected to the community and to society through some activity.
Believing in a process whereby an individual and/or group becomes responsibly connected to the community and to society through some activity.
Change:
Believing in the importance of making a better world and a better society for oneself and others.
Believing in the importance of making a better world and a better society for oneself and others.
References: Komives, S. & Wagner, W. (2012). Leadership for a better world: Understanding the social change model of leadership development.