When Leading becomes a Burden: Phenomenological Investigation into Actual Experiences of Student Leaders under “Leadership Pressure”.

Student leaders assume leadership responsibilities in school, in various organizations, or in other settings. These leaders are essential to the development of the school community because they represent and secure the students' general welfare. However, due to responsibilities and pressure, their leadership and academic performance are impacted. The study unveils experiences of student leaders along with how it affects health and determines coping mechanisms to bounce back from leadership pressure. A purposive sampling is used on student leaders at Central Luzon State University, Philippines to identify three subjects for qualitative phenomenological study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted and analyzed thematically. Results revealed that being a leader was somewhat a burden in terms of handling conflicting tasks, dealing with expectations that brought pressure in decision-making, and upholding quality of leadership and academic performance while maintaining quality of life. In spite of that, pressure was bearable through unique ways of coping with pressure like entertaining themselves or seeing products of their hard work. Educational institutions must look deeper into the wellness of student leaders as they are pillars contributing to harmony not just in school premises, but also in the mentality of constituents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]