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Abstract
This study examined the relation between level of experience as a collegiate adventure education student leader and leadership skills necessary for effective first-time managers in the workplace. One-hundred and thirty-three college students between the ages of 18 and 49 participated in this survey-based study. Participants were measured on four leadership skills: communication, leading team achievement, influence, and coaching and developing others. Analysis revealed no relation between two measures of experience and the four leadership skills, though there was a significant small negative relation between team building facilitation experience and the four leadership skills. Student leaders who facilitated more team building groups indicated lower levels of communication, leading team achievement, influence, and coaching and developing others. Given the importance of first-time managers to organizations and the mission of many colleges to develop transferable leadership skills in their students through leader development programs, more research is needed on skill development in collegiate leadership programs.