Modelling the antecedents of leadership skills development using the mediating role of interconnectedness

This study examines how belongingness and diversity influence the development of leadership skills among student leaders in higher education, with interconnectedness as a mediator. Grounded in Social Identity Theory and Transformational Leadership Theory, the study adopted an explanatory cross-sectional survey design. A census approach targeted all 170 student leaders, of whom 145 participated voluntarily. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analysed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). The study found that belongingness significantly predicted interconnectedness (β = 0.629, t = 7.681, p <.001), while diversity also significantly predicted interconnectedness (β = 0.267, t = 3.704, p <.001). Interconnectedness exerted a strong positive effect on leadership skills (β = 0.786, t = 11.032, p <.001). Belongingness (β = 0.494, t = 5.635, p <.001) and diversity (β = 0.210, t = 3.575, p <.001) also significantly influenced leadership skills, indicating that interconnectedness partially mediated the relationships between both variables and leadership skills. The model explained 61.8% of the variance in leadership skills. Further, Importance–Performance Map Analysis identified interconnectedness as the most important and best-performing predictor of leadership skills, followed by belongingness and diversity. In conclusion, leadership skills among distance education student leaders are strengthened not only by fostering a sense of belonging and valuing diversity, but particularly by cultivating meaningful interpersonal connections, collaboration, and shared engagement. The study recommends that higher education institutions integrate structured mentorship, peer-support systems, collaborative leadership activities, and inclusive engagement practices into student leadership development programmes.