คุณลักษณะของผู้นำท้องถิ่นในยุคปัจจุบันที่ประชาชนพึงประสงค์ในพื้นที่เทศบาลตำบล ทุ่งหลวง อำเภอสุวรรณภูมิ จังหวัดร้อยเอ็ด

CHARACTERISTICS OF LOCAL LEADERS IN THE PRESENT ERA THAT PEOPLE WANT IN THE AREA OF THUNG LUANG SUBDISTRICT MUNICIPALITY, SUWANNAPHUM DISTRICT, ROI ET PROVINCE

Abstract

The objectives of this research were to 1) study the desirable characteristics of local leaders in the modern era as perceived by the public in Thung Luang Subdistrict Municipality, Suwannaphum District, Roi Et Province; 2) investigate the factors influencing such leadership characteristics; and 3) explore guidelines for developing leadership attributes to enhance administrative efficiency in the local municipality. A mixed methods research design was employed, integrating both quantitative and qualitative approaches. The quantitative data were collected from 381 residents aged between 18 and 65 years who were registered in the municipal area. The qualitative data were obtained through in-depth interviews with 10 key informants, including officials from the Department of Local Administration, municipal officers, and community leaders, selected through purposive sampling.

          The findings revealed that 1) the desirable characteristics of local leaders, as rated by the public, were at a high level, especially in terms of morality and ethics, decisiveness, communication skills, goal achievement, and vision; 2) the most desired leadership traits included goal-setting and commitment to success, followed by communication ability, knowledge and skills, vision, and inspiration; 3) statistically significant differences (at the 0.05 level) were found in public opinion based on age and income; 4) leadership factors such as vision, knowledge and skills, inspiration, and goal-setting with commitment significantly influenced the desirable characteristics of local leaders (at the 0.05 level); and 5) development guidelines were identified in three areas: (1) leadership attributes such as accessibility, empathy, and courageous decision-making; (2) essential leader qualities including administrative competency and a focus on improving quality of life; and (3) internal and external leadership factors, including knowledge, experience, responsibility, budget, personnel, and the use of modern technology.