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Full-Text Articles in Leadership Studies

A Phenomenological Examination Of Church Leaders' Perceived Impact Of Executive Coaching On Organizational Culture, Jerrell Stokley May 2023

A Phenomenological Examination Of Church Leaders' Perceived Impact Of Executive Coaching On Organizational Culture, Jerrell Stokley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The trajectory of the seminary training curriculum has evolved pedagogically at projecting adequate church leadership education and hands-on development. However, empirical research reveals that the seminary struggles with preparing generations of church leaders for modern church responsibilities including executive leadership, tactical performance, administration, and church organizational culture (Crowson, 2021; Costin, 2008). Hicks (2012), as cited by Smith (2017) states, “Recent studies have begun to explore the need for management training for pastors” (p. 2). Graduates as well as current church leaders report feeling ill-equipped for the increasing duties for today’s church culture. This qualitative, phenomenological study evaluated mid-to-senior level Christian …


Worship Leadership From The Beginning: A Comparative Study Of Exodus 15:1-21 And Judges 5, Vivian Ann Petties May 2023

Worship Leadership From The Beginning: A Comparative Study Of Exodus 15:1-21 And Judges 5, Vivian Ann Petties

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Although many excellent books, commentaries, and journal articles have been written on worship leadership, no framework for worship leadership has been developed based upon Exodus 15:1-21 or Judges 5. The purpose of previous research has not been to discover principles of leadership, praise, and worship, or composition of music for use in ministry nor to develop a consensus about the roles played by the males and females in these texts. To develop a proposal for filling this lacuna, the present thesis will study Exodus 15:1-21 and (comparatively) Judges 5. This qualitative study will employ the exegetical methods of socio-rhetorical analysis …


Methodist Pastoral Retention: A Quantitative Analysis Of The Relationship Between Clergy Burnout And Self-Perceived Leadership Attributes., Joseph Francis O'Donnell May 2023

Methodist Pastoral Retention: A Quantitative Analysis Of The Relationship Between Clergy Burnout And Self-Perceived Leadership Attributes., Joseph Francis O'Donnell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study targeted pastoral burnout symptomology and its relationship to self-perceived leadership attributes. Pastors experience a professional environment that call for ministering to their congregation's spiritual needs; however, additional social and business responsibilities often exist for which the pastor is poorly trained or improperly supported. These situations may cause high levels of stress and anxiety, challenging a pastor's self-perception of their leadership attributes. Eventually, this condition could promote the onset of burnout, which might compel the pastor to leave the ministry. As such, this research sought to establish whether a relationship exists between self-perceived leadership attributes and ministerial burnout for …


Pastors With Mission And Purpose Perceptions Of Strategic Leadership For The Church--A Multi-Case Study, Nancy Brown Smith May 2023

Pastors With Mission And Purpose Perceptions Of Strategic Leadership For The Church--A Multi-Case Study, Nancy Brown Smith

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative multiple-case study aimed to explore pastors’ perceptions of strategic leadership at churches in Virginia. This researcher sought to understand the strategic leadership of pastors with mission and purpose ways of growing thriving churches. This research defined strategic leadership as “the capacity to learn, change, and have managerial wisdom” (Boal & Hooijberg, 2001, p. 515) based on the Strategic Leadership Theory (Finkelstein & Hambrick, 1996). Declining church membership, attendance at services, or even closures is alarming (Felicetti, 2021), and this research may help churches facing such problems. A rationale for this study was to explore pastors’ viable avenues that …


Succession Planning In The Federal Government, Christine Noel Roberts May 2023

Succession Planning In The Federal Government, Christine Noel Roberts

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Succession planning is a term that refers to the systematic and methodological efforts an organization uses to plan for organizational stability and proficiency. Organizations must provide employees the training, experiences, and knowledge required to assume positions of increased responsibility when those jobs are vacated. Agencies should strive to create a diversified pool of qualified candidates to avoid a talent gap, workforce shortages, or a loss of agency knowledge. Over the past fifteen years, the Federal Government has continued to highlight the need to take a proactive approach to succession planning by first identifying the skill sets needed for critical positions …


A Phenomenological Study Of Introverted Leaders, Sherita Dianne Hall Apr 2023

A Phenomenological Study Of Introverted Leaders, Sherita Dianne Hall

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Society is comprised of individuals with different personality types who are frequently referred to as extraverted or introverted. Research has suggested individuals fall somewhere along the continuum of extraversion to introversion. Based on statistics, introverts are thought to comprise between 33% to 50% of the greater population, but introverts only comprise 4% of the management teams leading companies. The literature has vast amounts of information about leadership and extraversion but limited information about introversion and leadership. From the literature, what is not clear is how the introspective tendencies of introverted leaders may influence the strategic planning, decision making, or other …


Effective Decision-Making And Conflict Resolution For Church Leadership Teams And Governing Boards, Frederick Chambers Apr 2023

Effective Decision-Making And Conflict Resolution For Church Leadership Teams And Governing Boards, Frederick Chambers

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Conflict is one of the primary reasons church leaders leave churches, quit vocational ministry, are terminated or are ineffective in their leadership and Christian service. Church leaders become discouraged, less effective, quit their leadership positions, or even leave congregations because of conflict or disagreements over decisions. Ineffective decision-making and conflict within the leadership team harm the ministry organization and the leaders. The problem this action research project addresses is the need for a clearly defined process of group decision-making and conflict resolution among church and ministry leadership boards. The purpose of this project was to evaluate and improve the tools …


The Creation Of A Handbook For The Family Church Internship In South Florida, Garrett S. Haywood Apr 2023

The Creation Of A Handbook For The Family Church Internship In South Florida, Garrett S. Haywood

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this DMIN action research project was to create a handbook for the Family Church Internship in South Florida. The internship at Family Church is a thriving and growing program. However, it lacked a guiding handbook. This project created an internship handbook through a series of careful interviews. Eighteen individual interviews were conducted with project participants. Six interviewees were current interns, six were intern alumni, and six were intern supervisors. A first draft of the handbook was written and distributed to participants. Eighteen follow-up interviews were conducted with the same interviewees. A final draft of the handbook was …


Christian Volunteer Leadership In The Megachurch: A Quantitative Study Of Transformational Leadership And Training, Matthew Alexander Freyre Apr 2023

Christian Volunteer Leadership In The Megachurch: A Quantitative Study Of Transformational Leadership And Training, Matthew Alexander Freyre

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this correlational study was to determine if a relationship exists between training volunteer leaders undergo to take on a leadership role in the Megachurch and the number of hours volunteers invest in the church, controlling for the quality of leadership for volunteers in the Megachurch who take on a leadership role. Further, this study sought to determine what, if any, relationship exists between volunteer leadership behavior and volunteer leadership quality in the select megachurches. Megachurches have developed stigmas pertaining to leadership involving its quality and the lack of quantity of leadership for attendees. This study examines if …


A Phenomenological Study Of Social Media Usage In Southern Baptist Churches In The Atlanta Metropolitan Area, Patricia Maria Rankin Apr 2023

A Phenomenological Study Of Social Media Usage In Southern Baptist Churches In The Atlanta Metropolitan Area, Patricia Maria Rankin

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore social media usage according to leaders from churches in the Southern Baptist Convention in the Atlanta Metropolitan Area. For this study, social media was defined as any social media networking platform used to share the Gospel. The research was guided by the mathematical theory of communication (Shannon, 2001; Weaver,1953) developed by Shannon, Weaver, Schramm, and Berlo. The communication model effectively understands and explores the literature gap regarding God and how He communicates with His people. The study started with purposeful sampling and recruitment of participants, who then voluntarily completed the …


A Phenomenological Study Of The Underrepresentation Of Blacks In Leadership Roles In Professional Services Organizations, Marcia E. Stokes Apr 2023

A Phenomenological Study Of The Underrepresentation Of Blacks In Leadership Roles In Professional Services Organizations, Marcia E. Stokes

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutical phenomenological study was to understand the lived experiences of Blacks in professional services organizations who were promoted into leadership positions. The theories which guided this study were Spence’s theory on signaling and the Critical Race Theory (CRT). They provided lenses that were used to view the problem of access to advancements and promotions for Blacks in professional services organizations. The research design used for this study was qualitative, and the approach was hermeneutical phenomenological. The qualitative design provided an opportunity to gather the data by hearing the lived experiences of the participants and by capturing …


A Phenomenological Study Of Pastors Leaving Employment Due To Experienced Poor Person-Organization Fit, Stephen T. Buys Apr 2023

A Phenomenological Study Of Pastors Leaving Employment Due To Experienced Poor Person-Organization Fit, Stephen T. Buys

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore and describe pastors’ experiences who have served full-time in a lead/senior pastor role in evangelical churches after having lost or left their employment as a result of experiencing poor person-organization fit. For this study, pastoral staff turnover was defined as the employment of full-time pastoral staff employed for at least one year who have resulted in voluntary or involuntary resignation from their place of employment because of value incongruence. In this phenomenology, the church is viewed as an educational institution, including similarities between pastoral roles and educator and administrator roles. As …


Grounded Theory Study On The Perceived Relationship Between Classical Leadership Theories Education And Christian Ministry Leader's Success, Yannique Thomas Apr 2023

Grounded Theory Study On The Perceived Relationship Between Classical Leadership Theories Education And Christian Ministry Leader's Success, Yannique Thomas

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

A central aim of the research study was for colleges and universities that prepare Christian ministry leaders for ministry in the twenty-first century to include classical leadership theories education in order to meet the growing demand for equipping Christian ministry leaders of the future for success (Kessler & Kretszchmar, 2015). The research findings overwhelmingly suggested that there is a direct link between classical leadership theories education and Christian ministry leaders’ success. All of the characteristics, skills, talents, and attributes identified through receiving classical leadership theories education shifts the emphasis away from what the Christian ministry leader knows in his head …


Unpacking The Upper Echelon’S Cognitive Black Box: A Qualitative Study Of Selective Attention And Decision Making In Senior Executives, Jon Matthew Hart Mar 2023

Unpacking The Upper Echelon’S Cognitive Black Box: A Qualitative Study Of Selective Attention And Decision Making In Senior Executives, Jon Matthew Hart

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In today’s volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous world, senior executives face a myriad of difficult decisions. These decisions are often accompanied by a barrage of stimuli, which can complicate decision-making processes. To traverse these challenges, those in the upper echelons of leadership must manage their selective attention well, make clear sense of unfolding events, and act upon them in ways that maximize organization outcomes. However, there is a gap in research around how the upper echelons of leadership manage their selective attention in high-stimuli decision scenarios. This qualitative grounded theory research addresses this gap by studying the cognitive processes used …


Best Practice Spiritual Formation Models In The Christian Hybrid Church, Crystal Deneene Stalling Mar 2023

Best Practice Spiritual Formation Models In The Christian Hybrid Church, Crystal Deneene Stalling

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore best practice spiritual formation models and the perceived effectiveness of spiritual formation in the hybrid church community brick-and-mortar and online church settings for individuals in Christian hybrid churches. The concern was whether the churches effectively implemented best practice models through their traditional brick-and-mortar locations and digital platforms that would cause individuals within the Christian community to experience spiritual formation. Spiritual formation is generally defined as “the holistic work of God in a believer’s life whereby systematic change renders the individual continually closer to the image and actions of Jesus Christ” (Pettit, …


The Clapham Saints: A Correlational Study Between A Christian's Level Of Commitment To The Christian Faith And Their Engagement In Human Trafficking Political Matters, Charles L. Carpenter Mar 2023

The Clapham Saints: A Correlational Study Between A Christian's Level Of Commitment To The Christian Faith And Their Engagement In Human Trafficking Political Matters, Charles L. Carpenter

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this correlational study is to determine if a relationship exists between the commitment level of Christians who attend a church in the Northern Shenandoah Valley portion of Virginia that falls under the covering of Abba’s House––Chattanooga, Tennessee as assessed by the Belief into Action (BIAC) scale, and their level of engagement in human trafficking political matters, as assessed by the Human Trafficking Political Engagement (HTPE) scale. Every year, millions of individuals become victims of human trafficking. Human trafficking victims are created in God's image, leaving Christians obligated to protect them. William Wilberforce and the Clapham Saints’ political …


Remote Leadership: Assessing Productive Work Environments In A Post-Pandemic Future, Kimberly Diane Snodgrass Mar 2023

Remote Leadership: Assessing Productive Work Environments In A Post-Pandemic Future, Kimberly Diane Snodgrass

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Leaders of organizations have faced many challenges with respect to remote work during the COVID-19 global pandemic. The purpose of this research was to examine the most productive work environment for employees post-pandemic, the role leadership plays in the success of remote work, and how employees view remote work. This research was limited to one small community bank that had experience with employees working in a traditional office setting then working remotely to adhere to COVID-19 protocols. This study focused on middle management and below, excluding senior management from the research. The conclusion of this research was that most employees …


Attracting And Sustaining Volunteers: Leadership Impact On The Recruitment And Retention Of Volunteers In Nonprofit Organizations, And Differences Observed When Organizations Are Predicated On Faith, Lascel A. Webley Jr. Feb 2023

Attracting And Sustaining Volunteers: Leadership Impact On The Recruitment And Retention Of Volunteers In Nonprofit Organizations, And Differences Observed When Organizations Are Predicated On Faith, Lascel A. Webley Jr.

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The term “volunteer” has been formally acknowledged for more than 200 years (Dreyfus, 2018; Haski-Leventhal et al., 2018). It is synonymous with one who freely offers to participate in a task that benefits others. During the modern era, these tasks have included, but have not been limited to, establishing communal programs, presenting technical assistance, conducting conferences, fundraising, and supporting identified causes or groups (Alfes et al., 2017). In most instances, the tasks are rendered through nonprofit organizations. Therefore, volunteers represent invaluable assets as they are economic resources who contribute to accomplishing stated organizational goals (Tonurist & Surva, 2017). While more …


Police Demographics And Stress Relief Program Utilization, Michael Wayne Whittington Feb 2023

Police Demographics And Stress Relief Program Utilization, Michael Wayne Whittington

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Police officers face challenges from operational and organizational stressors. Officers often have access to stress relief programs offered by their employers such as Peer Support Programs, Employee Assistance Programs, or Chaplaincy Programs. The implementation of these stress relief programs is based on the perception of need and anecdotal evidence. Police stress and stress relief studies offer mixed results as to the way an officer chooses one program or another. One understudied area to determine stress relief program utilization is demographics. Variables such as experience, education, marital status, race, sexuality, and gender may factor into the decision as to which stress …


A Multidimensional Grounded Theory Study Of Personal Confidence Among Female Theological Educators, Claudia Dempsey Feb 2023

A Multidimensional Grounded Theory Study Of Personal Confidence Among Female Theological Educators, Claudia Dempsey

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In recent decades, several notable studies have revealed that women do not generally experience the same level of confidence as men. This is significant for women because of the debilitating implications of underconfidence. The purpose of this qualitative grounded theory study was, therefore, to explore common antecedents and deterrents of confidence so as to provide a theoretical framework related to the phenomenon of underconfidence among female theological educators while also providing insight into the multidimensional nature of confidence. The selected audience of this study were Christian female educators teaching within theological schools accredited by the Association of Theological Schools (ATS). …


Pressures Of African American Christian Women Who Serve As Leaders In A Secular Environment, Tania Yvette Cooper Jan 2023

Pressures Of African American Christian Women Who Serve As Leaders In A Secular Environment, Tania Yvette Cooper

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The pressures of African American Christian women (AACW) who function as leaders in a secular environment are unknown. This qualitative phenomenological study aimed to explore the experiences of AACW who lead in a secular environment in Eastern North Carolina under pressures such as stress and anxiety. Data received from conducting this qualitative study will reveal the perspectives of six AACW who function as leaders in a secular environment. It will reveal the causes for their pressures, their ways of coping with those issues, and their thoughts on ways to lessen stress while serving as an African American Christian (AAC) leader …


The Middle Management Leader And The Matrixed Organization, Donald Keith Stephens Jan 2023

The Middle Management Leader And The Matrixed Organization, Donald Keith Stephens

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the pivotal and challenging role that middle management leaders have in leading and managing matrixed teams within a matrixed organizational structure. The specific problem to be addressed was the possible inability of middle management leaders to lead effectively within the information technology (IT) industry where a matrixed organizational structure has been implemented resulting in ineffective teams that do not benefit an organization in achieving its strategic objectives. The outcome of the research and study were to contribute to the body of knowledge and to reduce the gaps in the literature …


A Phenomenological Analysis Of Contemporary Familification In Christian Community In The Los Angeles District Association, Michael Vincent Jenkins Jan 2023

A Phenomenological Analysis Of Contemporary Familification In Christian Community In The Los Angeles District Association, Michael Vincent Jenkins

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In Matthew 8:22, Jesus says, “Follow Me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead” (Holy Bible, English Standard Version, 2007). With these jarring words, He demanded that His hearers reject the social norms of their society and join His new group (Hellerman, 2009a). That change creates a compelling shift in the social order and draws believers into the family of God and into community with one another. This phenomenological study investigated whether something similar to the Pauline Familification exhibited in the first century church, exists in Christian community among adult church members within the Los Angeles District Association …


The Effects Of Postmodernism On Southern Baptist Churches And Teaching Of Biblical Truth: Quantitative Research Method, Darren Ray Mitchell Jan 2023

The Effects Of Postmodernism On Southern Baptist Churches And Teaching Of Biblical Truth: Quantitative Research Method, Darren Ray Mitchell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Absolute truth has been denied within the current philosophical ideals as post-modern thought has sought to alter that concept by denying its existence (Siniscalchi, 2011). Post-modern thinking and philosophy have entered and influenced how some churches and denominations are teaching biblical truths and principles (Enns, 2008). The purpose of this phenomenological study is to explore how Southern Baptist pastors perceive any post-modern influences in their churches and its effect on how the church presents and teaches biblical truth. This study looks at post-modern thinking, how it has infiltrated the church, and how it has influenced how the church presents biblical …