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Distributed Leadership For Mission Integration, Mark J. Laboe D.Min.

Vincentian Studies

As Catholic and Vincentian institutions navigate increasing religious pluralism, declining numbers of vowed religious, and changing expectations about leadership, new models of mission leadership are needed. This article proposes distributed leadership for mission as a framework for sustaining Catholic and Vincentian identity in higher education. Drawing from the history of Vincent de Paul, Louise de Marillac, and the Vincentian Family, as well as contemporary scholarship on leadership and organizational effectiveness, it argues that mission is best carried forward through intentional networks of leaders who share responsibility for cultivating institutional culture and advancing a common purpose. The article explores the theoretical …

Outside The Church Walls: An Empirical Exploration Of Organizational Culture And Pastoral Leadership In Two Urban Churches, Althea P. Gordon-Scott, Joshua D. Henson, Bethany D. Peters, Katrina Hutchins

Great Commission Research Journal

A mini-ethnographic case study explored the interconnections of organizational culture and pastoral leadership with sustainable outreach in two very different churches that focus on ministry to people with life-controlling issues and economic need: a small, primarily Black church in the Great Lakes region and a large, primarily White and Hispanic church in the western United States. Despite their differences, the churches shared similar espoused values and leadership characteristics that facilitated their outreach initiatives. Themes derived from the data include altruistic foundations, the value of relationships, exemplary pastoral leadership, organizational challenges, agile organizational systems, and the centrality of God.

Leadership Dynamics, Transparency, & Governance During Crisis In Religious Organizations: Discussing The Roman Catholic Church’S Centralized Authority, John D. Rudnick Jr, Raymond L. Enzweiler, Srecko Koralija

Interdisciplinary Journal of Leadership Studies

Abstract
This article considers two high-profile crises inside the Roman Catholic Church. The rejection of the Vatican audit in 2015 and the financial loss from a large investment in London real estate exemplify tension and balance between centralized, hierarchical leadership and institutional accountability. These cases examine leadership patterns relative to transparency, communication, and governance, evaluating the efficacy of centralized power under financial distress. The discussion is organized across pre-crisis, active crisis, and post-crisis phases by integrating insights from transactional, transformational, servant, and adaptive leadership style models. Performance improvement (PI) tools such as Before Action Reviews (BARs), After Action Reviews (AARs), …

Leadership & Religious (In)Toleration: Religious Conflict, Leadership, And Shakespeare’S Measure For Measure, Kristin M.S. Bezio

Interdisciplinary Journal of Leadership Studies

This piece focuses on the stresses and biases that are produced by religious conflict, beginning with the Catholic-Protestant divide that characterized Shakespeare’s lifetime, particularly focusing on the Elizabethan (and Jacobean) and government’s persecution of Catholics within England. This chapter uses Measure for Measure to examine Shakespeare’s argument for religious toleration within this Catholic-Puritan framework and the persistent threats of violence leveraged against the “wrong” religion. At the conclusion of the piece, I will turn to the contemporary religious right to discuss how we can view modern religious conflict in the US (and around the world) through this same framework.

Compassionate Care As Nursing Leadership For Mitigating Fatigue And Boosting Thriving Environments, Chizimuzo T.C. Okoli

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Background: Globally, nurses experience high rates of compassion fatigue (CF) and low compassion satisfaction (CS), especially in Asian regions (Xie et al., 2021). As a core feature of professional nursing identity, compassionate care delivery fosters positive patient outcomes, workforce productivity and growth, and organizational thriving (Ghafourifard et al., 2022; Robinson et al., 2024). Compassionate leadership is a dynamic process that engenders an organizational culture that values compassion for the betterment of others (Ramachandran et al., 2024; Shuck et al., 2019). There is a crucial need to understand factors associated with CS and CF while examining nursing leadership styles that can …

A New Age Of Leaders: Examining The Empowering Effect Of Collaborative Leadership In Nonprofit Organizations, Colton C. Hyble

PNHA Review

In the changing environment in the nonprofit sector, leaders are under increasing pressure to satisfy stakeholders and bring change to their communities. The collaborative leadership style, proposed and built upon by various authors in the twentieth century, is one potential solution. A theoretical analysis was conducted to understand the collaborative style, its strengths and weaknesses, and its applicability to the nonprofit sector. Results showed overwhelmingly positive findings in the impact on the organization, highlighted by increased organizational performance, a positive workplace environment, and superb employee job satisfaction. Few drawbacks and potential pitfalls exist in slowness, the possibility of a narrow …

The Lack Of Social Interaction In The Full-Time Remote Work Environment And Career Development, Tiphany Moguel-Young

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore the lack of social interaction in the full-time remote work environment and its influence on career development for remote workers at a U.S.-based financial services organization in Dallas, Texas. The theory that guided this study was social cognitive career theory. The central research question was, “What attributes of social interactions do remote workers perceive as assisting or hindering their career development?” Data collection consisted of semistructured interviews with nonmanagerial remote workers, a focus group with managers, and anonymous open-ended survey responses and reflective journaling from all participants. The data …

The Effect Of Mental Health Check-Ins On Stigma And Symptoms Of Anxiety, Depression, And Post-Traumatic Stress, Benjamin Joseph Boeke

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This applied quantitative study examined whether participation in structured mental health check-ins was associated with self-stigma toward seeking psychological help and reported symptoms of anxiety, post-traumatic stress, and depression among law enforcement officers. Using a cross-sectional, nonexperimental comparative design, anonymous survey data were collected from 130 active sworn officers across 10 small and mid-sized Iowa law enforcement agencies. The agencies included those with and without mandatory check-in policies; primary comparisons were based on officers’ reported participation in at least one check-in. Measures included the Self-Stigma of Seeking Help Scale, Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, PTSD Checklist for DSM-5, and Patient Health Questionnaire-9. …

Strategic Judgment In Leadership Decision-Making: Evaluating Ai In Organizational Contexts, Cate Wengelnik

Southwestern Business Administration Journal

This paper presents a classroom-based approach for teaching strategic judgment in leadership decision-making through the evaluation workplace communication and incorporates the use of artificial intelligence (AI). As AI tools become more common in organizational settings, leaders and employees must be prepared to assess outputs that may appear professional while containing inaccurate, unsupported or potentially risky information. This paper describes an instructional case in which students examine an AI-generated response to an employee inquiry about workplace accommodations and Human Resources related matters. Students (1) evaluate the message for clarity, tone and apparent usefulness, then (2) analyze the organizational risks created when …

Leadership To Strengthen Research Culture And Foster Responsible Conduct Of Research: A Case Study, Seán Lacey, Jean Ricken, Stephen Cassidy

Publications

Objective Research performing organizations (RPOs) are increasingly expected to strengthen research culture and support the responsible conduct of research (RCR). Institutional supports are central to advancing research culture across RPOs. To inform development and evaluation of these supports, surveys were conducted within an RPO.

Method Perceptions of research culture and RCR were examined using surveys conducted in 2022 and 2024. Between surveys, accessible training and supports on good research practices were developed and deployed.

Results Awareness of research impact, authorship, and collegial support remained high (p > 0.05), with significant improvements in access to resources and reporting pathways for inappropriate research …

Leading From The Precipice: How Academic Deans Are Navigating Artificial Intelligence In Higher Education, V. Dozier, Sarina Chugani Molina

Copley Library: Faculty Scholarship

This qualitative case study examines how associate deans at a medium-sized Catholic university respond to the rapid integration of generative artificial intelligence (AI). Guided by decolonial and feminist frameworks, the study analyzes survey data from seven academic leaders to understand their concerns, decision-making processes, and emerging practices. Our findings reveal uneven adoption, limited institutional guidance, and ongoing concerns about academic integrity, equity, and bias. The study also highlights the often-unseen relational and emotional labor involved in supporting faculty and students. We conclude by recommending flexible, collaborative approaches to AI governance that attend to context, care, and diverse ways of knowing.

Leadership Style And Employee Outcomes In Private Practice Outpatient Physical Therapy Clinics, Catherine Beuerle Martin, Debra Ann Beazley

Lynchburg Journal of Medical Science

Background: Workforce retention, employee engagement, and job satisfaction are ongoing challenges in outpatient physical therapy practice. Leadership style has been identified as a potentially modifiable organizational factor that may influence clinician experience and workplace outcomes. Despite extensive leadership research in other health professions, evidence specific to outpatient physical therapy settings remains limited. 

Purpose: To examine the relationships between private practice outpatient physical therapy clinic directors’ perceived leadership styles and staff physical therapists' work engagement, job satisfaction, turnover intention, leadership effectiveness, satisfaction with leadership, and willingness to exert extra effort.

Methods: This cross-sectional correlational study surveyed licensed staff physical …

Co-Dominion: The Changing Nature Of The Adamic Covenant In An Age Of Artificial Intelligence, Corey Hastings

Masters Theses

Theologians and religious bodies attest to the rising influence of artificial intelligence (AI) in governments, the economy, and the lives of the people of God. Through the covenant with Adam, God gave humans the blessing of dominion and capabilities unique to creation to till the earth. Today, humans retain the image of God but AI increasingly displaces human functions with coordinated agency. Using Hebrew language exegesis of passages from Genesis, Exodus, and Leviticus, this study compares capabilities gifted to humans with the scope of current and near future AI models. It incorporates direct artifact analysis of a large-language model as …

The Intersectionality Of Juvenile Justice And Education: A Comparative Study Of Educational Governance Typologies Within The Juvenile Justice System, Domonique Mckenzie-Charles

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Each year, a number of youths find themselves at an intersection between the school-to-prison pipeline (SPP) and the criminal justice system. This research study examined the relationship between educational governance typologies of juvenile justice systems and juvenile recidivism in 10 U.S. states, with a centralized focus on the model of internalized governance. The purpose of this research study was to develop a comparative typology of educational governance through the evaluation of leadership structures, to assess the association between educational governance typologies and rehabilitative outcomes. The following comparative study discovered how educational governance typologies differ across states and whether these differences …

The Lived Experiences Of Special Education Teachers Regarding The Influence Of Transformational Leadership: A Phenomenological Study, Jaleesa Glover

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to understand the lived experiences of school leadership among special education teachers in inner-city charter schools in the United States. At this stage in the research, the lived experience of school leadership support is generally defined as how special educators perceived, interpreted, and responded to the leadership behaviors of their school administrators within their professional roles. The theory guiding this study was Burns’ transformational leadership theory. The central research question addressed in this study was: What are the lived experiences of special education teachers in inner-city schools with school leadership support? Data …

The Lived Experiences Of U.S. Army Leaders Transitioning To Civilian Educational Leadership Roles: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Emily M. Cassner

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of transitioning into civilian educational leadership roles for U.S. Army leaders at educational institutions throughout the Southwestern and Eastern United States. Guided by Goleman’s emotional intelligence theory, this study addressed the lack of transition mentorship by examining the lived experiences, motivations, transition challenges, and existing support programs for these leaders. Utilizing a qualitative, transcendental phenomenological design, data were collected through semi-structured interviews, reflective journals, and artifacts. The findings revealed four central themes: identity reconstruction and loss of purpose, leadership style adaptation, emotional intelligence as a developed competency, …

A Phenomenological Study Exploring Administrators’ Experiences Supporting Career And Technical Education Teacher Self-Efficacy, Korbin T. Shoemaker

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to understand the support of career and technical education teacher self-efficacy development for secondary public-school administrative leaders at West Central Maryland school districts. The theory guiding this study was behavioral leadership theory, as it provided a lens for understanding how leaders’ observable actions and interactions intentionally influence teachers’ confidence and professional growth. The central research question guiding this study was: What are the lived experiences of secondary public school administrative leaders as they support the development of self-efficacy in CTE teachers? This qualitative study utilized a hermeneutic phenomenological design informed by van …

The Perceptions Of Leadership Styles On Educator Job Satisfaction Leading To Retention In Rural Title I Elementary Schools: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Savannah Spotz

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the administration leadership style on job satisfaction retention for elementary educators at rural Title I elementary institutions in Delaware. The problem was that elementary teachers have limited job satisfaction retention influenced by administrator leadership style. This study was guided by Herzberg’s motivation-hygiene theory. The study applied a purposive sampling technique to recruit 10 elementary educators of any race, gender, and ethnicity who have worked for two or more years at a rural Title I institution in a Northern state. Individual semi-structured interviews were used to gather data, along with long-answer …

Fostering Future Difference-Makers: The Integration Of Leadership Training In Law Schools, Leah Teague

Journal of Legal Education

No abstract provided.

Obeying In Advance Will Not Save You: How Adaptive Leadership Can Help Legal Education Stay Mission Driven In Times Of Authoritarianism And Fear, Tania Luma

Journal of Legal Education

No abstract provided.

Conviction, Character, Courage: The Case For Integrating Values Into The Professional Identity Formation Of Tomorrow's Lawyer-Leaders, Katya S. Cronin

Journal of Legal Education

No abstract provided.

The Large Impact Of Small Groups On The Character-Based Leadership Development Of Law Students, Benjamin Rigney, Janice Craft

Journal of Legal Education

No abstract provided.

Strategies Human Resource Leaders Use To Implement Holistic Wellness Programs To Reduce Absenteeism And Increase Profitability, Diane Hardy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Human resources (HR) leaders struggle to reduce employee absenteeism and increase organizational profitability due to a lack of effective strategies for implementing holistic wellness programs. Identifying effective strategies for implementing holistic wellness programs is essential for helping HR leaders address absenteeism and strengthen organizational profitability. Grounded in the Pender health promotion model, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry was to identify and explore effective strategies for implementing holistic wellness programs to reduce employee absenteeism and increase organizational profitability. Participants were nine HR leaders from medium- to large-sized organizations across the United States who implemented holistic wellness programs to reduce …

Trust: Why A Commitment To Human Experience Matters, Jason A. Wolf

Patient Experience Journal

Trust is one of the most essential elements in our overall human existence. It is a critical part of our human experience, one that reaches well beyond the boundaries of healthcare. Trust is the element that holds society together. It emerges in the relationship of one human being connecting with another human being, and it reaches to the engagements people have with organizations, institutions, and systems as well. Trust, while hard to hold, is ever present. It is a powerful force that guides our way of being, our interactions, our choices, even if we ourselves are not directly conscious of …

Staff Matters: Is Our Dental Practice's Culture As Strong As We Think It Is?, Jodi Schafer Sphr, Shrm-Scp

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

This article explores how workplace culture influences employee retention, team morale, and patient experience in dental practices. The author discusses indicators of healthy and unhealthy workplace cultures, leadership behaviors that shape organizational climate, and practical strategies for gathering employee feedback, improving communication, and reinforcing accountability. Small, consistent actions are presented as effective tools for building a positive work environment.

J Mich Dent Assoc August 2026

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

Each month, the Journal of the Michigan Dental Association delivers news, information, and features about Michigan dentistry to our state's oral health community and the MDA's 6,200-plus members. It remains the main publication reaching Michigan dentists and is available worldwide through ADA Commons.

The August 2026 (Volume 108, No. 8) issue of the Journal is published in print format to provide updates and insights for Michigan's oral health community and MDA members. Print editions occur every other month beginning with January.

The August 2026 issue of the Journal of the Michigan Dental Association explores clinical, professional, legal, leadership, and public …

Distributed Leadership Applied: The Role Of Professional Learning Communities In The Emergence And Development Of Teacher Leadership, Grace M. Bellamy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study is to examine the processes through which teacher leadership is fostered and sustained among elementary and middle school educators who participate regularly in Professional Learning Communities (PLCs), with a focus upon schools implementing the DuFour and Eaker PLC model with fidelity during the winter and spring of 2026. This study looked for evidence of the presence of teacher leadership in a middle school and an elementary school. The theoretical frameworks of Distributed Leadership and the Teacher Leadership Standards created by the Teacher Leadership Exploratory Consortium were employed in this study, and observations of …

"Building Something Great!": Fifth-Grade Teachers Nurturing Hope Through Professional Learning Communities – A Telling Case, Matthew H. Huffaker

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Teachers and educational leaders face numerous obstacles that can seem insurmountable but overcome through collaboration. “High-hope thinking provides a special advantage when we face obstacles in our goal attainment” (Snyder, 1994). Effective PLCs provide the fertile ground for teacher collaboration, influencing schoolwide communities and student learning (DuFour et al., 2016; Hord, 2004; van Es, 2012). Collaboratively identifying challenges and coming up with solutions with the support of others (what effective PLCs do) is an ideal setting for observing hope.

This study explored how hope is fostered among teachers during their weekly professional learning community meetings. Further, this study examined how …

Developing And Validating A Nursing Leadership Competency Framework For Hospital Nurse Managers, Wen-Chii Tzeng, Ling-Yu Chien, Yao-Mei Chen

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Background: Nursing leadership competencies are essential for ensuring care quality, organizational performance, and professional advancement. However, in Taiwan, leadership development has been limited by the absence of a validated, tiered competency framework that reflects both local practice contexts and global standards.

Purpose: To develop and validate a nursing leadership competency framework for hospital nurse managers in Taiwan.

Methods: A three-phase design was employed. Phase 1 involved a systematic review of international and domestic literature to generate preliminary competency domains. Phase 2 used focus group interviews with nurse executives, managers, and educators to refine and contextualize the framework. Phase 3 conducted …

Leadership In Higher Education Amid Demographic Shifts: Implications Of Campus Event Management, Marrissa J. Williams

M.S. in Leadership

This study focuses on how demographic shifts within higher education have influenced leadership practices, specifically within enrollment management and campus event programming. As student populations become increasingly diverse, institutions are challenged to change their recruitment, engagement, and support strategies to meet the needs of first-generation, low-income, and non-traditional learners. The research explores the role of leadership in shaping these responses, with a focus on how decisions related to admissions events, like campus visits, outreach initiatives, and multicultural programming, have contributed to student engagement and enrollment outcomes. Using a qualitative approach grounded in the analysis of peer-reviewed articles and case studies, …