Digital Commons Network^™

The Moderating Effect Of Gender And Humor On Leader Evaluation, Russell John Marshall

Theses and Dissertations from DePaul University

There has been much discourse in the popular press, political, and professional spheres about the humor used by leaders and aspiring leaders. Although humor is seen as mostly positive in the workplace, there have been significant findings that humor’s impact is influenced by gender/sex. Male humor use is often seen as functional, while female humor use is seen as disruptive (Evans et al., 2019). This study examines how humor and gender/sex affects likeability and professional respect for leaders. It was predicted that humor use would increase male leaders likeability and professional respect while decreasing these rating for female leaders. Participants …

Rooted In Purpose, Driven To Lead, Payne Center For Leadership Development, Gonzaga University

Payne Center Publications

Explore the program for the second annual Payne Center for Leadership Development Student Leadership Conference. This conference took place on March 28th, 2026, at Gonzaga University. Students presented on a variety of leadership topics and Morgan Marie, The Storytelling Coach gave a keynote address.

See the conference home for more information and select recordings of events from the day.

Fierce Leadership-Perspectives Of Black Women Educational Leaders: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Janice Taylor, Dianne Reed

Tapestry: Journal of Research in Education

The authors of this transcendental phenomenological study aimed to describe the lived experiences of Black women based on their perceptions, values, and beliefs about the complexities of leadership and the kind of leadership required to succeed in their respective roles, as educational leaders. This study was framed by the adaptive leadership theory. Adaptive leadership recognizes the need for leaders to stay flexible and resilient in fast-paced environments (Nelson & Squires, 2017). The three Black women leaders in this study were fierce adaptive leaders. The information acquired from this study is significant and highlights how Black women educational leaders developed the …

Level 1 Stabilization: Managing Nursing Trauma In Critical And Acute Care, Leslie Okhirkhian

DNP and Student Works

High-acuity environments (emergency departments and critical care units) do not hold a monopoly on trauma, and it is not limited solely to the experience from the perspective of the patient. Nurses routinely mobilize in response to life-threatening events, detouring resource and attention in a coordinated effort to stabilize critically ill patients. Though essential for patient survival, the cumulative psychological burden of such events on nurses is often disregarded or dismissed. Repeated exposure to mortality and emotionally charged clinical presentations can lead to burnout, compassion fatigue, and moral distress. Yet the burden of resilience is often placed on the individual nurse. …

Building A Vitalizing Team Culture, Iris Bull, Andrew Cibor

Purdue Road School

Leaders in the public sector face unique challenges in the recruitment and retainage of productive employees. Administrative staff from the City of Bloomington Engineering Department present an analysis of the strategies they employ to shape a high performing team. They examine mutable and designed aspects of their processes for advertising, interviewing, hiring, onboarding, and exit interviewing. Session participants will be provided tested strategies for stimulating professional growth, fostering intradepartmental collaboration, and building resilient culture.

Ethical Leadership And Funding Strategies In Nonprofit Organizations, George Edward Walker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A lack of effective funding strategies can negatively affect nonprofit program sustainability and growth. Nonprofit leaders are concerned with inadequate funding practices as they lessen organizational sustainability, donor trust, and reliable program delivery. Grounded in deontological ethical theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry was to explore funding strategies nonprofit leaders use to expand and sustain programs and services. The participants were eight nonprofit leaders from the West Coast of the United States with 10+ years of leadership experience. Data were collected using semistructured interviews and peer-reviewed journals. Through thematic analysis, five themes were identified: (a) research and data …

Interpreting Public School Administrators' Experience Of The Transformational Leadership Style During An Educator Shortage: A Hermeneutical Phenomenological Study, Jennifer Rose Sweet

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to interpret public school administrators' experiences with transformational leadership during an educator shortage. The research employed a hermeneutical-phenomenological approach, utilizing van Manen’s methodological data analysis procedures to capture the essence of the lived experiences of school administrators. Bass’s transformational leadership theory provided the framework for this study. Previous research has examined multiple factors related to leadership's connection to an educator shortage. This study aimed to explore administrators' lived experiences with the transformational leadership style and its impact on a teacher shortage in public schools. Using purposeful, convenience, and snowball sampling, school administrators were selected …

Examining The Relationship Between Burnout And Emotional Intelligence In Ministry Leaders Of Start-Up Churches, Jacquelyn Steidel-Santiago

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to utilize Emotional Intelligence (EI) and burnout models to examine the relationship between perceived EI and firsthand experiences of burnout in ministry leaders of start-up churches to establish a unique connection and offer valuable insights for participants and other ministry leaders facing similar circumstances. Personal characteristics were divided into demographic information about the participants (i.e., age, race, years in ministry, congregation size, etc.) and information about the participants’ experience with specific features of burnout. The demographic information was used to identify possible factors related to various levels of EI, with the expectation …

The Causes And Effects Of Toxic Leadership In Organizations, Patton Flannery

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Toxic leadership in organizations can negatively affect employee well-being, productivity, performance, motivation, and potentially the organization’s brand reputation. This flexible qualitative study, utilizing multiple case studies, explored the causes and effects of toxic leadership within the DJ Construction Company to identify how abusive supervision, emotional strain, dysfunctional leadership behaviors, and employee coping mechanisms collectively affect employees and the organization. This study employed semi-structured interviews with 25 participants and surveys completed by 31 participants representing diverse roles within the company. Data were analyzed using thematic coding, frequency counts, and cross-theme comparison to gain a better understanding of both the frequency and …

Not All Ei Dimensions Are Created Equal: Differential Effects Of Perceived Leader Emotional Intelligence On Lmx Quality And Employee Engagement, Michael Frommack

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative study examined the pathways through which employees’ perceptions of their leaders’ emotional intelligence influenced employee engagement, with leader-member exchange (LMX) quality as a mediating mechanism. Using structural equation modeling with data from 368 full-time employees, the study investigated whether the four dimensions of leader emotional intelligence differentially predicted the three dimensions of employee engagement. Results demonstrated that leader EQ strongly predicted LMX quality (β = .80, p < .001, R² = .64), and that leader emotional intelligence and LMX quality significantly predicted employee engagement in bivariate analyses (β = .43, p < .001, R² = .19; β = .47, p < .001, R² = .22, respectively). However, LMX quality completely mediated this relationship. The indirect effect was significant (β = .26, p = .002), while the direct effect was nonsignificant after accounting for LMX (β = .17, p = .108), indicating full mediation. No dimension-specific pathways emerged after controlling for relationship quality. Supplementary analyses revealed that others’ emotion appraisal (OEA) demonstrated almost twice the predictive strength of the other emotional intelligence dimensions for predicting LMX quality (β = .45, p < .001). These findings provide empirical support for Social Exchange Theory and demonstrate that leader emotional intelligence is statistically accounted for by relationship quality mechanisms. Practical implications suggest that organizations should prioritize relationship building competencies in leadership development and selection. Theoretical implications challenge assumptions about dimensional equivalence in emotional intelligence frameworks and establish LMX quality as the complete mediator for leadership influence on employee engagement.

Book Reviews, Usawc Press

The US Army War College Quarterly: Parameters

No abstract provided.

Fostering A Healthy Work Environment: Frontline Leadership For Charge Rns Across An Integrated Healthcare System, Yasith Wickramarachchi, Lori S. Schultz, Ghada B. Dunbar

Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE)

This novel leadership program incorporates adult-learning principles, interactive-learning activities, performance improvement project application, dynamic role play and practice-based learning. Through peer support, emotional intelligence role play, interactive didactive content, completion of a self-assessment and transformational leadership elements.

Nursing unit leaders, (Charge RNs), are assimilated with professional development skills and behaviors through participating with highlighting the organizational mission, vision, values and their unique role contribution across the Professional Practice model They exemplify and translate the incorporation of a healthy work environment and culture to enhance quality care and safety in clinical practice directly. The inclusion of the American Nurses Association (ANA) …

The Hidden Cost Of Performative Culture In Learning Organizations Introduction, Coby Dillard

Human Resource Development Student Publications and Presentations

Purpose

The aim of this article is to present a viewpoint that performative culture disrupts organizational learning by eroding alignment between espoused values, system design, and lived experience. Design/methodology/approach

This article adopts a conceptual and practitioner-oriented approach, drawing on foundational theories of organizational culture and learning to examine how misalignment between values and systems shapes organizational behavior. The discussion integrates insights from organizational culture and learning frameworks to reinterpret performative culture as a system design issue. Findings

The article identifies that performative culture undermines organizational learning in three key ways: by eroding trust through inconsistent signals, fragmenting systems and reducing …

How Does Communication Breakdown Impact Group Cohesion Over The Lifespan Of A Team?, Hannah Dyche

University Honors Theses

Communication is one of the main determinants of whether a team or group achieves a successful outcome; when it starts to erode, the team's overall goal often erodes with it. Communication breakdown within teams directly impacts group cohesion, causing small misunderstandings to escalate into larger conflicts. Every team experiences ups and downs, but maintaining a strong foundation of communication and continually strengthening it will prevent this breakdown.

Most of the existing research on team dynamics focuses on corporate environments. By shifting the focus to a short-term academic team, this thesis shows how communication breakdown impacts group cohesion over the lifespan …

Courageous Conversations: A Dental Professional’S Most Powerful Skill, Katherine Eitel Belt

Metro Denver Dental Society Articulator Magazine

Many professionals avoid difficult conversations out of fear of conflict or failure, but avoidance only worsens problems and erodes trust. This article by Ms. Katherine Eitel Belt offers practical tools for having courageous, productive dialogues. The author shared tips, including listening first, starting from agreement, suspending judgment and emphasizing choice. Ms. Eitel Belt makes a case that by approaching conversations with empathy, openness, and curiosity, leaders can resolve issues more effectively, strengthen relationships, and build healthier, more collaborative teams.

Dr. Deb Peters: Opening Doors As The Ada’S New Speaker, Debra Peters, Christopher J. Smiley

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

This interview profiles Dr. Deb Peters, the first female speaker of the ADA House of Delegates. Dr. Peters shares her vision for making the ADA more accessible, transparent, and responsive to its members. She discusses her leadership philosophy, emphasizing listening and mentorship, and explains how effective governance can lead to significant real-world impacts, such as the removal of taxes on dental prosthetics. Dr. Peters also outlines her goals for modernizing the House of Delegates process, including the creation of a "Resolution Dashboard" to help members track policy progress.

Ce Spotlight: New Dentists! Check Out These Great Annual Session Courses, David Foe

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

This source highlights continuing education opportunities specifically recommended for new dentists at the upcoming Michigan Dental Association (MDA) Annual Session in Grand Rapids. It lists a variety of course titles covering clinical techniques, leadership, practice ownership, and personal wellness. Additionally, it provides information on how to access a full listing of MDA CE courses, including on-demand webinars and radiography training, through the official website.

Soft Skills For Medical Physicists: Evolving A Profession., Tomas Kron, Julie Raffi, Shada Wadi-Ramahi, Abdelkader Toutaoui, Bilal Jalal, Peter A Sandwall, Graciela Velez, Dario Sanz, Godfrey Azangwe

Oncology Articles

PURPOSE: Medical physicists are essential healthcare professionals who bridge the gap between technology and patient care, particularly in radiation oncology and medical imaging. With the profession expanding its clinical and global roles, the need for competencies beyond technical expertise-such as communication, leadership, and cultural awareness-is increasingly evident. These competencies, commonly referred to as soft skills, are critical for patient-centered care but remain insufficiently integrated into formal education and training pathways. The aim of the present work was to identify soft skills relevant to medical physics practice and investigate where in a career they are acquired and used.

METHODS: This paper …

Navigating Compliance: Higher Education Leadership Strategies Amid Federal Government Dei Mandates, Patricia Henry

Economics Faculty Publications

Executive Order 14173 (Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring  Merit-Based Opportunities) has contributed to reshaping the policy  environment for marginalized populations including women,  communities of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, and people with disabilities  on university campuses. There is limited scholarly research exploring  how qualitative empirical studies probe into how higher education  leaders are navigating compliance with federal diversity, equity, and  inclusion (DEI) mandates amid heightened political and legal scrutiny  in the United States. Grounded in Viewpoint Discrimination Theory,  guided by Inclusive and Transformational Leadership frameworks, this  empirical study employs a multiple-case design integrating data from  scholarly literature, policy implementation analysis, institutional policy …

Mentoring For Workforce Education And Development: Insights From Education And Broader Applicability, Ramiro Pesina

Online Journal for Workforce Education and Development

Mentoring programs are pivotal to workforce education, bridging skill gaps and fostering employee retention across industries. Although this study focuses on mentoring practices within the education sector, its findings are broadly applicable to other professions where effective mentoring supports employee onboarding, retention, and professional growth. Through qualitative interviews with mentors and mentees in a North Texas school district, this study identifies key factors contributing to successful mentoring: structured sessions, effective leadership, and prioritization of mentor-mentee relationships. While the findings underscore the universal principles of mentoring, the application of these insights across various professions warrants further research. By situating these findings …

Exploring The Role Of Higher Education Leaders In Quality Culture Development: A Mixed Methods Study, Eshetu Mandefro, Tesfaye Semela, Ashebir Bezabhi

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objectives: In higher education institutions (HEIs), building a strong quality culture (QC) is essential to ensure the quality of education provided. QC integrates organizational, managerial, and psychological elements that shape how quality is understood and improved in HEIs. This study explores how leaders at the departmental and faculty levels navigate and contribute to quality culture development (QCD).

Methods: We employed a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design. A total of 1,029 academics completed questionnaires, and 33 leaders at the departmental and faculty levels were interviewed at three public universities in Ethiopia.

Results: The findings reveal that leadership roles at the departmental and …

Sustaining A Healthy Work Environment With Leadership Staff Rounds, Sarojini V. Seemungal

Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE)

Background: Globally, HCWs have reported worsened mental health since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic has threatened the well-being of 51% of healthcare workers (HCWs). In 2020, Mental Health America reported that 93% of HCWs experienced stress, 86% experienced anxiety, 76% reported feeling burned out, and 75% felt overwhelmed.

Problem: A 2023 employee engagement survey, conducted at a Certified Home Health Agency, revealed 72% overall favorability among HCWs. The lowest favorability rating was related to managing work and personal life (52.3%), feeling supported to do the job (60%), and receiving recognition from one’s manager at (61.2%).

Methods: …

Leading In The Unexpected: Adaptive Leadership And Time Management, A Phenomenological Study Of The Small Church Pastor, Simorrah J. Majors

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

One of the most challenging obstacles small church pastors face today may be managing their time. This qualitative phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of the use of time management within the scope of church leadership and administration, as perceived through the lens of pastors ages 35 to 80 who are either the senior or sole pastor or elder at small trinitarian Protestant churches in the United States Northeast Region. Time management is generally defined as organizing and planning how to divide time between different activities and functions. The theory guiding this study is Ronald Heifetz's (2009) Adaptive Leadership theory …

Analyzing The Effects Of Supervisors’ Conduct On The Persistent Stress Experienced By Nevada Law Enforcement Officers, Kendra D. Still

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative study aimed to identify the specific actions of supervisors that contribute to chronic stress among law enforcement officers in Nevada. Chronic stress is a common issue in law enforcement and can have detrimental effects on officers’ mental and physical well-being. Despite the acknowledgement of supervisors' actions as a significant stressor for officers, there is a lack of research specifically addressing the actions that officers perceive as most stress-inducing, particularly in Nevada. This research gap hinders efforts to address and alleviate these stressors, allowing them to persist and impact officers' well-being. To address this gap, a Likert-scale survey was …

Fostering Healthy Work Environments With Nurse Manager Transition To Practice Program, Anastasia Y. Rose, Janelle Schira, Marja Ross

Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE)

Background: Healthy work environments need effective nursing leadership (Mabona et al., 2022). Many new nurse managers lack the skills and knowledge needed for leadership roles (Espinoza et al., 2009). Turnover of new nurse managers is high, which can have a negative impact on nurse retention and quality of care (Warden, 2021). Per a national survey, over 50% of nurse leaders intend to leave their positions within next 5 years (Warden, 2021). A new manager orientation and mentorship programs could impact their practice, retention, and quality indicators, improve job satisfaction, organizational culture, and patient outcomes, and foster a healthy work environment …

2025 State Of Nonprofits And Philanthropy Annual Report, Tessa Tinkler, Cristina Sanchez-Kerr, Laura Deitrick, Eo Hanabusa, Bryan Cardenas, Timothy Nelson, William Piper

State of Nonprofits and Philanthropy in San Diego

The 2025 State of Nonprofits and Philanthropy in San Diego examines how federal policy changes, funding volatility, and rising community needs are reshaping the region’s nonprofit sector. Drawing on survey data from nonprofit leaders and employees, public opinion polling, and financial and employment analysis, the report provides an early assessment of the sector’s financial health, workforce capacity, and its role as a primary access point for services such as housing, food, education, healthcare, and the arts. It highlights mounting pressures on nonprofit infrastructure alongside the sector’s enduring strengths in public trust, collaboration, advocacy, and shared investment strategies that will shape …

Best Practices In Virginia School Libraries, Audrey P. Church, Karla B. Collins, Carl A. Harvey Ii, Sheree Garrett

Learning Hub

The National School Library Standards for Learners, School Librarians, and School Libraries (AASL, 2018b) indicate that school librarians should function as teachers, instructional partners, information specialists, leaders, and program administrators, and numerous studies document the important role that the school librarian plays in the teaching and learning taking place in the school (Lance & Kachel, 2018). Strong school librarians positively impact student learning. The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify, explore, and describe traits and activities of award-winning school librarians in Virginia. Data collected from 18 participants through semi- structured interviews identified the common traits of leader, communicator, …

Mastering The First Year Of Ownership, Amrita Patel Dds

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

This column provides a reflective look at the first year of dental practice ownership, describing it as a mix of exhilaration and pressure. It highlights the importance of transitioning from a clinical mindset to one focused on financial clarity, cash flow variability, and team dynamics. The author discusses the necessity of developing efficient systems to resolve bottlenecks and understanding the patient base on a deeper level. The piece emphasizes that leadership confidence grows through action and adjustment.

The Impact Of Targeted Professional Development On Principals’ Instructional Leadership And The Cultivation Of Positive School Culture, Anastasia M. Opahle

Dissertations

Effective principal leadership is the cornerstone of effective schools, as it has been shown to increase student success. In the State of Wisconsin, there is currently no requirement for ongoing professional development for principals. This study examined the impact of professional development targeted at principal leadership on student achievement and school culture. Using a mixed methods approach, results showed principals who participated in a yearlong principal cohort indicated their leadership skills improved. The qualitative data showed the participating principals believed the targeted professional development was collaborative, reflective, relevant, and actionable. This research indicates that sustained, targeted professional development is crucial …

Media Use And Pro-Equality Attitudes Toward Women As Leaders, Mark Tremayne, Dustin Harp, Ariana Hernandez

Communication Faculty Publications

This study examines how Americans’ media use corresponds with attitudes toward women as leaders. We surveyed 1,030 adults and measured pro-equality attitudes using a 17-item index. Newspaper reading and streaming video use were positively associated with pro-equality views, while time spent on social media (particularly Facebook and X) showed small negative associations. Participants who used newspapers for political content reported higher pro-equality scores than non-users, whereas those who used X for politics reported lower scores. The findings suggest that media habits and political ideology are connected to gender attitudes.