Digital Commons Network^™

The Bodhichitta Way: Igniting Mindful Leadership From Within - An 8-Week Online Program, Paula Ledbetter

Mindfulness Studies Theses

This paper investigates ways in which the practice of mindfulness can positively influence workplace leadership. Mindfulness-based approaches, when woven together with compassion, self-awareness, and meditation, cultivate qualities of effective mindful leadership that are essential in today’s workforce. Within this creative thesis, I developed an eight-week online training program for leaders to build foundational mindfulness practices necessary for optimizing meaningful connections in their daily work-life. The online training is based in experiential learning, self-reflection, and meditation practice. Research shows that there is significant benefit to incorporating mindfulness in the workplace. The purpose of this paper and online training is to provide …

Developing A K-12 School Leadership Plan, Marian E. Truehill

Journal of Research Initiatives

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to develop a K-12 School Leadership plan for public, private, and parochial educational institutions. The K-12 School Leadership plan will help principals, teachers, staff and students focus on how to accurately operate a successful school culture, climate, and improve academic performance at their educational institutions. I used a pseudonym JFK for the high school examined in this paper. Themes represented in this paper will include assessment of ineffective leadership style, assessment of school culture, climate and performance, school improvement areas, explanation of leadership style, most effective style to improve school performance, research-based leadership …

Mentoring Technique: A Reflective Warnings On Dysfunctional Mentoring On Developing Leaders In Library And Information Science Profession, Samson Akinola

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The review of literature shows that one of the finest methods to groom the latent leadership quality in new librarians and other information science professionals is by mentoring. Mentors take significant share in the development and moulding of new entrants into any profession as tutors and role models. However good, the use of mentoring looks in the leadership development of new librarians and other information professionals, there exist combinations of putative crucial aspects in mentoring, which have adverse consequence on the neophyte. These antithetical aspects include mentors diminution of the mentees, usurping the duties of mentees, personality brawl, illicit relationship, …

Expanding Theoretical Perspectives On Leadership: An Integration Of The Green And Mitchell Model Of Leader Behavior With Leader-Member Exchange Status, Constance R. Campbell, Cathy Owens Swift

Southern Business Review (Archived)

Constance Campbell is an assistant professor of management in the College of Business Administration at Georgia Southern University.

Cathy Owens Swift is an associate professor of marketing in the College of Business Administration at Georgia Southern University.

Mending Minds: Recognizing, Responding, And Resourcing Through The Implementation Of A Novel Leadership Toolkit During The Coronavirus Pandemic, Richard T. Morton Jr.

DNP and Student Works

Nursing burnout and resiliency issues, post-traumatic stress and subsequent turnover associated with the impacts of the novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) threaten to unravel direct patient care as we know it. Utilizing evidence-based literature and developing strategies and tools for direct care leaders to mitigate risks to care delivery and staff turnover and documenting these efforts is a crucial calling for all executive clinical leaders.

The Relationship Between Leadership Preference Of County Level Personnel Within University Of Missouri Extension And Their Level Of Employee Engagement, Jason C. Morris

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to describe the perceived leadership style of the University of Missouri Extension Service county staff and their level of engagement and study the relationship between variables. Administrators with University of Missouri Extension Service can utilize this information to better serve Extension Staff and ultimately people throughout the state of Missouri.

The Vannsimpco Leadership Survey was used to measure the perceived leadership style of county level staff. The Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES) was used to measure work engagement on three constructs: vigor, absorption, and dedication engagement. Demographic characterizes of county level staff was also …

Exploring African American Males' Experiences With Police In Southern California: A Phenomenological Study, Barbara R. Ray

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Black males are treated unfairly and killed more by law enforcement than any other group. The current study sought to explore how Black males in San Bernardino County, CA, describe their lived experiences with law enforcement as framed by the tents of critical race theory. To achieve this aim, a phenomenological research study was conducted, using semistructured interviews with Black males. Qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The key themes identified included (a) centrality of bias in experiences negatively shaped regard of police, (b) as tools, body-worn cameras do little to increase security or legitimacy, (c) limited interactions-limited law …

A Delphi Study Of The Skills Necessary For A Speech-Language Pathologist Or Occupational Therapist To Be Successful In A Leadership Position, Jessica Miller

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this Delphi study was to identify the skills necessary for a speech-language pathologist or occupational therapist to be successful in a leadership position using an expert panel. In addition, the purpose was to rate the identified skills based on importance and lastly to determine the activities experts recommend to acquire the top-rated skills. Methodology: This study used a three-round Delphi method to collect data from expert leaders in speech-language pathology and occupational therapy. In Round 1, the expert panel was asked to identify the skills necessary to transition from a speech-language pathologist or occupational therapist to …

The Cultivation Of Transformational Leadership In Secondary School Principals, Christian S. Overstreet

Dissertations

Due to the challenges schools and school administrators face in the 21st century, transformational leadership is considered the most effective approach to school leadership (Bonsu & Twum-Danso, 2018; Longwell-McKean, 2012; Valentine & Prater, 2011). The purpose of this explanatory, sequential, mixed-methods study was to investigate the importance of cultivating transformational leadership qualities and traits within secondary school principals through professional development opportunities, networking experiences, and mentorships. There has been a lack of research on the need to train in transformational leadership and whether or not it positively influences follower outcomes (Peters, 2014; Tafvelin, 2013; Udin, 2020). Phase one data were …

The Person Behind The Team: A Phenomenological Exploration Of The Role Of The Sport Supervisor In Ncaa Division I Intercollegiate Athletics., Ehren R. Green

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As organizational connectors, athletic administrators who serve as sport supervisors, are integral to the success of intercollegiate athletic departments. However, little is known about the role of sport supervisor or the relationship between sport supervisors and head coaches. Thus, this study seeks to define and better understand the role of the sport supervisor in intercollegiate athletics and explore the relationship between the sport supervisor and the head coach. Through a descriptive phenomenological approach, 22 participants (11 sport supervisors and 11 head coaches) from NCAA Division I institutions were interviewed. Role theory guided the defining of the role while leader-member exchange …

Nurses Suffering In Silence: Addressing The Stigma Of Mental Health In Nursing And Healthcare, Cynda Hylton Rushton, Katie Boston-Leary

Group: American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC)

Prior to the pandemic, there were alarmingly high numbers of healthcare professionals suffering from burnout, with some studies indicating numbers as high as 45 to 55%. Burnout remains an enigma that's difficult to define adequately and accurately. It has been described as a "basic tenet of fatigue" and "the intolerance of any effort," or as a combination of the inability and the unwillingness to expend the necessary effort at work for proper task completion, leading to lack of energy, reduced commitment, or disengagement.

Impact Of Organizational Climate On Job Performance In Nigerian University Libraries: Perceptions Of Academic Librarians, Chinwendu C. Akpom Dr, Emmanuel Chukwudi Ihekwoaba Dr, Harriet Uche Igbo Dr

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The paper examined academic librarians' perceptions of the characteristics that contribute to a favorable organizational climate and those that negatively affect it in Nigerian university libraries. The study concentrated on Nigeria's Southeast and South-South geopolitical zones. The researchers adopted a descriptive survey design for the research. A structured questionnaire was employed to collect the data from the respondents and analyzed using mean and standard deviation. The study population consists of 143 academic librarians in university libraries in the study area. The entire population was used as a sample because it was a manageable number. The result demonstrates that respondents have …

Grounded Theory Black Womxn Leadership Experiences In National Academic Professional, Dèsa Karye Daniel

Individual, Family, and Community Education ETDs

Research exploring the lived experiences of Black womxn as leaders in national academic professional organizations is absent. The goal of this dissertation was to explore Black womxn’s unique personal and academic experiences while holding national leadership roles in professional academic organizations. Using Critical Race Theory (Haskins & Singh, 2015), Black Feminist Thought (Collins, 2010), and Leadership Identity Development Model (Komives et al., 2006, 2009), this constructivist grounded theory (Charmaz, 2006, 2014) sought to answer following research questions: (1) How do Black womxn experience leadership in their roles as board members within a national academic professional organization? (a) What is the …

Marching Forward: A Qualitative Examination Of Adapting Enlisted Veteran Leadership Skills In The Corporate Environment, Casey W. Jensen

Dissertations

planning, resource utilization, and conforming to corporate policies all required adaptation. Veterans primarily adapt their leadership skills through internal and external networking, mentors, coaches, managing and resetting expectations, and understanding light and dark ambiguity. The theoretical contributions of this research are in paternalistic leadership and veteran enlisted research. The practical implications assist veterans in understanding how to adapt and strategies to adapt their skills. In addition, managers and peers may use this research to understand veterans' challenges better when leaving military service. Next, talent acquisition professionals can use this research to better identify military veteran candidates for specific roles and …

Work Environment: Leadership, Communication, And Autonomy. The Perception Of Work Among Polish Employees During Turbulent Time Of Covid-19 Pandemic, Monika Sady, Piotr Sedlak

European Management Studies

Purpose: The article focuses on the assessment of knowledge workers’ relation with superiors, internal communication, perceived autonomy and feeling of appreciation. The goal of the article is also to extend current knowledge of the perception of cooperation between employees. The authors were able to identify interdependencies among the researched variables and the impact of COVID-19 on peoples’ professional situation. Design/methodology/approach: The article presents the results of a CAWI survey conducted on a large sample of 2778 specialists and managers in Poland. The researchers used the purposive sampling method to reach the population of white-collar workers who experienced remote work or …

Transformational Leadership, Sarah Stepanek, Megan Paul

Umbrella Summaries

What is transformational leadership?

Transformational leadership refers to leadership behaviors that transcend the basic employment contract and help motivate followers to achieve beyond expectations (Antonakis et al., 2003; Bass, 1999). Transformational leaders seek to “uplift the morale, motivation, and morals of their followers” (Bass, 1999, p. 9). Through the four facets of transformational leadership (idealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, and individualized consideration), transformational leaders help followers create meaning, selfactualize, feel part of a collective, find greater self-worth, and achieve great things (Bass, 1999). The dimensions of transformational leadership are further detailed below.

► Idealized influence: This dimension of transformational …

Subtle Leadership: When Referent Power Is Subtly Powerful, Luz E. Quiñones-González

The Journal of Values-Based Leadership

The following research presents the construct of “subtle leadership” in a conceptual discussion as a new way of perceiving and studying leaders of the twenty-first century. Its core objective points toward the conceptualization of “subtle leadership,” sharing a basic definition to provoke discussion and emerging theoretical framework in order to better understand the current organizational reality. Some leadership styles such as servant leadership, shared leadership, and authentic leadership are discussed to compare and contrast them with “subtle leadership,” emphasizing that leadership is viewed as a process and not only as styles or personal traits. Subtle leadership is primarily based on …

An Exploration Of The Role Of Vulnerability In Ministerial Leadership: A Qualitative Examination Of John 13 As Lived Experience In Contemporary Ministry, Lance L. May

PhD in Organizational Leadership

When leaders experience personal failures, it often causes negative repercussions across an entire organization, and Burns (1978) noted that devastating leadership failures had become increasingly common at the close of the 20th century. Leadership failures have continued to be a prominent problem, and the failures of ministry leaders are just as prevalent and devastating (Shaw, 2006). Brown (2015) concluded that vulnerability is a powerful tool for maintaining trust and integrity for leaders, followers, and entire organizational cultures. This study centered on both the role of vulnerability exemplified by Jesus in John 13 and the lived experiences of Christian ministry leaders. …

Who's There For The Directors?, Mark K. Nagasawa

Straus Institute for Thriving Children & Families

This third report from the Listening to Teachers study’s second year focuses on a subsample of early childhood program leaders (n=113) in NYC. Among the key findings in this report:

• Support from supervisors lowered the odds of survey participants reporting potential burnout.
• However, the odds of program leaders reporting potential burnout were 1.7 times higher than for other respondents.
• The odds of Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color (BIPOC) respondents being in leadership roles were significantly less than their white colleagues.

While this study's self-selected sample makes these findings ungeneralizable, they do raise the critically important question, What is …

Middle School Transition: The Influence Of An Academy Approach And The Role Of Leadership, Kimberly Calhoun Odom

Theses and Dissertations

Students entering middle school frequently encounter challenges in their transition as they leave the comforts of elementary school. Traditionally, fifth grade students experience their last year in elementary school in a similar fashion to the previous five years of elementary school. They are in self-contained classrooms with one teacher for the majority of their school day. This study’s objective is to determine best practices and strategies that support fifth grade students in transitioning to the rigors of middle school. More specifically, the research focuses on the impact of an Academy structure in the elementary setting that models the transitions of …

How Perception-Based Decisions Can Negatively Shape Your Leadership Performance (Decision-Making And Behavior), Vincent Jemison

Southern University College of Business E-Journal

In present-day, one of the most subtle means political leaders use to influence their base of supporters is through verbal communication. With this in mind, research shows that over the past two years, some political leaders have increasingly relied on “transferring their perception onto their base of followers, which often negatively stimulates, arouses and shapes an individual’s performance” (decision-making and behavior). In addition, to the detriment of our society, when political leaders transfer their perception onto their base of followers, they often misjudge the sensitive consequences of their prospective outcomes. Here for the first time, research now shows that a …

Nurses' Workplace Social Capital And The Influence Of Transformational Leadership: A Theoretical Perspective, Jia-Min Xu, Azadeh T. Stark, Bi-He Ying, Zheng-Mei Lian, Yang-Sheng Huang, Rui-Ming Chen

Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Articles

Workplace social capital is the relational network, created by respectful interactions among members of a workforce, can contribute to the formation of a wholesome psychological work environment in an organization. Nurses' workplace social capital is a derivative of the workplace social capital, formed because of the complex interactions among the nursing and between the other healthcare professionals. Transformational leadership is a style of leadership that addresses the emotional wellbeing of its workforce and inspires shared group ethics, norms, and goals. The philosophy of transformational leadership is grounded on the premise of workforce as human beings with specific needs. Transformational leadership …

Sleeping To Support: An Examination Of The Relationship Between Leader Sleep And Positive Support Behaviors, Jordyn Jan Leslie

Dissertations and Theses

Although research has documented the relationship between sleep and workplace outcomes among general employees, less research has focused on the role of sleep among workplace leaders. Drawing from the work, nonwork, and sleep theoretical model (Crain et al., 2018), the current study investigates emotional exhaustion the link between leader sleep quantity on a constellation of positive leader support behaviors (i.e., general supervisor support, family supportive supervisor behaviors (FSSB), and sleep leadership) rated by both the leader and their direct employee. To gain a deeper understanding of the role of sleep in these relationships, this study examines the interaction between sleep …

Othermothering By African American Women In Higher Education At Predominantly White Institutions: How The Practice Affects Their Professional And Personal Lives, Julie Collins

College of Education Theses and Dissertations

Many African American women who work in higher education, in non-faculty roles, incorporate a historical and cultural tradition commonly referred to as “othermothering” with higher education best practices when working with African American students. The practice of othermothering was used by enslaved African American women to assist other mothers with the care of their children and to maintain the family structure. The practice continues to this day in spaces where women are present such as neighborhoods, faith communities, community organizations and educational institutions. This research, using Black Feminist Theory as the theoretical framework, sought to study othermothering as practiced by …

Clarifying And Measuring Inclusive Leadership, Kelly Mason Hamilton

Dissertations and Theses

Many organizations view diversity as a strategic business priority that provides important benefits such as increased creativity and innovation. Research indicates, however, that the potential benefits of diversity cannot be realized without employees feeling a sense of inclusion, which involves feeling like one belongs and can be themselves at work. Although scholars acknowledge the important role managers play in fostering inclusion, there remains limited research on specific behaviors they can enact to foster inclusion perceptions in their work groups. Additionally, there is a lack of agreement in the literature about the scope of "inclusive leadership." Historically, scholars viewed inclusive leadership …

Challenges And Strategies Of Virtual Team Leaders: A Global Overview, Kayleigh Axtell, Suelen Schneider Demaria, Mitchell Gurick

The Scholarship Without Borders Journal

Global Virtual Teams (GVTs) have become a common practice utilized in most organizations necessary for business continuity and as a result of forced remote work due to factors such as global pandemics. GVTs are characterized by unique traits which enable the team to achieve goals. Studies show that GVT needs should be addressed at the outset of working together in order to ensure better results. The methodology used for this study was qualitative and employed where a phenomenological, descriptive approach was implemented. Interviews were utilized for collecting data on GVTs. Evidence from the research showcased that GVT attributes such as …

Hidden Relationships: Perspectives On Leadership And Management In Afghan Maternity Services - An Ethnographic Exploration, Rachel Arnold, Edwin Van Teijlingen, Kath Ryan, Immy Holloway

Journal of Asian Midwives (JAM)

Introduction: Health system leaders have a vital role to play in ensuring the delivery of high-quality care. Improving the quality of healthcare, particularly in low-income countries often focuses on the performance of healthcare providers and the availability, acceptability, and uptake of services. The role that health service leaders play in facilitating effective care has received less attention in the literature. This study explored the perspectives of Afghan maternity care providers, managers and other stakeholders on leadership and the provision of quality maternity care.
Methods: This ethnographic study used semi-structured interviews, participant observation, and background interviews for data collection. …

A Phenomenology Of The Job-Related Experiences Of Early Career Catholic Elementary School Principals, Sarah K. Kerins, Lucinda Spaulding

Journal of Catholic Education

This qualitative phenomenology investigated the job-related experiences of early career Catholic elementary school principals (N = 13) in the Mideastern region of the United States. Data were collected from an introductory survey, semi-structured interviews, two focus groups, and a participant designed plan for professional development. The findings indicated that Catholic elementary principals in their early career are motivated by a calling to a vocation in Catholic school leadership as well as the ability to develop and implement a vision for their school. Principals reported being challenged by limited resources, balancing the demands of the position, and navigating relationships. Finally, principals …

The Potential Of Catholic Schools: Public Virtues Through Private Voucher, Joseph Prud'homme

Journal of Catholic Education

Recent US Supreme Court cases signal a likely increase in calls for K-12 school choice programs that include the option of enrolling in religious schools. In turn, criticism of religious school-inclusive school choice programming is likely to shift to policy and values-based critiques. This article addresses two allegations of Catholic primary and secondary school deficiencies in achieving objectives important to a pluralist society, allegations that would invalidate indirect state support of Catholic schools. By analyzing the aesthetics of Hans Georg Gadamer and Aristotelian moral theory in light of American Catholic schools’ potential, this paper rejects claims that Catholic education is …

The Lack Of Communication In Leadership, Wendy Webb Hicks

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative research study explored why there is a lack of communication in leadership within the financial services industry in federal agencies in the southeastern region of the United States. The general problem to be addressed is a lack of communication in leadership resulting in ineffective lower-level management. This case study finds solutions to what is causing the lack of communication and how ineffective management can improve. The research questions aid in exploring the existing gap in the existing problem and guide the investigation. The case study consisted of interviews from 12 participants employed in the financial services industry. Several …