Leadership Commons^™

Parliamentary Procedure Interactive Notebook: Newly Revised, P. Troy White, Amie Carter

Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communication: Faculty Publications

An interactive notebook for teaching fundamentals of parliamentary procedure. Over 120 pages of content to help teach correct principles of this critical organizational management skill. P. Troy White is a Professional Registered Parliamentarian and a Certified Parliamentarian, ensuring that the content included follows the 12th Edition of Robert's Rules of Order.

The Cost Of Strength: Navigating Systemic Racism And The Strong Black Woman Stereotype In The Workplace, Krystle M. Davis

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

This research defined and explored the lived experiences of Black women in leadership and the role of systemic racism on the performance of the strong Black woman stereotype in the workplace. Grounded in Black feminist thought, epistemology, and phenomenology, this qualitative study seeks to deepen understanding the lived experiences of Black women. This manuscript-style dissertation comprises two studies: Study 1 consisted of nine participants who contributed through Sista Circle focus groups and Study 2 consisted of fourteen participants who engaged in semi-structured interviews to defined and examined their workplace experiences. Situated at the intersection of race and gender, this research …

Mda Services: Endorsed Programs News

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

Throughh MDA Services, the Michigan Dental Association (MDA) has announced several endorsed programs aimed at supporting dental practices across Michigan: Compass Dental Gas Service is now endorsed by the MDA for its expertise in installing, maintaining, and repairing dental gas systems. Members benefit from exclusive discounts and safety compliance support. MEDVA Virtual Staffing offers HIPAA-compliant, human virtual assistants to handle administrative tasks remotely. This service helps reduce labor costs and allows in-office staff to focus on patient care. MDA Health Plan sponsors are reminded to submit overdue eligibility verification documents, which are essential for compliance and 2026 renewal preparations. DBS …

Gender And Entrepreneurial Success: Examining The Relationships Among Risk Aversion, Loss Aversion, Risk Propensity, And Venture Performance, Kara Mcalister

All Dissertations

Gender disparities in entrepreneurship persist despite increased participation by women entrepreneurs. Traditional research has attributed these disparities to gender differences in risk-taking behavior, with women entrepreneurs typically characterized as more risk-averse. However, recent evidence suggests this oversimplifies a complex phenomenon and may reinforce harmful stereotypes. This study examined the relationships among risk aversion, loss aversion, risk propensity, and venture performance for male and female entrepreneurs, while considering moderating effects of industry gender-type and previous experience.

A quantitative cross-sectional design was employed with 157 entrepreneurs (93 female, 64 male) recruited from entrepreneurial organizations. Risk aversion was measured using the Domain-Specific Risk-Taking …

Between Two Worlds: A Case Study Of Third Culture Identity And Reentry For Unl International Students, John S. Tessalee

Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communication: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Third Culture Kids (TCKs) and international students share many commonalities, such as their globalized nature, adaptability, and the adoption of cultural components from their host country versus their home country. However, they contain enough differences to be considered separate groups. Traditionally, people need to be immersed in a culture different from their parents’ culture between the ages of 0 and 18 to be considered a TCK, whereas international students are typically between 18 and 24 years old by the time they attend universities overseas. The cultural absorption of TCKs in their formative years is usually greater than that of international …

The Impact Of Culture And Language On Internal Communication And Patient Care In Small To Medium-Sized Black Immigrant-Owned Healthcare Practices In Texas., Chisom Nwosu

Dissertations

This qualitative phenomenological study explored how cultural competency in small to medium-sized Black immigrant-owned healthcare practices in Texas affects internal communication and patient care. Through semi-structured interviews with nine clinical and administrative leaders in Dallas and Houston, five themes emerged: culturally competent leadership, intentional communication structures, language and interpretation practices, patient-centered cultural sensitivity, and the use of technology for adaptation. Findings suggest that culturally aware leadership and inclusive communication strategies foster team cohesion and improve patient trust and care. Participants reported adapting workflows to meet religious, language, and communication needs through human and technological tools. The study underscores embedding cultural …

Engaging In Movement At Work: Exploring Engagement And Physical Activity., Spencer A. Cavan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

High levels of employee engagement provide organizations competitive advantages such as increased customer satisfaction, profits, and employee productivity. Despite potential benefits, the number of engaged employees is declining and organizations need to find innovative ways to enhance engagement. Emerging evidence suggests workplace physical activity may generate organizational benefits extending beyond health improvement. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate perceptions of engagement among employees participating in a physical activity intervention at work. A qualitative design, guided by phenomenology, examined perceptions of workplace physical activity and perceived levels of engagement, as well as constraints related to involvement among university …

From Pencil To Pixel: How Leadership Shapes Organizational Responses To Competence-Destroying Technological Change, Jennifer Underwood

All Dissertations

This dissertation examines how managerial leadership enables organizations to overcome inertia during competence-destroying technological change through a historical comparative case analysis of the animation industry's transition from hand-drawn to computer-generated imagery (CGI) between 1980-2000. Drawing on archival data from Disney, Pixar, and Don Bluth Studios, I identify three distinct leadership approaches—pioneering, bridging, and preserving—that differently influenced how workforces adjusted their views of identity, process, and change. These adjustments led to three different outcomes: transformative integration, constrained adoption, and entrenched resistance. This research makes three theoretical contributions and develops a novel framework that explains how leadership can constrain or enable transformation, …

Like Footprints In The Sand: How Founders Imprint Organizational Culture Through Nonverbal Cue Signaling, Dirk M. Roskam

All Dissertations

Despite growing recognition of the significance of founders’ behaviors in shaping organizational culture, limited research has explored how founders’ non-verbal cues (NVCs) imprint culture during a venture’s formative stages. This qualitative case study examines how a founder’s NVCs, ranging from physical environment design to gestures and demeanor, are interpreted by employees and contribute to the imprinting of organizational culture. Drawing on imprinting theory, signaling theory, and the Organizational Culture Profile (OCP), the study triangulates data from semi-structured interviews, a focus group, and a literature review. Findings reveal that employees interpret 24 salient NVCs, grouped into themes of environmental values, people-centric …

Transforming Childhood Adversity Into Executive Excellence: Impact On Firm Performance, Kimberly Byars

All Dissertations

Many successful business leaders have overcome difficult childhoods, yet little research has examined how early hardships might actually contribute to leadership effectiveness. This study investigated whether CEOs who experienced childhood adversity can transform these difficult experiences into strengths that improve their companies' performance.

The research surveyed 165 business owners across two groups: general business owners and automotive dealership owners. Participants answered questions about their childhood experiences, their ability to grow from trauma, and various psychological traits like grit, mental toughness, resilience, and growth mindset. Company performance data was also collected.

The findings challenge conventional wisdom that difficult childhoods necessarily harm …

Organizational Metamorphosis: When Artificial Intelligence Transforms Companies Into New Economic Life Forms, Allan M. Glass

All Dissertations

Traditional theories of organizational change fall short in explaining how artificial intelligence (AI) transforms organizations. This grounded theory study, based on interviews with 34 organizational leaders, identifies a novel phenomenon: organizational metamorphosis - the irreversible transformation of organizations into fundamentally new entities through deep integration with AI as a cognitive partner.

The metamorphosis process unfolds in three phases. Individual Awakening occurs when leaders experience powerful interactions with AI, prompting a rapid shift from skepticism to advocacy. Once a critical mass of leaders undergo this shift, it initiates Organizational Restructuring, characterized by reimagined work design, boundary dissolution, and altered temporal rhythms. …

The Dark Side Of Great Lmx Relationships: Why Your Best Employees Might Be Burning Out, Ryan Toole

All Dissertations

While workplace relationships are widely considered beneficial for employee well-being, a paradox emerges when employees with the strongest leader relationships experience burnout despite receiving excellent support. This contradiction suggests that these very same relationships may create psychological pressure to reciprocate support and result in employee burnout. Drawing on Social Exchange Theory and Conservation of Resources theory, I examine whether felt obligation resulting from Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) relationships contributes to employee burnout across the full spectrum of LMX quality relationships. I argue that LMX quality creates felt obligation to reciprocate leader support. This obligation, in turn, depletes emotional resources and leads …

Perceived Leadership Behaviors And Workplace Motivation: The Predictive Role Of Generational Cohorts In The U.S. Construction Industry, Leslie D. Klinegardner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which perceived leadership behaviors predicted workplace motivation among construction workers across generational cohorts in the Greater Houston, Texas area. Grounded in self-determination theory, the research explored how transformational, transactional, and passive-avoidant leadership behaviors predicted the satisfaction and frustration of psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness. The analysis also considered whether leadership behaviors and generational cohort served as significant predictors of workplace motivation outcomes. The study followed a quantitative, predictive, cross-sectional design using survey methodology. Data were collected using the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ) and the Basic Psychological Need …

Development And Validation Of The Informal Safety Leadership Measure, Ashley L. Gill

Dissertations

This research develops and validates a measure of the emerging concept of informal safety leadership (ISL), which integrates elements of safety leadership and informal leadership to address a significant gap in organizational safety literature. Despite extensive research on formal safety leadership, there remains limited understanding of how non-managerial employees influence safety practices and culture within organizations. This dissertation develops and validates a comprehensive measure of informal safety leadership through a sequential mixed-methods approach incorporating a pilot study and two additional studies. First, a pilot study employed focus groups with health, safety, and environmental professionals to identify key dimensions of ISL. …

Igda Foundation Alumni Weekend: Multiclassing For Better Leadership, Matthew Dyet

Staff Scholarship - Australia & Dubai

This talk was presented at the IGDA Foundation Alumni Weekend, an annual event that is run by and for recipients of the IGDA Foundation scholarship. The talk covered the fundamentals of leadership through the lens of multiclassing as covered in my book, Great Games Need Great Leaders.

Book Review: Building A God, Carl Lee Tolbert

The Journal of Values-Based Leadership

No abstract provided.

A Dynamic Leadership Approach In Different Situations And Contexts, Francois Kammoe

The Journal of Values-Based Leadership

This paper is one of the first to provide empirical evidence supporting the conceptualization of a dynamic leadership approach in which employee maturity and organizational dynamism help leaders make the right choice of leadership styles to improve employee job satisfaction. As business environments change and employee maturity differs in this dynamic business era, and as there is a chaos characterized by numerous leadership styles in the leadership literature, adopting a dynamic leadership approach has become important to identify the most effective leadership styles suitable for employees. A quantitative study using conditional process analysis was conducted to examine a dynamic leadership …

Crafting Ethical Problem-Solving Cultures: A Leader’S Role In Complex Adaptive Systems, Elizabeth A. Luckman

The Journal of Values-Based Leadership

In today’s complex and interconnected world, leaders play a critical role in fostering ethical problem-solving cultures within organizations. To enable leaders to succeed in this evolving landscape, this paper advocates for a necessary paradigm shift: a transition in mental models about how organizations function. Historically, organizations have been viewed as mechanistic systems, but there is a substantial opportunity to improve our work by viewing organizations as complex adaptive systems. This shift alters fundamental assumptions about organizational operations and redefines leadership as the creation of conditions for effective and ethical problem-solving. In this paper, I examine the changing mental models that …

Empowering Hispanic Managers In The Us Through Authentic Leadership, Emotional Intelligence, Resilience, And Mindfulness, Louise Kelly, Ehsan Danesh, Patricia Denise Lopez, James Okrah, Eissa Hashemi

The Journal of Values-Based Leadership

This research investigates the relationship between authentic leadership, Emotional Intelligence (EI), resiliency, and mindfulness among Hispanic Managers in the US, contributing to the understanding of authentic leadership and its antecedents, particularly in the context of Latinx leaders in the United States. The study suggests that emotional intelligence, resiliency, and mindfulness play key roles in the formation of authentic leadership, especially in the Latinx community, where cultural values such as familismo, personalismo, and collectivism may influence leadership styles. It highlights the potential benefits of these factors, including improved self-awareness, empathy, and the ability to overcome adversity, while also acknowledging challenges and …

What American Executives Can Learn From Japanese Leadership, Mostafa Sayyadi, Michael J. Provitera

The Journal of Values-Based Leadership

Japanese leadership has encompassed worldwide success. For example, Toyota is an example of a leading and successful Japanese company. With its new and creative ideas, this company was able to rebuild the marginalized image of Japanese vehicles in the international business scene and take a large share of the car market in the world. We identified 5 secrets of success and long-term survival of Japanese companies: strategy, social capital, new competencies, leadership development, and systems approach. We will examine each and address how CEOs can emulate the success of Japanese leadership.

Effects Of Seasonality On The Experiences Of Employees In Minor League Sports, Amanda Barefoot

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The temporal rhythms of sport organizations, driven by recurring cycles of in-season and off-season activity, create a unique organizational context that shapes decision-making, leadership behavior, and the experiences of employees. While seasonality is widely recognized in operational planning and revenue forecasting, its implications for organizational behavior in sport management remain underexplored. This three-paper dissertation examines seasonality as a temporal force influencing sport organizations at conceptual, strategic, and affective levels.

The first paper develops a sport-specific taxonomy of seasonality by synthesizing literature from econometrics, tourism, and organizational theory. It distinguishes between natural, internally institutionalized, and externally institutionalized seasonal influences, offering a …

دور العمل التطوعي في الإستجابة للكوارث والحوادث الكبرى في الدفاع المدني الأردني, بكر جميل الشنيكات

Journal of the Association of Arab Universities for Research in Higher Education مجلة اتحاد الجامعات العربية للبحوث في التعليم العالي

استعرض المقال الدور الحيوي للمتطوعين في الاستجابة للكوارث ضمن منظومة الدفاع المدني الأردني، مستندًا إلى نهج بحثي وصفي نوعي يعتمد على مراجعة معمقة للدراسات السابقة. ستكشفت الدراسة مساهمات المتطوعين في مختلف مراحل إدارة الكوارث والحوادث الكبرى، بدءًا من الاستعداد والتخفيف من المخاطر وصولًا إلى الاستجابة والتعافي. كما سلط البحث الضوء على الفوائد العديدة لمشاركة المتطوعين، مثل تعزيز القدرة الاستيعابية، وزيادة مشاركة المجتمع، والفعالية من حيث التكلفة. علاوة على ذلك، حددت الورقة التحديات والمجالات المحتملة لتحسين إدارة المتطوعين، مع التركيز على التدريب والتنسيق. وتؤكد النتائج على الحاجة إلى نهج أكثر تنظيما وتكاملا لإدارة المتطوعين لتعزيز الفعالية الشاملة للدفاع المدني الاردني في …

What Went Right And What Went Wrong: A Multiple Case Study Of Firefighters Surviving Life-Threatening Situations, Peter J. Gushee

PhD in Organizational Leadership

The present study explored the lived experiences of firefighters who survived life-threatening situations in burning buildings, examining how these experiences unfolded and the leadership structures that shaped those experiences. Employing A. P. Giorgi and Giorgi’s (2003) scientific phenomenological analysis, the present study identified the general structure of the firefighter survival experience, which was comprised of 11 constituents, highlighting survival as a dynamic, identity-bound process shaped by adaptive behaviors, internalized beliefs, and evolving situation-specific conditions. Leadership was found to operate at the systems, organizational, and group levels, enabling or constraining firefighter readiness, adaptation, and recovery. By integrating Safety-I and Safety-II perspectives …

The Influence Of Millennial Women In Leadership: Examining Emotional Intelligence And Motivations Of Millennial Women, Leah Gossai

PhD in Organizational Leadership

This quantitative study explored the relationship between emotional intelligence (EI) and motivation to lead (MTL) among millennial women in leadership roles. Using the Wong and Law Emotional Intelligence Scale (WLEIS) and the Motivation to Lead (MTL) framework, the research examined how four EI dimensions, self-emotion appraisal (SEA), others’ emotion appraisal (OEA), use of emotion (UOE), and regulation of emotion (ROE), relate to three MTL dimensions: affective-identity (AIMTL), social-normative (SNMTL), and non-calculative (NCMTL). Data were collected from 117 millennial women leaders across various industries in the United States. Results revealed a significant negative correlation between SEA and NCMTL, suggesting that those …

A Quantitative Study Of Presidents At Public And Private 4-Year Historically Black Colleges And Universities, Richard J. Gallot, Jr.

PhD in Organizational Leadership

There has been a notable increase in presidential turnover at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), leading to significant leadership challenges (Freeman & Gasman, 2014). Abrupt leadership changes create instability that impacts recruitment and retention of students, faculty, and staff, as well as overall morale on campuses (Gasman et al., 2010). Despite the importance of effective leadership, there is limited research specifically focusing on HBCU presidencies (Freeman & Palmer, 2020). Although the American Council on Education (ACE) has surveyed college and university presidents every 5 years since 1986, few studies have investigated HBCU presidents as a distinctive group. Existing research …

Servant Leadership In Empowering Marginalized Communities: A Qualitative Case Study Of A Nonprofit Organization With A Holistic Mission, April D. Mosely

PhD in Organizational Leadership

This qualitative case study examined the impact of servant leadership on organizational culture, service delivery, and long-term sustainability within faith-based nonprofit organizations serving marginalized and racialized populations. The research focused on the City of Refuge (COR) in Atlanta, Georgia, an organization with a holistic mission dedicated to life transformation through supportive services. Employing Greenleaf’s servant leadership theory as the theoretical framework, data were gathered via semistructured interviews with nine staff members and analyzed thematically. The findings revealed three primary themes: cultivating culture, cultivating compassion, and cultivating community. The results indicated that servant leadership positively influenced COR's capacity to foster trust, …

Fostering Innovation At Work: Leadership Strategies For Motivating Innovative Work Behavior Across Generations Within The Christian Higher Education Environment, Sarah Clark

Doctor of Strategic Leadership (DSL) Capstone Abstracts

Project Type

Organizational Consulting Project, Organizational Design or Change, Seminar or Workshop

Project Overview

This capstone project involved the design, facilitation, and evaluation of a strategic leadership workshop developed for mid to senior-level enrollment leaders at Southeastern University. Grounded in Self-Determination Theory (SDT), Innovative Work Behavior (IWB), and Transformational Leadership, the workshop offered a diagnostic and developmental experience designed to motivate innovation across generational teams within a Christian higher education setting. The workshop was structured to transition from research-based theory to data-informed strategy, helping leaders translate organizational insights into actionable plans.

Project Themes

Core themes included intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, …

The Back Page: Commentary: Going Non-Par: My Perspective, And 10 Lessons I’Ve Learned, Robert Antolak Dds

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

Dr. Robert Antolak shares his experience and ten lessons from transitioning his dental practice to a non-participating (non-par) status with insurance in January 2025, driven by declining reimbursements and the need to prioritize patient care. He highlights the unfairness of lower PPO reimbursements for newer dentists. Key lessons include securing a trusted coach, early patient communication, building a financial safety net, ensuring full team buy-in, committing with faith, tightening billing systems, frequent patient reminders, advocating for patients, creating an in-office payment plan (not percentage discounts), and clearly articulating the "why". Though revenue initially dropped, he anticipates full recovery, aiming to …

Moving Drives You Crazy, Michelle C. Dziurgot

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

The Editor-in-Chief shares her frustrating experience moving a dental office. Key challenges included dental insurances dropping the practice from networks during recredentialing, causing denied claims for 30-60 days despite no changes to tax ID or NPI. State regulations also required new payments for radiation tubes, rather than crediting previous payments, despite a reduction in equipment. Furthermore, dental supply companies and movers did not take responsibility for broken equipment during the move. Despite these "insane and archaic" hurdles, most patients transitioned, and the article concludes with a comprehensive resource list for practice address changes

Staff Matters: I Need To Fire Someone. Help!, Jodi Schafer Sphr, Shrm-Scp

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

Terminating an employee is a challenging and risky decision for "at will" employers in Michigan. This article provides best practices, starting with assessing legal risks like discrimination claims. It emphasizes the importance of documenting performance issues, feedback, and training provided, as well as adhering to employee handbook policies. Consideration should be given to offering severance packages, which may include pay in lieu of notice or a larger sum with a legal separation agreement. For the termination meeting, plan brief talking points, have a second person present, choose a quiet time, and ensure retrieval of practice property and removal of system …