Leadership Studies Commons^™

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 …

The Influence Of Reparations, Internalized Oppression, And Racial Centrality Across Systemic And Psychological Factors Concerning The African American Community, Aimee L. Ford

The Scholarship Without Borders Journal

The purpose of this paper was to utilize the literature to better understand how reparations have a causal effect on, (a) internalized oppression; (b) racial centrality; (c) systemic inequity; and (d) mental health outcomes within the African American community. Reparations are examined through both monetary gains and the significance of societal recognition of the history of African chattel slavery. In addition, the White versus African American wealth gap is utilized to display the relationship between unpaid reparations and contemporary economic oppression. The findings illustrate the causal effects of unpaid reparations that were demonstrated throughout the literature to have negative consequences …

God’S Plan For Life: Training Drill Sergeants To Better Serve Their Neighbor By Developing Moral Character Utilizing The “Transformational Moral Leadership” Model, Matthew Christensen

Doctor of Ministry Major Applied Project

Instances of moral failure within the U.S. Army raises the question of whether an individual’s character may be developed and improved by utilizing a moral decision-making process. If so, is it possible to measure this improvement? From a Lutheran perspective, is it possible to improve moral character without appealing to the boundaries provided by God’s Word and a Christian community influencing the spiritual dimensions of one’s life.

This project set out to build upon an eighteen-hour Transformational Moral Leadership training model being utilized to strengthen the moral character of drill sergeants at Fort Benning, Georgia. The project allowed me as …

The Significance Of Sonic Branding To Strategically Stimulate Consumer Behavior: Content Analysis Of Four Interviews From Jeanna Isham’S “Sound In Marketing” Podcast, Ina Beilina

Student Theses and Dissertations

Purpose:
Sonic branding is not just about composing jingles like McDonald’s “I’m Lovin’ It.” Sonic branding is an industry that strategically designs a cohesive auditory component of a brand’s corporate identity. This paper examines the psychological impact of music and sound on consumer behavior reviewing studies from the past 40 years and investigates the significance of stimulating auditory perception by infusing sound in consumer experience in the modern 2020s.

Design/methodology/approach:
Qualitative content analysis of audio media was used to test two hypotheses. Four archival oral interview recordings from Jeanna Isham’s podcast “Sound in Marketing” featuring the sonic branding experts …

Reaching For The Stars: A Constructivist Investigation Of Astrology As A Tool For Self-Discovery In A New Age Of Leadership, Cameron Martin

Dissertations

To fully understand leadership in today’s world, we need a radical reconceptualization of the developmental process required to lead. Changing paradigms demands new perspectives on leadership; these new paradigms suggest leaders must turn inward and develop knowledge of their inner selves to realize their full potential as leaders.

Astrology is an ancient way of knowing and making sense of the world and one’s place in it that provides benefits to many people in our modern world, despite fervent academic, religious, and scientific criticism. Astrology is more than a divination tool. It is an entire epistemology of self in relation to …

An Exploration Of Skills And Competencies To Develop Tiny Tasks For A Sustainability Mindset, Migielia Ga De Rooij

Creativity and Change Leadership Graduate Student Master's Projects

The Journal of Environmental Psychology and Human Ecology Review have produced various articles about the relationship between values, environmental attitudes, happiness, and sustainable lifestyles. Research shows that a change of individual behaviors and lifestyles is generally considered to be of vital importance for making the transition to a sustainable society. This project explored the individual skills and competencies that are needed to develop a Sustainability Mindset, also referred to as the 12 Sustainability Principles in the book The Sustainability Mindset Principles: A Guide to Developing a Mindset for a Better World written by Isabel Rimanoczy in 2021. The first result …

Anxiety & Icebreakers, Sara Jurkiewicz

Honors Projects

Icebreakers are a common activity conducted at colleges and universities at various times during a student’s career. They may be performed at orientations, class meetings, in student organizations, and even in jobs. Anxiety can arise from participants in icebreakers for various reasons and as anxiety is a health concern, it is important to consider the impact icebreakers can have on students. Anxiety is related to shyness and sociability of a person as these traits can impact how a person participates in life.

Understanding Why Some Whistleblowers Are Venerated And Others Vilified, Christopher D. E. Atkinson, Eric D. Wesselmann, Daniel G. Lannin

Heroism Science

Whistleblowers are individuals who witness a moral infraction committed within their organization and report this infraction publicly to hold the group accountable. Whistleblowers often face ridicule, vilification, and exclusion both within their group and sometimes within broader society. Thus, whistleblowers put themselves at personal risk to adhere to their moral code and protect others; these criteria commonly classify someone as a hero. We argue diverse reactions to whistleblowers are influenced by numerous situational factors that influence perceptions of a whistleblower’s intentions as well as the expected consequences of their whistleblowing. Whether a whistleblower is viewed as a virtuous reformer (i.e., …

The Impact Of Burnout On Career Commitment Among Physicians, Clergy, And Law Enforcement During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Quantitative Study, Christopher L. Clem

PhD in Organizational Leadership

The long-term effects of the COVID-19 crisis among helping professionals such as physicians, law enforcement officers, and clergy remain unknown. The strain and enormous stress encountered by these professionals are profound and concerning (Benham et al., 2020; Greene et al., 2020; Stogner et al., 2020). In this study, the researcher explored the effects of burnout (emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment) on career commitment among helping professionals including physicians, law enforcement officers, and clergy during the COVID-19 pandemic. Further, the findings provided insight on the general causes and effects of burnout including possible solutions to counter its effects. Additionally, the …

Buddhist Ethics As A Path: A Defense Of Normative Gradualism, Javier S. Hidalgo

Jepson School of Leadership Studies articles, book chapters and other publications

This essay defends a new interpretation of Buddhist ethics: normative gradualism. According to normative gradualism, what we have normative reason to do depends on our stage along the Buddhist spiritual path. The essay shows how normative gradualism can justify distinctive features of Buddhist ethics and reconcile consequentialist and eudaimonistic interpretations of Buddhist moral thought.

Exploring The Impact Of An Online Leadership Course On Japanese Undergraduates' Conceptions Of Leadership, Ryosuke Watanabe

Dissertations

Today’s complex problems transcend borders and require a collective and adaptive learning response. Literature suggests that, because the traditional hierarchical or positional style of leadership cannot effectively address problems we face today, leadership should take a more collaborative and systemic form. Rost (1991) characterized this new approach as the postindustrial paradigm of leadership. Unfortunately, changing the existing conception of leadership is not easy. Furthermore, assessing people’s leadership perceptions is challenging because leadership is often a tacit and latent construct. Because formal leadership education is still in its infancy in Japan, little is known about the impact of leadership education in …

In Pursuit Of Important Goals: Nostalgia Fosters Heroic Perceptions Via Social Connectedness, Margaret A. Kneuer, Jeffrey D. Green, Scott T. Allison

Heroism Science

Research on the theoretical order causally linking heroism to social connectedness and inspiration does not exist to our knowledge (Allison & Green, 2020). We propose that nostalgia is a source of heroism because of the social nature of nostalgic memories. We designed two studies, one correlational and one experimental, to test how nostalgia relates to pursuit of an important goal, through increasing social connectedness, heroic perceptions, and inspiration. Online participants completed an ordinary writing task (Study 1) or were randomly assigned to either a nostalgic or ordinary writing task (Study 2), followed by measures of social connectedness, heroic perceptions, inspiration, …

Curb Your Heroism: How Larry David, An Old, Bald Misanthrope, Won The Hearts Of Millions, Scott T. Allison, James K. Beggan, Olivia Efthimiou

Heroism Science

For eleven television seasons, viewers of the series Curb Your Enthusiasm have been witness to a main character in Larry David who paradoxically displays attributes that are both endearing and revolting. This article offers an analysis of Larry David’s character with the goal of ascertaining his heroic nature, specifically focusing on whether he best meets the scientific criteria for a hero or for an antihero. Drawing from the literature of heroism science, we examine a large body of evidence from episodes of the series supporting arguments for both heroism and antiheroism in Larry’s character. Consistent with definitions of heroism, Larry …

The Effects Of Team Surface-Level Diversity On Creativity & Innovation, Roman Mitchell

Faculty Publications

During the last 20 years, the global marketplace has become more competitive due to increased globalization, aggressive market competition, and changing customer demands. This has forced organizations to assemble teams with diverse knowledge, skills, and abilities to remain competitive. However, previous meta-analytic investigations examining the relationship between team surface-level diversity (i.e., race or gender identity), creativity, and innovation have indicated a small negative relationship. Despite the said positive effects of team diversity, theory and empirical evidence suggests that increased surface-level team diversity leads to decreased team collaboration, team cohesion, and diminished creativity and innovation (Bell, 2007).

This study explores the …

Cognitive Offloading Strategies And Decrements In Learning: Lessons From Aviation And Aerospace Crises, D. Christopher Kayes, Jeewhan Yoon

Journal of Human Performance in Extreme Environments

Examples from aviation and aerospace illustrate the potential consequences that emerge when organizations replace learning from experience with technology, a process referred to as a cognitive offloading strategy (COS). Examples include the Air France Flight 447 crash involving an Airbus 330-203 and the Lion Air Flight 610 crash involving a Boeing 737 Max. From the perspective of human performance in extreme environments, COS represents an underexplored source of organizational vulnerability which presents a particular challenge for learning in organizations. Decrements in learning result from COS because COS creates gaps in procedural knowledge and deprives operators of opportunities to learn in …

Niche Diversity Predicts Personality Structure Across 115 Nations, Patrick K. Durkee, Aaron W. Lukaszewski, Christopher Von Rueden, Michael D. Gurven, David M. Buss, Elliot M. Tucker-Drob

Jepson School of Leadership Studies articles, book chapters and other publications

The niche-diversity hypothesis proposes that personality structure arises from the affordances of unique trait combinations within a society. It predicts that personality traits will be both more variable and differentiated in populations with more distinct social and ecological niches. Prior tests of this hypothesis in 55 nations suffered from potential confounds associated with differences in the measurement properties of personality scales across groups. Using psychometric methods for the approximation of cross-national measurement invariance, we tested the niche-diversity hypothesis in a sample of 115 nations (N = 685,089). We found that an index of niche diversity was robustly associated with …

Healing Racial Injustice With Mindfulness Research, Training, & Practice, Danielle "Danae" Laura

Mindfulness Studies Theses

This thesis offers a collection of authors and studies in support of improved research, training, and practice connecting mindfulness with racial justice through intergroup applications. The paper identifies barriers at work (e.g., colorblindness, spiritual bypass, white fragility, and implicit bias) in contemplative science, Western Buddhist communities, and secular mindfulness centers, which block the sizeable contributions possible in studying the intergroup application of mindfulness practice—specifically Lovingkindness Meditation, among others—when used as an intervention with anti-racist aims. Through secondary qualitative research, I reviewed six key works from Black authors on mindfulness and race, as well as six sample studies on the prosocial …

Turning Teams Of Champions Into Championship Teams: A Thematic Analysis Of Identity Entrepreneurship In College Football, Marlee Johnson

Honors Program Theses

Identity entrepreneurship, a leader’s active construction of a shared team identity, has become a pertinent research topic in sports leadership (Slater et al., 2015; Steffens et al., 2018) In line with social identity theory and the social identity approach to sports, recent research suggests that identity entrepreneurship is how leaders have the capacity to turn “teams of champions into championship teams” (Fransen, et al., 2015b, p. 98; Rees et al. 2015). This study was conducted to examine the difference in how the head coach of a championship team and the head coach of a non-championship team constructed social identity over …

The Dynamic Negotiated Exchange Model Of Heroism And Heroic Leadership: Lessons From The Covid-19 Pandemic, Scott T. Allison, James K. Beggan

Interdisciplinary Journal of Leadership Studies

This article proposes a new model of heroism and heroic leadership that conceptualizes the exchange relationship between heroic leaders and the recipients of heroic action as dynamic and negotiated. Previous exchange models portraying heroic leadership exchange as static and passive are shown to be inadequate under conditions of major societal upheaval. Underlying the Dynamic Negotiated Exchange (DNE) model is the idea that equitable hero–recipient exchange during times of societal crises becomes strained and subject to negotiated revision. The terms of the negotiation are first manifest in media dialogue and then translate to individual or structural reforms offering more equitable exchange …

The Social Cognitive Model Of Leadership Perceptions: Proposing A Dynamic, Integrated Theory Of Leadership Identification And Appraisal, Leah Howard, Justin Travis

University of South Carolina Upstate Student Research Journal

This paper is an exploration of the relationships between the stereotype content model, implicit leadership theory, and leadership behavior theory with a focus on illuminating the elements held in common by these three theories and identifying the positive implications of integrating these theories into an inclusive social cognitive model for future leadership research.

After briefly summarizing the three focal theories, we highlight the correspondence between them. We then establish the importance of organizing these theories into a comprehensive model which can be used to understand and explain leadership from a cohesive, multidimensional approach. In proposing such a theoretical model, we …

A Diagnosis Of Well-Being: A Phenomenological Study Exploring Women Resident Physicians’ Perceptions Of Their Personal Experiences With Occupational Burnout And Attending Physicians’ Leadership Styles, Tabia Graham Richardson

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative, hermeneutic phenomenological research study explored the shared lived experience of occupational burnout and wellness in female Resident Physicians. The phenomenon was explored to identify if the Residents believed their Attending Physicians’ leadership styles ameliorated or exacerbated their feelings of occupational burnout. The theoretical frameworks of Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory (Gardner, 1977) and Positive Psychology (Seligman, 2019) were used to examine the Residents’ ability to navigate their workplaces. Virtual, semi-structured interviews were conducted to gain a perspective of the female physicians’ residency experience and to learn how each felt their Attendings’ leadership styles impacted them. The hermeneutic phenomenological approach identified …

The Persistence Of Safety Silence: How Flight Deck Microcultures Influence The Efficacy Of Crew Resource Management, Kimberly Perkins, Sourojit Ghosh, Julie Vera, Cecilia Aragon, Adam Hyland

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

The majority of First Officers and Captains feel that Captains establish the tone of the flight deck microculture. However, the majority of these pilots also report that as First Officers, they have hesitated to share safety-pertinent data and/or experience being silenced after sharing safety data due to a psychologically unsafe flight deck. Utilizing direct feedback from industry pilots, we explore ways that Captains can create a more inclusive microculture that elicits safety voice. The safety system designed to enhance crew collaboration, Crew Resource Management, fails to adequately establish tools for designing a psychologically safe flight deck. We conclude that Crew …

Theater And Peacebuilding In Post-Conflict Settings: Participants’ Experiences In The Morning Star Theater Program In South Sudan, Shiphrah Mutungi Akandiinda

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This dissertation explores the role of theater for peacebuilding in post-conflict settings through the analysis of experiences of participants in the Morning Star Forum Theater for Peacebuilding in South Sudan. Arts-based activities, including theater, have increasingly gained momentum as viable interventions for peacebuilding in post-conflict zones. Much of the existent research fails to capture the experiences of the theater participants themselves. Using narrative inquiry, this study interviewed 12 community members who participated in the Morning Star Forum Theater event. In particular, this study focused on how experiences of Morning Star Theater events impacted interpersonal growth and relationship-building, thus positively impacting …

From Me To We: A Phenomenological Inquiry Into Group Beingness, Stacey K. Guenther

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

To be human is to be a member of myriad groups. The universality of groups in our lives poses an important area of study for social scientists investigating human flourishing. Additionally, inquiring into the evolutionary potential of groups may begin to inform new ways of addressing the intractable issues we face as a human species. While most empirical studies of groups focus on group performance, or group doingness, this study explored group beingness and the experience of manifesting deep union and oneness, which is an intersubjective phenomenon that has been called coherence. Intersubjective coherence is often written about from a …

Integrating Interpersonal Neurobiology In Healthcare Leadership And Organizations, Lynn Redenbach

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Interpersonal Neurobiology (IPNB) is an interdisciplinary, science-based field that seeks to understand human reality including the nature of mind, brain, and relationships. IPNB has been used extensively by mental health practitioners as well as child development and parenting experts. While practitioners and scholars have described ways that IPNB can be used in leadership and organizations, there has been no systematic inquiry into the practical and phenomenological experience of this application. IPNB offers an alternative to dominant models of care and leading in healthcare settings and fields, which are characterized by disconnection, objectification, and separation. It offers a relationally centered approach …

The Relationships Between Dimensions Of Inclusive Leadership And Aspects Of Employee Engagement: Crucial Connections For Organizational Success, Rosalind F. Cohen

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

In light of the current economic conditions in the United States brought about by the COVID pandemic, the war for talent is at a high point, and the acquisition and retention of qualified employees are highly competitive. Because employees want to feel challenged by their work and need to feel a sense of belonging, organizations that create engaging and inclusive cultures are at an advantage and need to understand how leadership behaviors can impact these cultures. This three-phased exploratory concurrent mixed-methods research study posed two questions to bring light to the relationship between Inclusive Leadership, Employee Engagement, and individual or …

Mothers Leading By Example: Maternal Influence On Female Leadership In Kenya, Catherine Chege

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This qualitative research aimed to study the experiences of Kenyan female leaders and explore Kenyan maternal influence in their lived experiences. It examined how maternal influence shapes female leadership in Kenya by embodying relational and transformational leadership qualities and proves that maternal influence makes women congruent with leadership roles. Despite global advances recognizing the principle of women’s political, economic, and social equality, Kenyan women continue to be marginalized in many areas of society, especially in leadership and decision making. Kenyan women also continue to rank very low in their communities’ social hierarchy, yet they play a critical role in their …

Education For Citizenship: A Study Of The Effects Of Cocurricular Student Philanthropy Education On Prosocial Behavior, Félix José Alonso

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The purpose of this concurrent mixed-methods study is to explore the use of student engagement and cocurricular student philanthropy education as an approach to awareness raising and as a mechanism for creating a culture of philanthropy among college students. This dissertation is a synthesis of the review with a consensus that student engagement and cocurricular student philanthropy education create greater awareness, learning, and intentions around philanthropy and prosocial behavior, as well as increased instances of making charitable contributions and civic engagement. The study concludes that student engagement and cocurricular philanthropy education are effective mechanisms for creating a culture of giving. …

Locating Uncertainty In Hospital Leader Sensemaking And Sensegiving Of Organizational Change: A Single Case Study, Sara E. Barry

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Leaders planning strategic change face significant ambiguity and uncertainty due to the complex, fast-paced, and volatile nature of organizational life. What one leader sees as an opportunity, another may view as a threat depending on their past experiences, their existing mental models, and their perceptions of uncertainty. Sensemaking and sensegiving theories provide a framework for how leaders retrospectively make sense of new and disorienting information through recursive cycles of interpretation, action, and learning, and seek to influence the meaning-making of others towards a shared vision of the strategic change. Despite decades of research using these theories, studies have yet to …

Click-Enter-Send: The Relationship Experiences Of People Who Are Blind Or Visually Impaired In Text-Based Workspaces, Kelly Bleach

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Companies have increasingly turned to text-based communications to recruit, hire, and manage a distributed remote workforce. For people who are blind or visually impaired, this movement presents both challenges and opportunities for attaining and retaining employment. Does the potential isolation of telework have a negative effect on workplace relationships for people who are blind or visually impaired? Does participation in text-based workspaces mitigate stereotypes and stigmatization experienced by people with visible disabilities? Using a constructivist grounded theory framework, this study explored how people who are blind or visually impaired experience relationships in text-based workspaces. Building and maintaining social connections and …