Leadership Studies Commons^™

United We Rise, Alexander Averin

Helm's School of Government Conference - 2021-2024

No abstract provided.

Sacrificing Liberty For Security, Samuel Whatley Ii

Helm's School of Government Conference - 2021-2024

This paper attempts to address ongoing problems associated with the U.S. justice system as it relates to collaboration with state and local agencies. Also, some focus areas will include management, policy, and evidence-based programs that are needing to be addressed.

Lasting Lessons And Legacy Influences: Christian Leadership Characteristics Of Southern Baptists Who Overcame Jim Crow, Aabram G. Marsh

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The legacy of the U.S. Civil Rights Movement was the social change its protests inspired. However, its leadership and moral compass were set by Christian theologians and ministers. These leaders moved the nation to recognize the humanity of African-Americans, demonize the sin of racism, and motivate their fellow Americans to oppose Jim Crow segregation. The purpose of this qualitative grounded theory study was to examine and identify the Christian leadership characteristics of influential legacy leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention (Henlee Barnette, Billy Graham, Thomas Maston, Acker Miller, and Foy Valentine) who supported desegregation during the Civil Rights Movement. Further, …

A Model For Ongoing Leadership Development In Evangelical Generation Z Ministry Leaders, Jillieta Diane Norwood

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this grounded theory study was to explore the leadership preparedness and biblical worldview of Generation Z (Gen Z) Christian ministry leaders to inform the formation of a theoretical model for ongoing leadership development. Participants (N=7) were paid senior ministry leaders of Assembly of God churches in the Midwest region who were involved in the hiring process and ongoing development of paid Gen Z ministry leaders. Additional participants included ministry leaders who fell within the defined years of the Generation Z cohort (1995-2010) and who had been employed by the church for a minimum of six months (N=10). …

Biblical Servant Leadership And The Senior Executive Service (Ses) Role In The Federal Government: Quantitative Correlational Study, Eugene Quinn Jr

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Considering the traits of biblical servant leadership, this leadership style may be ideal for the entrusted federal government positions of the Senior Executive Service (SES). The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), SES, was created by Congress to provide a government mobile cadre of managers for the federal government. These federal government employees are the backbone of the executive leadership in the federal government. The SES is mandated to respect and adhere to the fundamental principles of ethical service (behaves in an honest, fair, and ethical manner). The SES are federal government employees and are the link between a federal …

Channel Overload: Can Less Be More?, Benjamin David Yarbrough

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative research study used a thematic approach and semi-structured interviews to explore the phenomenon of Channel Overload. The Cybernetic Tradition frames the study and Systems Theory guides the data analysis and the fundamental underpinnings of how communication functions. Systems Theory is used as the guiding theory as it provides a framework to evaluate how different systems work together, influencing each other and creating noise. This study shows the impact of Channel Overload on individuals and organizations. Further implications include concepts of organizational Channel Overload and suggest the need for internal strategic organizational communication policies to protect people and organizations …

Pastoral Leadership: The Importance Of Succession Planning Development And Transition In Our Local Churches, Michelle Renee Jenkins

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

A pastoral succession plan will address the issues of who will be responsible for leading the respective congregation if something happens to the current Pastor. Without clear direction, leaders leave their flocks in precarious positions. The problem is that churches may not have a concise succession plan to identify a qualified leader to take up the leadership mantle. The study will lay the foundation from a biblical perspective on the importance of identifying a leader’s successor and the advantages of providing a smooth transition for the assembly. The research will stress the importance of pastors not only identifying their successors …

To Stay Or Step Down: Assessing The Pastoral Qualifications Of Pastors With Prodigal Children, P. Kevin Garber

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The pastor’s home life is a reflection of his ability to effectively lead Christ’s church. Two seminal New Testament passages (I Timothy 3:1-7, Titus 1:5-9) address, among other qualifications, the behavior and testimony of the pastor’s children. This vital aspect of a pastor’s leadership within the home must be given important emphasis and due consideration. With an examination of the nuances of these two seminal passages, exploration of published literature relevant to this topic, and an in-depth investigation of three pastoral case studies, the writer will offer a resource for pastors and parishioners who are facing the dilemma of whether …

Church Revitalization: Strategies For Revitalization And The Importance Of Emotional Intelligence For Pastors And Church Revitalizers In The Frontier Baptist Association, Timothy F. Ireland

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The majority of Southern Baptist Churches in North America are plateaued or in decline. Without a new effective strategy for church revitalization, the largest evangelical denomination will close thousands of local churches. Knowing what to do and how to do it is critical for revitalization. The study presents a synthesis of research that reveals common factors present in plateaued and dying churches, strategies advanced for successful church revitalization, and church revitalizers’ qualifications. This project thesis included research concerning the utilization of emotional intelligence (EQ), EQ testing, and training. Pastors with high EQ are well suited for leading a church through …

Leadership Influence: Adoption Professional, Birth Mother, And Adoptive Parents’ Knowledge Of Open Adoption, Vicki K. Colls

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Adoption needs a minimum of three sets of participants: the birth mother, the adoptive parents, and the adoptive professionals. Being the adoption expert, the adoption professional leads all parties through the process of adoption. However, as adoption research grows, it focuses on the adoptee, birth mother, and adoptive parents but rarely on the adoption professional. As the central figure in the adoption process, the assumption is the adoption professional would be the primary influencer affecting the culture of adoption practices. The purpose of this quantitative descriptive, correlational study was to evaluate if a relationship exists between the adoptive professional's leadership …

Discipleship And Leadership: The Correlation Between Discipleship And Servant, Transformational, And Shared Leadership In The Marketplace, Daniel E. Gifford

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative correlational study explored the intersection of Christians in leadership positions who are not in full-time ministerial positions and the transformational nature of discipleship. It focused on determining if a correlation exists between a marketplace Christian leader’s involvement in a discipleship relationship and exhibiting characteristics of servant, transformational, or shared leadership in the marketplace. It did this by examining the concept of discipleship as currently practiced in today’s environment, comparing it with similar terms and practices prevalent in the literature, such as spiritual formation, mentoring, and coaching. It also reviewed three specific leadership styles, arguing that servant, transformational, and …

The Effects Of Leadership On Faculty And Staff Job Satisfaction And Affective Commitment In Health-Related Professional Programs, Vitasha Ali

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Leadership is an essential component of higher education institutions as it influences the organization’s ability to fulfill its mission and achieve its goals. Leadership is vital as it affects employees in various areas that may influence their ability to perform their professional duties. Leadership is aligned with the success of an organization and impacts the motivation of employees on their achievement to successfully accomplish the institution’s goal. Transformational leaders encourage individuals to support each other and the organization as a whole and creates an environment of trust, loyalty and respect for the leader by the followers. This leadership style may …

Understanding The Perceived Effect Of Chapel And Discipleship-Group Models In Christian Education, Bailey Humphrey

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Jesus’ final command before ascending to Heaven, otherwise known as The Great Commission, is detailed in Matthew 28:19-20. While the overall aim of Christian education is to provide students with an education from a biblical worldview, this education must expand beyond the academics taught in classrooms. Christian education should be equally concerned with making disciples of students who will then go forward to be disciple-makers themselves. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand the students’ perceived spiritual effect of chapel and discipleship-group models in Christian education. The data collected analyzed the positive and negative elements of the …

An Exploratory Sequential Mixed Methods Study Of Phronetic Administrative Competencies In Experienced Student Ministry Practitioners, Tripp Atkinson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

While the impact of a healthy student ministry in the local church is culture-shaping and eternally significant, many churches are not experiencing success in this ministry area. Among the many challenges modern student ministry face, a high turnover rate and perceived lack of competence among student ministry professionals contribute to this lack of sustained fruitful ministry (Devries, 2008). In many cases, the lack of competence is a primary contributing factor to the turnover. While a number of studies have identified the necessity of student ministry professionals possessing sound administrative competencies in sustaining success, a significant gap in the literature exists, …

A Phenomenological Study Of Scripture-Based Ethical Principles Embedded Within Corporate Leadership Practices, Steven T. Smith

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The ethical treatment of others within the corporate working environment is essential for that corporation's success. Ethical treatment of others applies to business transactions with customers and clients and engages the policies designed to formulate the ethical treatment of company employees. Although most major corporation documentation includes corporate code of conduct policies, the ethical principles used to define those policies and enact leadership based upon those policies are not always consistent. Four research questions defined the structure of this qualitative phenomenological study. The study’s purpose was to define the nature of Scripture-based ethics within the corporate environment. The theory guiding …

An Assessment Of Dropout Rates Of Former Student Ministry Participants In Self-Identified Evangelical Churches With 500-2000 In Weekly Attendance, Derik Wade Idol

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Over the last quarter-century, there has been a consistent call to reconceptualization and at times reject the youth ministry task resulting from the universally accepted church dropout statistic post-high school graduation. In 2008, Brandon Shields presented a falsification study that disproved the theory that high school graduates are leaving the church at a rate of 70-90% at Southern Baptist Megachurches. The purpose of this study was to examine the claim that 70-90% of youth ministry graduates are leaving the church by researching 17 self-identified Evangelical churches of 500-2000 in average church attendance. The research design was a quantitative replication study …

Toxic And Nontoxic Leadership: Examining The Relationships Among Variables In The Toxic Triangle, Barry Cushman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this combined quantitative experimental and ex post facto survey study was to explore the relationships between followers' perceptions of toxic and nontoxic leadership and how those relationships are associated with followers' self-reported follower variables, specifically, general self-efficacy (GSE), work engagement (WE), and job satisfaction (JS) with and without any effects of Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) in-group/out group status, organizational culture (OC), workgroup cohesion (WGC), and follower sex. Together, the three domains of the toxic triangle (leaders, susceptible followers, and environment) are believed to covary to support toxic leadership. Variables from all domains were assessed to explore how they …

A Case Study On How School Leaders Foster A Safety Culture In Secondary School, Breck Laster Perry

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this embedded single case study was to describe how school leaders foster a culture of safety in a secondary school in central Atlantic State. The central research question guiding this study was: How do school leaders foster a culture of safety in a secondary school? I conducted a single embedded case study at a top-rated high school that demonstrated a safety culture under the pseudonym of Chatantown High School. The conceptual framework undergirding this study was the Avolio and Bass full range of leadership model. Purposeful sampling was used to interview educators and educational leaders on-site, while …

Enhancing Success Through Leadership, Wendy T. Jewell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study sought to obtain a better understanding of how leaders influence the culture of the organization to enhance performance. A post-positive qualitative research case study was conducted at a state agency in the Commonwealth of Virginia. During this study, 13 semi-structured interviews were conducted with agency employees who participated on a project to implement a smart phone fuel application. This fuel application automated specific manual processes related to their fuel management program. While the fuel application project implementation was finishing, the interviews were conducted. During these interviews, participants provided their perspectives on leadership, communication, empowerment, project outcomes, lessons learned, …

A Model For Identifying, Developing, And Installing Elders In The Church: The Path Family Church Has Taken, Stephen Harrison

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The problem is that Family Church does not identify, develop, and install their potential elders well. This intervention research project addressed this problem by establishing prerequisites for elder identification, a seven-week elder training workbook, and guidelines for installation after the research project. Current elders at Family Church completed a questionnaire, participated in case studies, and evaluated their intervention project in a focus group to establish an effective method of identifying, developing, and installing potential elders. This intervention research project produced a list of prerequisites for identifying potential elders, a seven-week elder training manual, and clear guidelines for ordaining elders at …

Leadership Adaptability Within The Higher Education Industry, Rebecca Niemeyer Rens

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Dynamism in the higher education industry (HEI) has created unprecedented complexity and uncertainty for leaders at colleges and universities across the globe. The challenges to competitive advantage and sustainability created by dynamic conditions have been exacerbated and accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic and health crisis. HEI leaders are struggling to adapt antiquated and traditionally held methods and practices to navigate the rapid changes and survive the resulting chaos. The ability of leaders to adapt to dynamism in contemporary industry conditions is influenced by the external and internal environments; in term, these leaders’ capacity for change impacts the adaptability of the …

Effective Leadership In The Us Fire Service Requires Training Programs Geared Toward Ongoing Leader Development For All Personnel, Shelley Marie Wheeler

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the experiences of 50 personnel from four Metro Washington D.C. area fire departments, 23 firefighters and 27 officers, at varying experience levels and ranks to determine if there was leadership training throughout a firefighter’s career that enhanced their leader development, improving teamwork needed to achieve operational objectives. Based on the analysis of the data retrieved from the participants, the proposed research problem does exist within all four departments: leadership training may not be provided at varying levels of a firefighter's career within Metro Washington D.C. area fire departments which could …

Lead At Any Level, Will Gunzelman

Faculty Publications and Presentations

This presentation discusses the key leadership imperatives and leadership lessons learned in combat, which transfer to the corporate sector

•Keywords: leadership, team building, strategy, talent management, ethics, Christian leadership, combat, special operations, project management, employee retention, recruiting, planning, and risk management

• Author, Will Gunzelman: retired U.S. Army Special Forces (“Green Berets”) after 27 years of service and numerous combat deployments. – Adjunct professor of Business Strategy and Policy – Strategy, leadership, and operations consultant for senior executives

The Way Of Jesus: A Leadership Development Journey Within City Church Marietta, Eugene Fidell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The leadership of City Church Marietta has identified the need to create a leadership development process for adult volunteers. This is due primarily to the fact that the church does not currently possess a process that would accomplish this. In addition, there is a lack of understanding amongst the majority of the current volunteer leaders concerning what it means to be an apprentice of Jesus. The research will emphasize the the fact that apprenticeship and leadership are best understood when examined side by side. This research will propose a leadership journey, The Way of Jesus, as the remedy to this …

Enhancing U.S. Navy Chaplain Care For Sufferers Of Post-Traumatic Stress, Moral Injury, And Loss Of Purpose, Jonathan Michael Henderson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Currently, there is no standardized screening and counseling model that enables Navy Chaplains to counsel those with post-traumatic stress injury, moral injury, and loss of purpose. The shame associated with these three conditions is a significant contributor to Service Member suicide, mental health problems, and substance abuse. Chaplains are often the first line of care Service Member’s access because of the chaplain’s accessibility and legally protected complete confidentiality. U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Army veterans that completed at least one deployment were solicited to participate in this research thesis. Data was collected through participants’ completion of the Modified Military Moral …

Implementing A Discipleship Strategy At Open Door Evangelical Church, Samuel Odney

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This thesis project aims to address the lack of involvement of church members in leadership at Open Door Evangelical Church. With the implementation of a discipleship strategy that will coach those not involved, they will become true disciples of Christ and serve in the church with any ability they have received from the Lord. The researcher will use three different methods for data gathering, including surveys, focus groups, and interviews. Every Member of the church will participate in the survey phase of the project. Still, the bulk of the study consisting of focus groups and interviews will focus on members …

An Examination Of Leadership Development Practices Among Pastors Leading Hispanic Southern Baptist Churches In North Carolina, Dimas Enrique Castillo

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The Hispanic population's growth could be an opportunity and source of growth and renewal for many declining churches and denominations. However, accomplishing the God-given task of a church often requires a radical transformation of a church’s mission and operation. The purpose of this quantitative non-experimental descriptive study was to evaluate the understanding and comprehension among Hispanic pastors serving in the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina (BSCNC) of the specified principles of leadership, disciple-making, personal spiritual growth, and evangelism as delineated in the Leadership Development Models utilized in the BSCNC. The study sample was drawn directly from Hispanic pastors serving …

Creating Collaborative Missional Communities To Enhance Church Revitalization, Bradford William Reaves

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

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This project utilizes the revitalization efforts of Grace Community Church in Winchester, VA to examine the precedence of collaborative strategies for church revitalization. In this study contemporary literature, theological foundations, surveys of church leaders in the United States, and interviews with collaborative church and ministry leaders from around the United States are evaluated to determine the need for greater collaboration for the health and revitalization of church and ministries. The findings of this research argue that contemporary church growth strategies that emerged from the recent church growth movement may actually inhibit church revitalization efforts …

Understanding The Impact Of Intrinsic, Extrinsic, And Altruistic Motivation On Principal Persistence In An Urban School District: A Case Study, Kimberly Washington

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this case study was to understand the impact of intrinsic, extrinsic, and altruistic motivation on principal persistence in Aberdeen Public Schools (APS, pseudonym). Principal persistence is generally defined as a principal staying in each school for a longer period or the lack of change of a principal within a school. The theories guiding this study are Frederick Herzberg’s theory of work and motivation, Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, and Self-determination theory. The study focused on the following central research question: What are principal descriptions of their efforts to persist in their administrative positions in Aberdeen Public Schools? …

Engagement Of Millennials: Understanding The Decline Within Greater Hartford Area Churches, Victor Thomas

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

ecent trends reveal the sharpest decline in Church attendance in the Greater Hartford area has occurred within the population known as the Millennials. A question that is looming and of significance in this decade is what causes this generation to be attracted to some Churches and not others? Ten Protestant inner-city Churches within the Greater Hartford Area were studied to discover if there is a nexus between millennial participation, church leadership, and tools for equipping the millennial population of the church body. This study discovered several factors which impact millennial engagement which include, social influences, political ideologies, technology, and generational …