Leadership Studies Commons^™

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, …

Workshop Series: Reflections On An Emerging Leadership Journey, Sanjay D. Paul

Doctor of Strategic Leadership (DSL) Capstone Abstracts

Defense Date

April 1, 2025

Candidate Name

Sanjay Paul

Personal Email Address

[email protected]

First Advisor

Dr. Emile Hawkins

Second Advisor

Dr. Debra Dean

DSL Final Project Abstract

Project Type

Global Conference Presentation

Project Overview

Reflections on an Emerging Leadership Journey is a PowerPoint presentation (of approximately 3 hours and 15 minutes) which designed to connect glo al interests in a way that can share best practices across an interdisciplinary front. Sanjay Paul shares ideas, observations, educational, volunteer, and professional experiences, along with his growth in the leadership journey. This journey can serve as a catalyst for others who are on …

Adaptivity And Ethics In Educational Leadership: Improving Essa Subgroup Outcomes, Priscilla A. Green

Doctor of Strategic Leadership (DSL) Capstone Abstracts

Project Type

Educational Leadership

Project Overview

The project is a workshop/seminar with four components or sections: ESSA subgroups and factors of ethics and adaptivity, Ethical leadership and its applications in education, adaptive leadership and its applications in education, and combining ethical and adaptive leadership strategies to improve and increase ESSA Subgroup data outcomes. The project will include a workshop with educational leaders to help them understand and define strategies to support teacher training and practice in schools. The seminar encompasses both the initial and closing sections, featuring engaging self-assessments, data, and a focus on the organizational change in education. A …

Championing Change: Equipping Employees For Digital Transformation, Tracie Edwards

Doctor of Strategic Leadership (DSL) Capstone Abstracts

Title of Project: Championing Change: Equipping Employees for Digital Transformation Defense Date: March 5, 2025 Candidate Name: Tracie Edwards Personal Email Address: [email protected] First Advisor: Dr. Bethany Peters Second Advisor: Dr. Jolene Erlacher

DSL Final Project Abstract: According to various sources, 70% or more of digital transformation initiatives fail. Some authors believe the failures are due to “people” problems and the inability of organizations to overcome resistance or a lack of skills among employees. Many organizations also choose to downsize rather than skill up existing staff. However, doing so incurs costs, including the loss of business knowledge and the need …

A Guide For Spiritual Leadership And Christian Discipleship- Be Optimistic, Embrace Your Culture, Nurture Your Gift: Integrating The Beatitudes, The Fruit Of The Spirit, And Emotional Intelligence For Multigenerational Leadership, Adriane Smalls-Owens

Doctor of Strategic Leadership (DSL) Capstone Abstracts

Title of Project: A Guide for Spiritual Leadership and Christian Discipleship

Be Optimistic, Embrace Your Culture, Nurture Your Gift:

Integrating the Beatitudes, the Fruit of the Spirit, and Emotional

Intelligence for Multigenerational Leadership

Defense Date: April 8, 2025

Candidate Name: Adriane Smalls-Owens

Personal Email Address: [email protected]

First Advisor: Dr. Emile Hawkins

Second Advisor: Dr. Bethany Peters

DSL Final Project

Project Type: Manuscript

Project Overview: The book introduces the integrated concepts of Be Optimistic,

Embrace Your Culture, Nurture Your Gift as The B.E.N. Model

for Spiritual Leadership and Christian Discipleship by

integrating the Beatitudes, the Fruit of the Spirit, and Emotional …

From Pulpit To Policy: Transforming Latino Evangelical Communities Through Pastoral Civic Capacity Building, Mark A. Vega

Doctor of Strategic Leadership (DSL) Capstone Abstracts

Title of Project: One Day Seminar: From Pulpit to Policy: Transforming Latino Evangelical Communities Through Pastoral Civic Capacity Building

Defense Date: April 1, 2025

Candidate Name: Mark Vega

Personal Email Address: [email protected]

First Advisor: Dr. Emile Hawkins

Second Advisor: Dr. Bethany Peters

DSL Final Project Abstract: This project investigates the transformative potential of Latino evangelical churches in enhancing civic engagement and community advocacy through pastoral leadership. Utilizing Kotter’s 8-Step Change Model, the research identifies significant socioeconomic, cultural, and institutional barriers that impede civic participation among Latino communities. Through qualitative analysis involving Latino evangelical pastors and leaders, the seminar-based approach equips …

Provision Cfo: Empowering Strategic Financial Excellence For Small Businesses And Entrepreneurs, Cindra Vang

Doctor of Strategic Leadership (DSL) Capstone Abstracts

Project Overview

ProVision CFO offers strategic financial management solutions tailored to the unique needs of entrepreneurs, small businesses, and rapidly growing organizations. This project aims to equip clients with robust financial strategies and actionable insights necessary for sustainable growth, operational excellence, and long-term success. ProVision CFO provides comprehensive financial guidance including fractional CFO and accounting services.

Project Themes

The ProVision CFO framework encompasses three key components designed to optimize financial performance and organizational effectiveness. Component One—Strategic Clarity: Establishing clear financial goals aligned with organizational vision, mission, and values. Component Two—Financial Optimization: Providing accounting services to streamline financial processes and enhance …

Workshop Series: Embark On Your Journey Of Growth And Development, Heather Wilharm

Doctor of Strategic Leadership (DSL) Capstone Abstracts

Project Overview: Embark is a workshop series structured to assist entry-level associates in beginning, continuing, or restarting a journey of growth and development by offering each participant valuable knowledge, tools, and strategies to become a lifelong learner.

Project Themes: The curriculum consists of three steps, each with three to four modules. Step One—During Step One, each participant will understand their real (and true) needs, desires, goals, strengths, and everything else that makes you tick. Step Two—During Step Two, each participant will learn what it takes to optimize their performance which will inform their individualized growth and development plan. Step Three—During …

Personality Trait Theory And Combat Performance: A Retroactive Study Analyzing Combat Performance And Resilience Among Usaf Eod Veterans Of Iraq And Afghanistan, Michael C. Pasley

PhD in Organizational Leadership

The United States' national security depends upon high-performing leaders within select high-stress and high-risk military functional communities. However, research into the personality traits needed to perform well in these communities is lacking. This quantitative, retrospective, nonexperimental, correlational research aimed to determine whether relationships existed between the personality traits of Air Force EOD Team Leader Veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan and their combat performance and resilience. The theoretical foundation of this study encompassed personality trait theory, theories of human resource management and performance, and criterion measurement theories. The TAKE5 FC, a commercially available forced-choice five-factor model personality assessment, measured personality traits. …

A Framework For Retaining A Multigenerational Workforce, Steev Usungu

Doctor of Strategic Leadership (DSL) Capstone Abstracts

Voluntary employee turnover has become a prevalent concern in the modern global labor market. The exodus of competent talent makes it harder for organizations to meet their business objectives. Excessive turnover affects organizations' day-to-day operations, including their ability to compete in a global market (Allen al., 2010). The voluntary departure of highly skilled individuals can have significant organizational implications (Brown et al., 2015). The departure of highly skilled personnel can result in direct and indirect adverse expenses. Employee separation, recruiting, and onboarding are direct expenditures associated with worker turnover (Jannet et al., 2020). Indirect turnover costs include decreased group productivity, …

Does Athletic Participation Develop Followership Skills? A Case Study On The Development Of Followership Through Athletics, Sara M. Smith

PhD in Organizational Leadership

The role of athletes is to follow the lead of their coaches, captains, and other teammates while working towards the shared goal of team achievement. However, collegiate athletic participation is often attributed to the development of leadership skills. The purpose of this study was to advance the understanding of followership development within athletics. Further, I sought to understand better the perception of student-athletes and coaches on how athletic involvement contributed to the development of followership skills and leadership skills. The study was guided by research questions in which I asked if participants perceived athletic participation contributed to the development of …

Get Off The Fence, Craig Kellogg

Doctor of Strategic Leadership (DSL) Capstone Abstracts

Experiences are a powerful influence on future decisions. A person can learn from an experience and correct or change their behavior based on their experience. Others may not exercise insight from an experience and repeat behavior which may lead to more devastating experiences. Get Off the Fence is a book about a personal experience of surrendering to God through a journey of poor decisions and choices. The devious weapons of the enemy, such as pride, shame, and selfishness, penetrate a life rooted in Christ, and the results from these attacks lead to severe consequences threatening relationships, freedom, and life. GOF …

Leadership Prototypes And Cultural Variations Amongst Hmong Men And Women Working Professionals In Minnesota, Ying K. Yang

PhD in Organizational Leadership

Since arriving in the United States in 1975 as immigrants, the Hmong have faced many cultural challenges and were forced to adapt quickly. In 2011, the Hmong lost their last officially recognized leader, General Vang Pao. With the Hmong assimilating to the American culture, it is unclear whether their leadership prototype has changed due to cultural variation. This qualitative phenomenological study aimed to examine leadership prototypes and cultural variation amongst working professional Hmong men and women in Minnesota. Minnesota was chosen because it is home to the largest Hmong population in the United States. This study targeted understanding the lived …

Dimensions Of Transformational Leadership As Predictors Of Employee Creativity: The Moderating Role Of Job Satisfaction, Sarita R. Guillory

PhD in Organizational Leadership

The aim of this research was to determine whether the dimensions of transformational leadership predicted employee creativity, as well as whether job satisfaction strengthened this association through moderation. Findings in the existing literature exhibited mixed outcomes concerning TL’s impact on EC, requiring more empirical research. Many studies have employed moderating variables in search of potentializing a stronger relationship between TL and EC; however, no previous scholars have explored JS’s moderating capabilities between the variables. JS as a suitable strengthening variable between TL dimensions and EC is evidenced through unrelated research concerning TL’s impact on JS and JS’s impact on EC. …

The Southern Baptist Convention’S Perception Of Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion Compared To African American Pastors’ And Leaders’ Lived Experiences, Jeffrey J. Wallace

PhD in Organizational Leadership

The study of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is complex and multilayered. Similarly, the study of DEI within an ecclesiastical and ecumenical Christian movement like the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) has its challenges. Challenges and tensions surrounding the SBC, relating to women's leadership issues, the infiltration of partisanship and politics in the pulpits, racial injustice flashpoint moments, and the lack of ethnic diversity in a crucial leadership position have impacted the overall lived experience of African American pastors and leaders. This phenomenological study explored the Southern Baptist Convention's perception of diversity, equity, and inclusion compared to African American pastors’ and …

Tearing Down And Building Up In The Contemporary Workplace: How Reflective Writing Inspires Workplace Learning And Well-Being, Gina R. Pell

PhD in Organizational Leadership

Continuous learning is critical for workers and organizations, but traditional learning strategies may be less effective as constantly changing business demands and individual needs among diverse and geographically dispersed workers may create barriers to performance and sustainability. Although alternative learning approaches such as experiential and double-loop learning may introduce risks by uncovering new challenges, they may also benefit workers and organizations when designed to bolster empathy and encourage a better understanding of pressures and stress. Reflective writing is an adaptable alternative learning approach that can be paired with existing workplace learning strategies or tailored to specific needs and learning outcomes. …

Elevating Followers: Confirmatory Factor Analysis On The Revised Kelley Followership Questionnaire, Sherrie A. Lynn

PhD in Organizational Leadership

Every person is a follower, and followers and leaders are both equally important to the leadership process, yet followership literature pales in comparison to leadership literature. One problem was that followership did not have a valid and reliable selfassessment. The purpose of this study was to advance the theory of followership by conducting confirmatory factor analysis on the revised Kelley Followership Questionnaire (KFQ-R; Ligon, 2016) with data collected from employees at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The KFQ-R and three additional instruments to assess convergent validity were administered in December 2022. Data analysis included seven iterations of factor analysis conducted …

A Quantitative Study Of Authentic Leadership, Authentic Followership, And Organizational Commitment Within Christian Higher Education, Daniel E. Mcdonald

PhD in Organizational Leadership

Organizational commitment is an important component within Christian higher education, impacted by the words and actions of authentic leaders and followers. In a time when more people left their jobs or looked for new employment than ever before, it was necessary to identify contributing factors that built and detracted from organizational commitment within this context. In this study, the researcher explored the relationships between organizational commitment and authentic leadership and authentic followership from the perspective of followers within five institutions in the Council of Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU). The findings provided important context for current levels of connection between …

The Career Experiences Of Noninstructional Itinerant Staff In K–12 Public Schools With Demonstrated Longevity, Jessica Duncan

PhD in Organizational Leadership

Shortages in noninstructional itinerant staff (school nurses, school psychologists, school social workers) have been especially difficult for K–12 public school districts, as these individuals have critical responsibilities within the school setting that they are uniquely qualified to complete. Noninstructional itinerant employees face challenges such as isolation, role confusion, and high workloads that professionals who work in other settings or instructional colleagues may not encounter. They may also be impacted by their responsibilities related to meeting the increasing mental health needs of the students they support. The aim of this qualitative research study was to consider the experiences of 14 noninstructional …

Public Service Motivation, Years Of Public Service, And Distributed Leadership In Government: A Moderation Analysis, James Punchard

PhD in Organizational Leadership

This dissertation was an exploration of the effect that public service motivation (PSM) has on leaders’ distributive leadership style (DLS). Years of service as a leader in government for more than 5 years managing five or more employees was considered as a moderating variable, with the expectation that as years of service increased, the moderating affect it has on the relationship between PSM and DLS would also increase. This was a cross-sectional, quantitative research project employing a moderation model to address the extent to which years of public service moderate the potential statistical relationship between the distributed leadership style and …

Credit Union Servant Leadership Encourages Financial Literacy, Darrell Jensen

Doctor of Strategic Leadership (DSL) Capstone Abstracts

Project Type

Organizational Change Initiative

Project Overview

January 1, 2023, Midflorida Credit Union rolled out an online financial literacy platform to 1300 employees. April 1, 2023, as part of Financial Literacy month, it will be rolled out to over 400,000 members. This project supports Midflorida’s mission statement, “To improve the well-being of our members.”

Project Themes

The financial literacy project consisted of a three-phase rollout of planning, implementation, and future phases. Phase one established the teams, product review, and contract negotiations. Phase two was content review, modifications, security review, training, and employee surveys. Phase three is the servant leadership training …

Training Curriculum For Students With Disabilities (Ese), Carolynne P. Mather

Doctor of Strategic Leadership (DSL) Capstone Abstracts

Against All Odds Ministry, Inc. (AAOM) is a non-profit organization created by CEO and Founder Carolynne Mather. Carolynne's passion for serving the at-risk population dates to her years as a Preschool Owner providing moral and spiritual counseling to the young mothers of the children her facility provided care. Carolynne desired to mentor these women in a monthly meeting and guide them to see if they could move beyond their circumstances against the odds that faced them. The desire was to use the group meetings to write a book on women's success from this mentoring group. The group produced two parents …

Collegiate Team Sport Participation And Adult Leadership Development, Sarah Grai

PhD in Organizational Leadership

Collegiate sport requires significant investments of time and resources from universities, athletes, sponsors, and boosters; however, the leadership and leadership development benefits of collegiate sport remains relatively uncertain (Desrochers, 2013; Hardin, 2015; Wright & Côté, 2003). This study explored the impact of female collegiate team sport participation on self-perceived leadership development and leadership style. Research was conducted using qualitative methods, interviewing 12 former female collegiate rugby athletes, all no more than 3 years removed from their collegiate rugby experience. The aim was to understand how female collegiate athletes experience the process of leadership development, how participation influences an athlete’s perceived …

Towards A Model Of Leadership Development: A Case Study Of A Large Evangelical Church In Virginia, Kyle W. Kramer

PhD in Organizational Leadership

Ministry leaders are leaving the vocation in record numbers, largely due to a lack of intentional leadership development or preparedness for the challenges they face. These leaders require a formalized process for developing both the cognitive and behavioral aspects of leading in the local church that authentic and spiritual leadership comprise. The exemplar examined in this case study, recognizing similar challenges, implemented a leadership development process derived from components of both authentic and spiritual leadership. Over the span of just 3 years, the church experienced a nearly 20-point increase in employee engagement, earning them the title of Best Christian Workplace. …

House Church Leaders: A Multisite Case Study, Lance Croy

PhD in Organizational Leadership

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine house church leaders in situ within three typologies of home gatherings. Billings (2011) identified three stages of house church formats: (a) Oikos, where the congregants assemble in the home for a complete meal, including the Eucharist; (b) Domus, where the curate renovates and dedicates rooms in their homes for Christian usage; and (c) Aula, where rented facilities house larger gatherings, the liturgy becomes more formalized, and the Eucharist is no longer a full meal (Billings, 2011). House church leaders and congregants sampled fit the three typologies while addressing a gap in …

The Relationship Between Transformational Leadership And Organizational Citizenship Behaviors Of Bank Employees In The United States, Silas N. Reuben

PhD in Organizational Leadership

This study examined the relationship between transformational leadership and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) of bank employees in the United States. The study was necessary, as bank customers are urging banks to go the extra mile or engage in OCB to improve customer service given the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, which affected customers' use of bank services. The study used the 20-item MLQ Form 5X-short for transformational leadership and the OCB instrument developed by Podsakoff et al. to collect data from bank employees in the National Capital Region (NCR) of the United States. Pearson correlation analysis was conducted to …

Generational Differences In Assemblies Of God Ministers Regarding Assemblies Of God Doctrinal Beliefs, Darin S. Poe

PhD in Organizational Leadership

Ministers with a strong belief in the Assemblies of God’s Statement of Fundamental Truths and doctrine are essential to the future success and proliferation of the Assemblies of God mission and churches. This study aimed to assess and compare ministers’ denominational and doctrinal beliefs in the AGUSA by generational groups. The researcher examined the history and current literature concerning generational differences, varied religious beliefs and practices among the generations, the early history of Pentecostalism and the Assemblies of God in America, and specific characteristics of the Silent Generation, Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Millennials. The aim was to provide insights …

An Exegetical And Phenomenological Study Of 1–3 John As A Model For Developing Biblical Community Through Spiritual Leadership Practices, Joseph Pastori

PhD in Organizational Leadership

Pastors and church leaders have been trusted with the New Testament responsibility of building biblical community characterized by koinonia. For contemporary pastors, this means developing this community while addressing internal conflicts and an increasing level of opposition from a post-Christian societal culture. The leadership approach of the Apostle John and the biblical principles in the epistles of 1–3 John serve as a model for building and maintaining biblical community while addressing internal and external challenges. Spiritual leadership theory (Fry, 2003) and organizational culture (Cameron & Quinn, 2011; Schein, 1986, 1990) provide valid theoretical constructs that are compatible with the Scriptural …

Women In Stem: An Examination Of Career Commitment As A Moderator To Organizational Commitment, Patricia V. Rose

PhD in Organizational Leadership

Most research on women in STEM in the United States has revolved around retention, barriers, turnover intention, and underrepresentation in businesses, governments, and universities. This quantitative correlational study investigated whether career commitment moderated organizational commitment among women working in STEM careers based on independent variables of organizational justice and perceived organizational support. According to the U.S. Census Bureau (2020), in 2019, women made up 34% of the STEM workforce, or 12 million workers, and 52% of the non-STEM workforce, or 62 million workers. In 2006, President George W. Bush released the American Competitiveness Initiative for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics …

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. …