Leadership Studies Commons^™

The Impact Of Job Satisfaction On Retention And Motivation For Leadership Advancement Of The U. S. Citizenship And Immigration Services (Uscis) Millennial Supervisors, Kelvin Medlock

Dissertations

Purpose: This explanatory mixed-methods study aimed to identify the job satisfaction level of millennial supervisors at the five service centers of the U. S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Additionally, it identified the impact that job satisfaction levels have on their job retention and motivation for leadership advancement.

Methodology: An explanatory sequential design data collection method was used to identify and describe the level of job satisfaction of USCIS millennial supervisors. This Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ) was completed by the participants and was followed by an open-ended interview designed to collect in-depth data on job satisfaction factors’ impact on retention …

Leadership Doctorates Newsletter: Volume 8, Number 4, Larry Starr, Phd

Leadership Doctorates Newsletter (Formerly Strategic Leadership Newsletter)

In this Issue:

• Congratulations to Dr. Andrew Braverman and Dr. Michael Jones
• Complex and Strategic Leaders who have Graduated with DMgt or PhD Degree
• Emerging Complex and Strategic Leaders Working Toward Degree Completion
• Updated Doctoral Candidate Status
• Our New Home is the School of Business in the College of Design, Engineering and Commerce About the
• Academic Appointments Update: Larry Starr
• Strategic Leadership and Complex Systems Leadership Alumni
• Alumni Profiles : Reverend Dr. Valerie Andrews
• Research Project: Reverend Dr. Valerie Andrews
• Research Project: Carol Haines
• Congratulations to Derek Hunsberger

A Phenomenological Study On Church Leaders' Perspective Of Internet Church As A Biblical Community, Jason Lavon Rankin

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Current events and relatively recent technological developments have caused and significantly increased the use of digital technology in most aspects of life. The digital revolution, as some have termed it, has permeated all organizations, from businesses to institutions of higher learning, including religious institutions. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to determine Christian church leaders’ perspectives on whether the internet church fulfills the biblical and theological definitions of the church or biblical community. At this stage in the research internet church, also known as online church, e-church, virtual church, etc., is defined as a group of people with shared …

4-H Summer Of Stem: A Practical Approach To Increasing Workforce Readiness, Vernelle Mitchell-Hawkins, Jessica Mellon

Journal of Extension

4-H Summer of STEM is a workforce readiness program for high school youth. The goals of the program are to increase students’ interest in STEM careers, improve college and workforce readiness, and connect youth to businesses and industries in the local community. Selected youth receive hands-on development of workforce readiness skills, are paired with a STEM mentor for job shadowing, and participate in college campus visits. Preliminary findings show that participants reported having a positive relationship between participation in 4-H youth development programs and career skills. This article introduces the 4-H Summer of STEM and offers suggestions for implementation.

Activist, Entrepreneur, Leader: The Influence Of Social Justice Advocacy And Entrepreneurial Orientation On Leader Self-Efficacy, Kathleen Q. Johnson

Dissertations, 2020-current

This quantitative study examined individual entrepreneurial orientation and social justice advocacy as antecedents to leader self-efficacy in the complex and dynamic context of the opioid epidemic. Throughout history, leaders have emerged in response to societal challenges; leadership is not restricted to the boundaries of hierarchical, administrative, bureaucratic organizational frameworks. Complexity leadership theory and its recognition of leadership in complex adaptive systems provides an overarching framing. Five characteristics of individual entrepreneurial orientation were incorporated: risk-taking, innovativeness, perseverance, passion and proactiveness (Santos et al., 2020). Social advocacy activity was measured using the social issues advocacy scale (Nilsson et al., 2011). The dependent …

Pandemic Reflections: Stories Of National Ffa Student Leaders During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Theresa Seibel

Senior Honors Projects, 2020-current

The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic were felt by most every individual in the world, and the effects of the pandemic will have implications for years to come. Even still, it becomes necessary to capture the work and impacts of this life experience of those who lived and led during such a time. The National FFA Organization, with its student leadership, continued to deliver its mission of the organization during the pandemic. This project aimed to develop a digital narrative to contribute to the historical record of FFA officers’ experiences in the National FFA Organization during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The …

The Effects Of Active Shootings On 4-H Youth And Families, Melinda Garcia, Elizabeth Gangwer

Journal of Extension

The effects of active shootings should be a priority to provide needed assistance to 4-H youth and families in coping with their social-emotional well-being. Exposure to such violence can lead to lasting impacts on youth that can affect behavior. Addressing this sensitive topic is crucial in ensuring that Extension professionals are prepared to meet the needs of youth and families. Higher rates of depression, aggression, to name a few, are a result of having witnessed such events as a shooting. Providing training for Extension personnel can aid in reducing the amount of PTSD and other social-emotional trauma.

A Study To Determine The Most Important Leadership Skills For Entry-Level Public Health Practitioners, Taelyr Weekly

Theses & Dissertations

Objective: This study 1) identifies the top leadership skills needed for entry-level local public health department employees, 2) provides employee self-assessment ratings in importance, preparation, and proficiency of select leadership skills, and 3) compares the self-assessment and supervisor ratings of select leadership skills to assess how prepared and proficient employees are. Participants: A sample of positional leaders (n=15) from Nebraska’s local health departments provided results for the top leadership skills for entry-level local public health department employees. Employee self-assessment ratings (n=18) and paired samples of employees and supervisors (n=12) produced results on the importance, preparation, and proficiency of …

Cultivating Authentic Leaders: Toward Conceptual Coherence And Sustainable Practice, Yoshie Tomozumi Nakamura, Elizabeth Nutt Williams, Lori Pyle, Steven E. Grande

The Journal of Values-Based Leadership

The purpose of this paper is twofold. One is to better understand the contested construct of authentic leadership and its cultivation and practice. The other is to offer a conceptual framework for practicing sustainable authentic leadership. Based on a review of authentic leadership literature with a focus on its sustainability, we introduce a conceptual framework through a lens of an ecological model to capture the dynamics of individual and systems perspectives. Practicing sustainable authentic leadership is not a simple act; rather authentic leaders need to embrace paradoxes to navigate today’s complex systems and to find new ways to create positive …

Sustaining Ireland, Body And Soul: A Woman Leader's Story Of The Cooperative Movement, Elizabeth Summerfield

The Journal of Values-Based Leadership

This article tells the story of the Cooperative Movement in Ireland during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries from the perspective of one of its woman leaders. It does so in order to distil lessons for the contemporary thought leadership of sustainability from a period before the term was coined. It does so with the warrant of Albert Einstein:

The distinction between the past, the present and the future is only a stubbornly persistent illusion.

Its evidence base is historical literature, but its argument and analysis draw on recent research in leadership studies, neuroscience and theology.

Anishinaabe Values And Servant Leadership: A Two-Eyed Seeing Approach, Tori Mcmillan

The Journal of Values-Based Leadership

This meta-synthesis explores the connections between the Mishomis Teachings (also known as the Seven Grandfather Teachings within the Anishinaabe culture) and the principles of Servant Leadership. Through a systematic literature review of methodology and the theoretical frameworks of Two-Eyed Seeing and Ethical Space, The Mishomis Teachings and their connections to Servant Leadership are researched to answer: How is a Two-Eyed Seeing approach to Servant Leadership informed by Anishinaabe Values? The literature reveals significant connections between the Mishomis Teachings and Servant Leadership that provide an Indigenized perspective on values-based leadership practices. The implications of this study highlight a growing need …

Acting On The Pivot Point, Susan Vroman, Tiffany Danko

The Journal of Values-Based Leadership

When facing opportunities, effective leaders trod a path that effectively incorporates ethical and empathetic leadership considerations and characteristics to drive change. The actions and impacts of two very different women facing challenges as change moments each tie back to Kouzes and Posner’s traits of exemplary leaders such as model the way and inspire a shared vision (Kouzes & Posner, 2017). Rear Admiral Meredith Austin, United States Coast Guard (retired), and Patricia (Trish) Foster, Executive Director Emeritus of Bentley University’s Center for Women in Business have led transformative changes. Admiral Austin was crucial in coordinating the early-pandemic smooth return of the …

Kailua Canoe Club: A Values-Based Holistic Approach To Leadership, Peggy Peattie, Cristina Padilla, Maile Villablanca

The Journal of Values-Based Leadership

This qualitative case study of Kailua Canoe Club (KCC) on the island of O’ahu investigated the nature of leadership in a Hawaiian outrigger paddling community. Conversations with paddlers, coaches, and board members revealed a values-based holistic approach to leadership (Best, 2011). Those values were scribed into the club’s mission statement 50 years ago with the intention of establishing KCC as a space to connect with kupuna (respected elder) wisdom, develop paddling skills, and to honor the canoe, the ocean, and each other. A component of leadership kuleana (responsibility) is constant reflection on those values, and the mentoring of the younger …

Poem After The First Principle And Foundation, Shann Ray

International Journal of Servant-Leadership

A poem by Shann Ray Ferch.

What Does Leadership Expect From Me? Interpreting Leadership Through Meaning, Love, And Power, Courtney Yezerski

International Journal of Servant-Leadership

This essay aims to make the case that our dominant concepts of leadership are constraining, thus prohibiting us from meeting the higher meanings residing within leadership, namely love. Blinded by our “existential frustration” (Frankl, 2014, p. 71), we have existed within conceptual notions of leadership that contend for mediocrity and production rather than beauty, goodness, and love (hooks, 2001). The origins of leadership implore humanity to a new paradigm that seeks beauty, even where none is intended (Bolz-Weber, 2022), and takes others along. By examining the etymology of leadership and applying Viktor Frankl's (2006) concept of will to meaning as …

Leaning Away To Lean In: Aspirations Of Servant-Leadership Through The Tenets Of Giving Things Up, Listening, And Silence, Evan Wildstein

International Journal of Servant-Leadership

Frick (2011) inspires reflection when he notes, “We tend to believe that we must do something to solve a problem.” This is a powerful notion seen through the lens of modern life. Organizational life, especially, is full of action. Whether or not certain actions should be taken is largely a consideration of oughtness, though many believe as Frick suggests — that we feel we must do something. This belief has limitations, which we are wont to learn if we are receptive, irrespective of where we might be in our lives. While this may seem counterintuitive, leaning away from action to …

A Journey In Servant-Leadership, Larry C. Spears

International Journal of Servant-Leadership

Larry C. Spears explores servant-leadership, his own journey in servant-leadership, and the powerful significance of Philip Mathew's 2021 book Finding Leo.

The Follower As Servant, Jeffrey L. Mcclellan

International Journal of Servant-Leadership

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word leader? I imagine it conjures images of power and influence. Some think of wealth and status. Some think of specific individuals who represent leadership to them. Often leaders are thought of in very positive ways. Some might even say mythical ways (Bennis, 1999). Everyone wants to be thought of as a leader. In fact, research suggests most people do think of themselves as leaders (Laurent, 1978). Parents want their children to be leaders, not followers. Indeed, when someone says that one is a follower, it is …

Reaching Servant-Leadership Through The Journey Of Forgiveness, Kathryn Acorda Harlan

International Journal of Servant-Leadership

I was introduced to the true magnitude of forgiveness through a leadership course at Gonzaga University in the early summer of 2021. The basic definition and meaning of forgiveness was evident. However, understanding the value of forgiveness, as a recipient and giver was a new endeavor. We are introduced to forgiveness as early as preschool. However, to truly understand, recognize and practice forgiveness is a lifelong lesson and journey. Forgiveness is a process. Since this course at Gonzaga University, I have continued to research forgiveness and how it relates to human interaction, our physical and emotional health and how it …

Tracing The Nine Servant-Leadership Anthologies From 1995 To The Present, Larry C. Spears, Shann Ray Ferch, Jiying Jenny Song, Philip Mathew

International Journal of Servant-Leadership

In this article, Shann Ferch, Jiying Song, Philip Mathew, and Larry C. Spears share some thoughts and reflections on the series of nine servant-leadership anthologies on which they have had direct involvement to-date; and, to provide some background on how each book came to be published.

The Relationship Between Servant-Leadership And Employee Resilience, Aaron D. Wilkinson, Mark Rennaker

International Journal of Servant-Leadership

Liu et al. (2019) wrote, “resilience has become increasingly important for individuals, organizations and society to flourish in the uncertain, risky, turbulent and ambiguous world we live in today.” Resilience enhances the functioning of individuals, teams, and organizations (Britt et al., 2016). Workplace stressors lead to outcomes antithetical to resilience, such as burnout (Lee & Ashforth, 1996), poor physical and mental health (Beasley et al., 2003; Holden et al., 2010), absenteeism (Väänänen et al., 2003), intention to turnover (Chiu et al., 2009; Deery et al., 2010), anxiety, and depression (Melchior et al., 2007). In contrast, Robertson et al.’s (2015) review …

Next Generation Leadership: The Rise Of The Robot Servant-Leaders?, Jan G. Langhof, Stefan Güldenberg

International Journal of Servant-Leadership

People have always dreamed of a selfless servant, a machine that serves humans (Domaine, 2008; Mayor, 2020), a helper who frees people from heavy labor. This dream has inspired the common notion and understanding of the role which robots take in our society: The robot is humans’ servant. The origin of the English word robot lies in the Czech word robota, which can be translated as “servitude” or “compulsory labor”, describing the compulsory service in the context of a feudal system (Launius & McCurdy, 2012). Technological change progressed rapidly in the last few decades (Avadikyan et al., 2016). We have …

Love In Basketball: Transforming Inappropriate Power In Men's College Basketball Coaching Through A Servant-Led Response And Companionate Love, Adam Gierlach

International Journal of Servant-Leadership

In the summer of 2003, the Baylor University’s men’s basketball program was ripped apart when student-athlete Carlton Dotson murdered his teammate and roommate, Patrick Dennehy. While the details surrounding the events are still unknown, the abhorrent tale, which weaves a tapestry of drug use, gun violence, and unstable behavior, was held as an example of the moral decay of big-money college sports. And it remains the only known case of a student-athlete killing a teammate in the history of U.S. intercollegiate athletics (Wise, 2008). The story fails to simply end with tragic violence; investigations revealed deception, lies, manipulation, and an …

I Love Fred Moten, Shann Ray

International Journal of Servant-Leadership

A poem by Shann Ray Ferch.

Leadership And Paradox: The Role Of Servant-Leadership In Recognizing, Accepting, And Responding To Paradox, Jeffrey L. Mcclellan

International Journal of Servant-Leadership

As much as we would like to live in a world that is logical, straightforward, and simple, this is not the world in which we live. The world we inhabit is full of inconsistency, irony, and paradox. Improvement requires change, but the security needed to navigate change is rooted in stability. Diversity is both a powerful force for creativity and community and a source of tremendous myopia and conflict. We engage in in-depth strategic planning knowing that much of what we do to navigate our world once our plans are set involves deviating from those plans; and yet, the existence …

Servant-Leaders As Co-Laborers: A Field Philosophy Model, Jae Webb

International Journal of Servant-Leadership

In 2013, Professor R. Edward Freeman joked about his father’s sarcastic witticism in response to his choice of career. The joke is not that philosophy is a feckless art, but rather that its modern practice has been relegated to the realm of theory, with incredibly salient subject matter but a practice that is seemingly ineffectual in the everyday world. Justice is one such area of interest for philosophers; however, abstract theoretical or philosophical justice, especially in relation to environmental resources and in consideration of environmental relationships, is increasingly meaningless for contemporary society. Environmental injustice is lived and experienced, it is …

Leading From Within The Shadow Of Doubt: A Servant-Leader's Approach To Conceptualization And Foresight, Michael T. Von Behren

International Journal of Servant-Leadership

The fifty-four mile march from Selma to Montgomery through rural Alabama holds sacred space both geographically as well as on the list of the most iconic moments of the Civil Rights Movement in the United States. Thanks to the ongoing public service of Rep. John Lewis, who as a young man aided in organizing that march, the route is now a National Historic Trail offering interpretive centers and recreation areas for those seeking to learn from the trail blazing leaders of this country’s struggle for equity (National Park Service, 2020). Two marches bookend the trail’s history. The first, better known …

The Servant-Leader On The Battlefield: Themes Of Home, Ambition, Ethics, And Death In The Film 1917, Joe Walsh

International Journal of Servant-Leadership

Film provides a unique medium in which the audience can be engaged through many senses, asking viewers to participate in the storytelling beyond a passive consumption of the artform (Barsam & Monahan, 2016). As art acts as a reflection of reality and the human connection to the great unanswered questions, studying film is a powerful case-study device for leadership scholars and practitioners. “No well-made film is unable to teach us something about leadership because leadership is about conflict, choices, and integrity” (Carey, 2005). Leadership studies often looks at military structures and other perilous situations for leadership lessons in success or …

A Personal Remembrance Of Robert K. Greenleaf, Larry C. Spears

International Journal of Servant-Leadership

Larry C. Spears shares a personal remembrance of Robert K. Greenleaf. An earlier version of this remembrance was published in “The Servant-Leader” newsletter (1990). It later appeared as a chapter in Fortuitous Encounters by Paul Davis and Larry Spears (2013).

Servants Of The Times: Process-Relation And Complexity In Servant First Leadership, Michael T. Von Behren

International Journal of Servant-Leadership

A bus seat in the first Colored row, an unusual flood of White commuters, a testy bus driver, a recently minted young minister, and a U.S. court order for desegregation, none of these are static items. Each is a happening in itself. Each is the product of a precipitating flood of moments leading up to an event or more than an event, a protracted event that history has dubbed the Montgomery Bus Boycott. On the other side of the 381-day ordeal Martin Luther King Jr. emerged as the nationally recognized leader of the Southern Christian Leadership Council (SCLC) (Williams, 1996/2009). …