Leadership Studies Commons^™

Refining Albert O. Hirschman’S Model: High-Performance Employee Covert Behavior Toward Organizational Identity Change, Lisa Christine Bahar

Theses and Dissertations

This explanatory single case study revisited economist and philosopher Albert O. Hirschman’s (1970) exit, voice, and loyalty (EVL) model to explore two covert scenarios, which included how and why a high-performance employee stays silent and turns to apathy and neglect amid organizational identity change. A case study focused on Elon Musk’s Twitter, Inc. takeover was selected with a cross-case analysis procedure for validation and reliability. The unit of analysis was one high-performance employee and one organization that both served as an archetype for each unit. The study focused on occurrences before and during the takeover from June 2019 through July …

Navigating Leadership As A Black Woman In The United States Space Industry: An Exploration, Rogena Thurber

Theses and Dissertations

This phenomenological study explored the ontological perspectives and leadership experiences of Black women in the U.S. space industry, employing an intersectionality conceptual framework. The research aimed to understand how Black women navigated their paths to leadership at the intersection of gender and race within Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs) in the U.S. Space Industry (USSI).

Following a pilot phase to refine the research approach, eight one-hour, one-on-one interviews were conducted with Black women leaders from seven major USSI organizations in Southern California (LibGuides, n.d.). The study probed participants' leadership approaches, educational backgrounds, access to opportunities, and professional development experiences.

Emotional Intelligence …

Leading Organizational Learning Through Stories In U.S. “Big Technology” Companies, Stephanie R. Voss

Theses and Dissertations

Storytelling is becoming increasingly influential across various domains, particularly in executive education and leadership development, where it plays a crucial role in the concept of leadership as performance (Gonzalez & Chakraborty, 2012). Storytelling in the classroom setting provides an opportunity for learners to embed elements of narrative and identity in classroom pedagogy (Edwards et al., 2013). In the professional context, employees construct meaning in their workplace by hearing and/or participating in stories (Echeverria et al., 2017).

This qualitative exploratory study investigates the influence of storytelling in driving organizational learning. The research focuses on the U.S. Big Technology (Tech) sector, home …

The Phenomenon Of Collaborative Leadership At Gensler: Work-Life Balance Of Co-Leaders, Chidimma Abuka

Theses and Dissertations

This mixed methods phenomenological case study investigates the lived experiences of co-leaders operating within a male-female leadership dyad, with a particular focus on how collaborative leadership influences work-life balance. As organizations increasingly explore shared leadership as a strategy for adaptability and innovation, the co-leadership model - defined by the equal sharing of roles and responsibilities - offers a compelling alternative to traditional hierarchical leadership structures. Grounded in shared leadership theory (Pearce & Conger, 2003) and dual leadership theory (Hasija et al., 2017), this study examines the dynamics of co-leadership within a global architecture and design firm, shedding light on the …

A Practical Theology Of Change: Community-Centered Leadership For Congregational Transformation In Evolving Contexts, Kevin W. Vanhook Ii

Theses and Dissertations

Communities worldwide have been dramatically and rapidly changing, with more of the world’s population expected to live in urban settings by 2030. Christian churches that failed to adapt to their communities’ mergent needs experienced stagnation and decline, while those that survived and thrived rethought their strategies for engaging with their respective communities. Research indicated that churches focusing on achieving and sustaining congregational health and vitality had the potential to defy the prevailing trends of church decline. However, there was a lack of research regarding best practices for doing so. Therefore, this study identified the practices used by ministers of Christian …

Best Practices In Leadership In Probation, Ronamae Panganiban

Theses and Dissertations

Research indicates that leadership in law enforcement is a continuous learning process (Birzer et al., 2016; Davies & Heysmand, 2021; Niles et al., 2024; Roberts et al., 2016). Due to the complex structure and changing environment, leadership responsibilities fall upon multiple individuals in a chain of command (C. Davis, 2020; G. W. Garner, 2016; Sienkiewicz-Malyjurek, 2016). The research study aimed to identify best practices for leadership in law enforcement that leaders employ that make them successful. It used a phenomenological qualitative design and purposive sampling method to obtain a sample size of 15 participants. The study utilized a semi structured …

Experiences Of Exemplary Supervisors Promoting Workplace Dignity Across Social Identity Differences, Emily Joy Aiken

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Imagine a workplace where supervisors centered the dignity of each unique individual and sought to honor each person in their wholeness. This type of work environment moves beyond a toxic culture to a space that fosters flourishing, growth, and inclusion. Given that supervisors play an integral role in the experiences of staff members, this study explored the experiences of supervisors in promoting workplace dignity across cultural differences within higher education. With a focus on relational practices and a positive framing, this research sought to develop a nuanced understanding of dignified leadership across social identity differences. Leveraging a constructivist grounded theory …

Black Birth Work As Radical Praxis: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Inquiry Of Leadership Among Black Birth Workers, Lesa C. Clark

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This hermeneutic phenomenological study explores the leadership experiences of Black birth workers (BBWs), revealing critical insights into leadership dynamics within maternal healthcare. Through a theoretical framework integrating African feminism, Black feminism, and anti-racist feminism, the research examines how BBWs conceptualize and enact leadership through embodied, relational, and liberatory approaches. This study addresses a significant gap in leadership literature, particularly regarding generational knowledge and practices of BBWs, which remain understudied despite their vital role in Black maternal healthcare. This study reveals distinct leadership perspectives and methodologies through in-depth interviews with eight BBWs and a detailed interpretive analysis. The findings contribute to …

Psychological Safety And Belonging In High-Risk Search And Rescue Teams: A Mixed-Methods Study, Sarah Seiler

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Wilderness search and rescue (SAR) volunteers and teams are essential for the safety of outdoor adventurers, and yet, organizational culture has not been studied closely within this population. While extensive research is available regarding psychological safety in corporate and healthcare environments, the role of psychological safety in high reliability teams, like wilderness SAR, is limited. Organizational belonging is a burgeoning research area that has yet to be explored in wilderness SAR. This mixed methods phenomenological study increased the understanding of the experience of psychological safety and organizational belonging in wilderness SAR volunteers. Initial quantitative statistical analysis that utilized t-tests, correlation …

Beyond Strong: A Phenomenology Of Women Executives And The Connection Between Leadership And Fitness, Nozomi Bullock

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Senior-level executive leaders’ work in a dynamic, competitive, 24/7 business environment can be physically rigorous, mentally demanding, and emotionally isolating. The same holds true for women pursuing senior-level leadership roles in corporate America. Women who achieve and succeed in such roles remain the minority: Outsiders in elite spaces who are held to higher standards and overly scrutinized. Among senior-level executive women leaders, those committed to a fitness and training regimen including weightlifting constitute an even smaller minority. Senior-level executive roles require stamina, resilience, and courage—qualities that make up the foundation of the mindset of fitness and strength training (Foyster et …

Advancing Accessibility In Higher Education: A Community-Based Approach To Addressing Rising Student Accommodation Needs Requests In The Post-Covid-19 Era, Mariah Lossing

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Accommodation requests for students with disabilities have increased in higher education over the past decade, with the sharpest rise occurring in the post-COVID environment. Most requests over the past five years have been related to mental health. Faculty, especially adjunct instructors, often lack access to training and resources that address the growing challenges efficiently and effectively. Faculty are balancing academic rigor with flexibility and accessibility while universities experience increasing pressure to retain both students and faculty amidst rising demands and resource limitations. This study explored a community-based approach to addressing accessibility and professional development in the changing landscape of post-COVID-19 …

The Survival Of An American Theater: An Intrinsic And Historical Case Study Of The Success Of Arena Stage, Kay Oliver

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Arena Stage was founded in 1950 in Washington, DC, by Zelda Fichandler, Tom Fichandler, and Edward Mangum. Today, Arena Stage serves a diverse annual audience of more than 300,000 people. It is the largest theater company dedicated to American plays and playwrights in the country. This study presents a single intrinsic historical case study of Arena Stage to examine the internal organizational structure and leadership dynamics that guided the theater through seven decades of turbulent American history. Arena Stage has provided world-class programming while the nation was grappling with the Vietnam War (1950–1975), Brown v. Board of Education (1954), political …

Embracing The Both/And: Learning From The Lived Experiences Of White Facilitators Of Racial Equity Workshops, Alicia M. Wargo

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This study focuses on the lived experiences of seasoned White facilitators of racial equity workshops to understand how they navigate the complexity of occupying a White racial identity while working to challenge the belief systems of white supremacy ingrained in themselves and others. Through applying Critical Race Theory as a framework to grounded theory methodology, this study examined whiteness as a sensitizing concept in micro, meso, and macro levels of analysis, situating this dissertation in the theoretical exploration of the multifaceted and pervasive nature of whiteness. Much of the research on racial equity work examines White participants in nascent stages …

Inner Life, Spiritual Leadership, And Spiritual Well-Being As Predictors Of The Organizational Performance Of Employees At A Seventh-Day Adventist University In Latin America, Patricio Ordoñez

Dissertations

Problem

While traditional leadership models, such as transactional and transformational leadership, have shown success, recent research highlights the need for leadership approaches that address the spiritual and ethical dimensions of individuals in the workplace. Leaders who fail to integrate spiritual leadership risk negatively impacting employee satisfaction, creativity, and overall organizational performance. Despite the well-established concepts of inner life and spiritual well-being, more research is needed to understand their effects on employee performance in faith-based institutions. This study sought to fill that gap by examining the relationship among inner life, spiritual leadership, and spiritual well-being as predictors of organizational performance among …

The Importance Of School Leadership Practices In Social-Emotional Learning Of Elementary And Secondary Schools, Janice Filer Ph.D.

The Scholarship Without Borders Journal

Abstract: The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to interview school administrators in the Los Angeles area who utilized social-emotional learning programs in their individual schools. Since the worldwide pandemic, schools have emphasized the importance of social-emotional learning. This research was conducted in an effort to provide school administrators with additional strategies to support the importance of social-emotional learning. In-depth interviews were conducted to collect leadership practices. The data was collected during the Spring 2024 and Summer 2024 school calendar year. Seven participants completed the interview process. Four themes emerged from the data including the importance of equity, belonging/relationships, …

The Leadership Identity Presented On Linkedin, Carl L. Tolbert

The Journal of Values-Based Leadership

LinkedIn has evolved in a way similar to other social media platforms but is unique in that it focuses on professional networking and careers. Many professionals seek to showcase their leadership skills and philosophies as part of a publicly showcased online persona. This paper aimed to examine the posts specific to leadership and thematically investigate presentation strategies, motivation, and purposes behind the posts. The paper begins with a historical review from the inception of LinkedIn through pivotal milestones in the history of the company. Key concepts from the literature are then reviewed specific to social media use and motivations behind …

Higher Education And Women In Leadership: Gender-Based Training For African American Women In Transformational Leadership, Chavon Anette Freeman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Christian African American women in leadership have unique lived experiences. Although God calls women to lead, they often meet challenges in ministry and the marketplace. Developing into a great woman in leadership requires intentionality and preparation. This study explored the perceptions and perspectives of Christian African American women in senior leadership roles in ministry and wider corporate America. The qualitative research revealed the need to address gender and racial issues in higher education, develop gender-based training, and further transformational leadership development. The research design utilized interviews with ten open-ended questions to collect data. The study focused on Christian African American …

Participation As Preparation: A Phenomenological Study Of Black Greek Letter Organization (Bglo) Members In The Workforce, Letasha Carrie Mcfarlane

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore how membership in a Black Greek Letter Organization (BGLO) impacts the experiences of Black professionals in overcoming obstacles in the modern workforce. This study utilized a qualitative, phenomenological design to capture the lived experiences of 10 BGLO members working in federal military and educational organizations in the United States. Participants were recruited through purposeful sampling, and data were collected via open-ended questionnaires, semi-structured individual interviews, and a focus group. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis, which revealed four major themes: (1) Utilization of Opportunities to Overcome Workplace Challenges, (2) Cultivation …

Biblical Followership In The Local Church: A Phenomenological Study, Terrence M. La Masters

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative phenomenological study explores biblical followership in the local church context by examining the followership construct formed by followership and leadership distinctives. Followership, often overlooked in the leadership process, is typically not considered equal to leadership in purpose, process, or impact. While Kelley’s comprehensive model of followership from 1992 has been widely recognized, this study specifically focuses on the first formal theory of followership proposed by Uhl-Bien, Riggio, Lowe, and Carsten in 2014. This theory highlights the interconnected nature of leadership and followership and the integrated behaviors of followers and leaders, is particularly relevant in the local church setting—a …

The Heart Of The Matter: Prioritizing The Mental & Emotional Wellbeing Of Pastoral Leaders, Ashley M. Herron

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Pastoral leadership is a unique and peculiar leadership vocation. It is unique and peculiar in its expectation that those in the pastoral leadership vocation should operate in multiple roles. It is also particularly unique in its experience of occupational stressors. The pastoral vocation is considered by many to be the single most stressful occupation in the United States and perhaps around the world (Thordarson, 2022). Although pastoral leaders are experiencing mental and emotional stress and distress at high rates, they are not seeking help at the same rate. Research indicates that pastoral leaders are reluctant and slow in pursuing care …

Exploring Mindfulness Within Leadership Development: A Phenomenological Study, Amardeep Kaur

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Leadership is a key to success in a complex, rapidly changing world. While scholarly and organizational interest in mindfulness is growing within the leadership and leadership development space, it remains largely unexplored from the leader's perspective. This phenomenological study explored how leaders perceived and described their mindfulness experiences within their leadership development. This exploratory research used a transcendental phenomenological approach (Moustakas, 1994) to capture their self-expression through in-depth, semi-structured interviews. Day's (2000) conceptual framework on leader and leadership development guided the study. The participants were recruited from organizations based in the U.S. that offer mindfulness-based programs, snowball sampling techniques, and …

Leadership Emergence And Factors Preventing Emergence Of Elders In The Churches Of Christ In The Ledzokuku Municipal Assembly, Francis Brown

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the persistent absence of formally appointed elders in five Churches of Christ within Teshie in the Ledzokuku municipal assembly, Ghana, despite these congregations’ existence for over two decades. The research seeks to critically examine the factors contributing to the inability of long-serving leaders to align with biblical qualifications. Utilizing a case study methodology, the research examines leadership emergence within the congregations, exploring the discrepancy between tenure and adherence to scriptural standards, and emphasizing the causes and implications for leadership effectiveness and spiritual integrity that facilitate or obstruct the ordination of elders. The study employs a qualitative research …

Removing Barriers To Create Sustainable Leaders In Extension: The Odyssey Of Leadership Development, Lauren Griffeth, Joel Burnsed

Journal of Extension

Leadership development programs are an exploratory journey that develop Extension faculty to better themselves in service to the organization. In an effort to mitigate potential barriers for participants, it is imperative that organizations work to create conditions conducive for success. We posit barriers for extension professionals include, participants having a fixed-mindset (Dweck, 2016), time constraints (Lindle, 2015; McAlearney, 2006), and the employee burnout epidemic (Fisher, 2018; Seppala & Moeller, 2021). Proactively working against common negative influences, sets up leadership program participants to become more fully immersed in learning and subsequently have a better chance for a positive behavior change.

A Role Discovered: Exploring Northwell Health's Patient Experience Structure And Leadership Characteristics, Agnes Barden, Nicole Giammarinaro, Natalie Rousseau, Carolyne Burgess

Patient Experience Journal

Examining the evolution of healthcare, leaders in patient experience (PX) have played a pivotal role in shaping a more compassionate and human-centered landscape. This three-part multi-modal descriptive study aimed to investigate shared traits, skills, and characteristics among PX leaders in hospital settings. Employing a transformational leadership self-assessment tool and a guided interview process, recurring themes surfaced. The majority of participants reported employing a transformational leadership style. PX leaders emphasized the significance of communication, empathy, adaptability, teamwork, presence, and relationship-building in their roles. While hospital executive leaders had a slightly varied perspective on essential PX leader skillsets, they underscored the importance …

The Peace Project: Creating Elementary School Peace Spaces And Places, Whitney Mcintyre Miller, Annmary S. Abdou, Cristie Suzukawa Clancy, Kelly Stephens

Education Faculty Articles and Research

Introduction: This pilot case study paper demonstrates how school programming can be aligned and enhanced to better create a climate of peace on an elementary school campus by utilizing an integral peace leadership lens. Working collectively as a Peace Leadership Advisory Group, the elementary school leadership team, and the university research team helped to align existing programming and explore and implement new programming to create a comprehensive plan for bringing peace ideas together at the elementary school level.

Methods: This pilot was a single case study that utilized Participatory Action Research. Data were collected through observation, survey, and interviews with …

The Perceived Effect Of The Cliftonstrengths Assessment Of Christian Leader Self-Awareness, Daniel Lee York

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the perceived congruence between the coached CliftonStrengths (CS) assessment model and leader self-awareness (SA: internal, external, and spiritual) as described by the participants (Creswell & Creswell, 2018). The theory behind this study was emotional intelligence, with specific attention on self-awareness and its import to general leadership theory (Antonakis et al., 2009; Bar-On et al., 2000; Goleman, 2019; Higgs, 2002; Eurich, 2017).

A selective phenomenological study was utilized because the author evaluated leaders’ perception of the effect of CS on their SA or “What is it like to experience such-and-such?” (Leedy …

Leadership In The Age Of Advanced Technology, Matthew Brancatelli

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Invention has been the catalyst for societal advancement, altering human occupations, changing the business world, and bringing geographically separated societies closer. This case study research looked at the impact of advanced technologies on business leadership—digital transformation reshaping every aspect of the business world, including the people, processes, and platforms. An interview guide (Appendix A) was used with open-ended questions to gain insights into the problems and issues faced in manufacturing related to technology's impact on business leaders and the actions and behaviors an organization can develop to be better prepared to address emerging technology. The insights gathered in this study …

Identifying Effective Leadership Styles Among Winning College Head Football Coaches: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study, Valin Kattoula

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to discover and interpret the successful leadership styles of winning college head football coaches (HFC) in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The theory that guided this study is Bass’s (1995) transformational leadership theory. The central question asked, “What are the lived experiences of winning college HFCs leadership initiatives?” The study used a hermeneutic phenomenological design where HFCs participated in interviews and a focus group and submitted a writing prompt response to obtain the lived experiences about proven winning leadership styles. The study’s findings identified sixteen themes and five sub-themes. The sample …

Scoping Out Leadership Opportunities And Motivational Factors Of Doctor Of Physical Therapy Students, Laura Stephens, Ronald Childress

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to open investigation into the scope of leadership opportunities available to students at a physical therapy educational program and to identify factors that motivated students to pursue leadership development opportunities during their pre-professional education. Methods: This qualitative study utilized semi-structured interviews to investigate the experiences and perspectives of current and former student leaders. Participants were queried regarding what leadership opportunities were available to them and what motivated them to pursue those specific roles. Results: Findings revealed the scope of leadership development opportunities included experiences within and external to the Doctor of Physical Therapy …

An Explanatory Study Of Toxic Leadership And Servant Leadership Related To Organizational Culture And Behavioral Trust, Daniel Timothy Thames

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative ex post facto correlational study was to determine if a relationship exists between followers’ perceptions of toxic leadership and servant leadership as they relate to organizational culture and behavioral trust as measured by the Toxic Leadership Scale (TLS), the Servant Leadership Questionnaire (SL-7), the Organizational Culture Scale (OCS), and the Behavioral Trust Inventory (BTI). Toxic leadership was evaluated through the framework of Padilla et al.’s (2007) toxic triangle and Thoroughgood et al.’s (2012) susceptible circle of followers of toxic leaders. Exploring the theoretical context of toxic leadership, this project studied the effects of toxic leadership …