Leadership Studies Commons^™

Leadership Department Newsletter: December 2015 - January 2016, Andrews University

Leadership Department Newsletter 2016

No abstract provided.

Do Employees Want To Work For Authentic And Vulnerable Leaders And What Prevents Leaders From Going There, Annette R. Abel

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Studies have shown that most employees want to work for vulnerable and authentic leaders. Many leaders do not want to show their personal side of their lives and what they face as a leader. Some leaders are fearful they will look weak or too emotional if they show their true thoughts and emotions and are willing for others to see them. Vulnerability is taking emotional risks, where people can see who you really are. Leaders have the power to make a positive impact and sometimes want to make decisions without making connections with their employees. Some leaders do not have …

Understanding Religious Leaders’ Motivations For And Perceptions Of Interfaith Collaboration, Michelle Hansmann

All College Thesis Program, 2016-2019

This thesis presents the results of an exploratory study examining reasons why religious leaders participate in interfaith collaboration. I conducted in-depth interviews with religious congregational leaders in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, in an attempt to identify their professional and personal motivations, and the organizational pressures influencing participation. Interfaith collaboration consists of intentional constructive cooperation and positive interactions among individuals or institutions of different religious traditions. Interfaith initiatives occur throughout the world at the local, national, and international level. Despite the growing increase in faith-based collaborations, there has been little research examining why religious leaders and congregations choose to participate …

Turning To Case Studies As A Mechanism For Learning In Action Learning, Denise O'Leary, Paul Coughlan, Clare Rigg, David Coghlan

Articles

Case studies are a useful means of capturing and sharing experiential knowledge by allowing researchers to explore the social, organisational and political contexts of a specific case. Although accounts of action learning are often reported using a case study approach, it is not common to see individual case studies being used as a learning practice within action learning sets. Drawing on a network action learning (NAL) project, this paper explores how the process of coaching, articulating, authoring, sharing and editing case studies provided a vehicle for learning and research within a NAL set. The intended contribution of this paper to …

Revolutionary Technologies: Praxical Time As A Way Of Overcoming Reification, RóIsíN Lally

Leadership Studies Faculty Scholarship

This article argues that by recognizing the fundamental relationship between praxical time and dwelling as a matrix of interweaving modes of being, society can subvert the potential reification of humanity by technology. This can only be achieved through a democratic process that involves participatory agents not only at the design level but also in the event of naming future innovations. By looking at the work of Alain Badiou, it is shown how a fusion of Heideggerian-inspired phenomenology and speculative ontology is critical for the advancement of social theory, as revolutionary technologies become increasingly immersive.

Ua12/2/16 Spirit Masters Class Of 2016-2017, Wku Spirit Masters

WKU Administration Documents

WKU Spirit Masters' booklet with photos and brief biographies of members.

• Beck, Kapri
• Bonzo, Madison
• Bunnell, Matthew
• Bush, Johnny
• Carter, Michaela
• DeLozier, Hayden
• Devore, Sherah
• Ellis, Cathryn
• Fields, Sierra
• Gaiko, Katherine
• Guelde, Molli
• Hall, Katherine aka KJ
• Harshbarger, Dalton
• Hillenmeyer, Daniel
• Jones, Haley
• Layne, Devin
• Linder, Ellen
• Lord, Haley
• Marcum, Sam
• Mize, Mallory
• Murray, Chelsea
• Pride, Emily
• Ravishankar, Nikil
• Reynolds, Logan
• Shelton, LaRosa
• Smith, Kyle
• Starks, Destiny
• Suggs, Sarah
• Thompson, Ali
• Vaughn, Mallory
• Webb, Jordan
• Wilson, McKenzie

Ua12/2/2 2016 Talisman - Life More Life, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

2016 Talisman yearbook.

• Paris, Rachel. Dawn of Delta Zeta
• Ziege, Nicole. Kick It to the Limit – Soccer
• Paris, Rachel. Immersion: Band
• Houston, Emily. Immersion: Dance
• Paris, Rahcel. Immersion: ROTC
• Ziege, Nicole. Immersion: Theatre
• Holt, Delaney. Major Pride – WKU Majorette Style Dance Team
• Houston, Emily. Hollow Spike – Volleyball
• Moscoe, Carrie. The Intergallactic Tightrope – Elliott Talkington, Theatre & Dance
• Gilliam, Ashely. Tops on Top – Cheerleaders
• Young, Kreable. A Grand Adventure – Grand Canyon, Outdoor Recreation Activity Center
• Voorhees, Jessica. Home Team Advantage – Track & Field
• Homecoming
• Sproles, Katherine. Saddle School – Dylan Davis, Rodeo
• Sims, Bryna. …

The 12 Steps Of Addiction Recovery Programs As An Influence On Leadership Development: A Personal Narrative, Mitchell Friedman

School of Education Faculty Research

My participation in a 12-step addiction program based on the principles and traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) has been critical for my leadership development. As I worked to refrain from addictive behaviors and practiced 12-step principles, I experienced a shift from individualistic, self-centered leadership towards a servant leader orientation. I thus consider the 12-step recovery process, which commenced in 2001, a leadership formative experience (LFE) as it had the greatest influence on my subsequent development. My experience of thinking about and rethinking my life in reference to leadership and followership lends itself to a personal inquiry. It draws on work …

High-Level Creativity For Nonprofit And For-Profit Organizations: Inspiration Or Perspiration, Leslie Hennessy

School of Leadership and Education Sciences: Faculty Scholarship

Creativity is valued as an essential human ability. For much of recorded history, the ability to produce creative outcomes has been seen as a gift bestowed rather than as a capacity commonly existing in humans. In more recent times, however, research has suggested that there are a number of personal attributes commonly present in individuals who have established a reputation for being creative in their respective fields. Findings from a recent research study support this assertion. The eight participants in this study were high-achieving and highly creative individuals who had received the prestigious MacArthur Foundation award for creativity. They work …

Tribal Gaming Leader Strategies Toward A Sustainable Future, Janie A. Hall

2010-2016 Archived Posters

One aspect of leadership strategy is the need to account for the core values of the organization. The purpose of this case study was to explore the perceptions of tribal gaming leader strategies toward sustainability, an action that leads to tribal economic development and stability. This research explored the strategies necessary for tribal gaming leader choices that could have a significant influence on social progress, environmental protection, and economic growth.

Succession Planning Strategies Of Faith-Based, Nonprofit Leaders Of The Boomer Generation, Leigh Byers

2010-2016 Archived Posters

Succession planning for retiring Baby Boomer generation of leaders in nonprofit organizations (NPOs) is limited. Transferring their knowledge and experience mitigates the effects of the departure to organizational sustainability and mission. Using the conceptual framework of knowledge transfer, this study supplies a description of succession planning strategies used in 3 faith-based organizations. An inductive analysis of the data revealed that (a) key leaders were the initiators for succession planning, (b) boards of directors were critical to the process, and (c) leadership transition required preparation and regularly reviewed policies.

Impact Of Communication Mode On Effectiveness Of Business Communication, Sara J. Tyler

Theses and Graduate Projects

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate cofilmunication mode selection in a business environment and determine how the choice of medium impacts the effectiveness of the resulting communication episode. Communication modes evaluated include email, face-to-face meetings, instant messages, phone calls, and teleconferences. The findings of this quantitative study show that communication modes are selected primarily by convenience or the mode that initiated the episode, not because of expected effectiveness. Leaders can use this analysis to monitor the effectiveness of various communication modes used in their environments and develop cofilmunication guidelines to improve overall efficiency in a business environment.

Overcoming Organizational Challenges During And After A Reductton-In-Force (Rif), Gerardo J. Gonzalez

Theses and Graduate Projects

Within the context of the modern environment of business, competitive forces are lncreasing exponentially. Turnover rates have risen as a result of the business environment, leading to substantial scholarship on the issue to explore the theoretical and practical implications of turnover. Turnover is directly linked to organizational performance, and thus must be effectively managed (Park & Shaw, 2013). Herein, the reduction-in-force (RIF) form of turnover will be explored extensively, considering the various planning processes that may be executed to achieve it, in addition to its implications. A RIF turnover is defined essentially as downsizing (McElroy et al., 2001 ). A …

Spiritual Leadership In Modern-Day Native American Culture And Approaches To Native American Religion And Christianity, Christine Diindiisi-Wallette Mccleave

Theses and Graduate Projects

This qualitative study focuses on the modern-day approaches to Native American religion and Christianity in the Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN metro area. The spiritual leaders interviewed were asked about the varieties of spirituality practices in the Native American community today, the potential conflicts or areas of compatibility among these various spiritual practices, and the role of spiritual practices in cultural revitalization and community activism. The results of thestudy present a spectrum of spiritual practices and approaches to Native American religion and Christianity including those who practice Christianity exclusively, those who blend Christianity with Native culture and practices, and those who practice …

Building A Successful Youth Soccer Academy: Key Leadership Tactics Of Expert Coaches, Evan Fuhs

Theses and Graduate Projects

This study examines the actions of successful soccer coaches in changing team culture. More specifically, in-depth interviews were conducted with eight coaches who met criteria for expertise and success. In order to discern the particular tactics these coaches used to build a successful team culture from the ground up, the interview guide was derived from a conceptual framework that was based on the theoretical tenets of transformational leadership and organizational culture change, as well as practical research of those subjects in the athletic arena. The findings are reported and provide support for the utility of transformational leadership tactics and change …

The Role Of Volunteer Leaders In Deepening The Efforts Of A Communitywide Youth Asset-Building Initiative, Karen Mariska Atkinson

Theses and Graduate Projects

This paper examines, from a community-building perspective, the importance of engaging adults in a deliberate way to deepen asset-building efforts that will benefit the lives of young people. This was done through a leadership application project focused on volunteer adult leaders who connected, equipped and inspired small groups through discussions that deepen their understanding and actions in support of young people. Areas of study include the role of community, volunteer leader attributes, and small group structures. In addition, the project included the development of a guided discussion curriculum for use by volunteer leaders. The paper includes a methodology with a …

Leading Through Reading In Contemporary Young Adult Fantasy By Philip Pullman And Terry Pratchett, Elisabeth Rose Gruner

English Faculty Publications

There’s a popular bumper sticker in some areas that reads: “God said it, I believe it, that settles it.” It is sometimes paired with another one: “Bibles that are falling apart usually belong to people that aren’t.” The two combine to suggest an approach to reading and religion that are at the core of my argument in this chapter: they suggest that religious reading is fundamentally anti-interpretive; that reading the Bible or other religious texts provides direct access to truth. In the young adult texts I discuss in this essay, however, the opposite is the case: while texts (of many …

Building Hope: An Experiential, Interfaith And Peacebuilding Leadership Curriculum Design For American, Israeli And Palestinian Teenagers, Jack M. Karn

Capstone Collection

This research explores the design, implementation, and results of an interfaith and peacebuilding leadership curriculum prepared for the 2015 Jerusalem Peacebuilders Leadership Camp in Brattleboro, Vermont. Drawing upon different theories of moral and transformative leadership, experiential education, youth leadership, and peacebuilding and conflict transformation, this curriculum design offers a new and unique approach to leadership development for Israeli, Palestinian, and American teens. Spanning six 1.5-hour units, the curriculum includes: icebreaker and teambuilding activities, theory and practice connections, dialogue, and opportunities to practice leadership and peacebuilding skills on several small group projects. Supported by a literature review, eight interviews from youth …

Got Inclusion? How Inclusive Is Your Organization? Assessing Inclusion Through The Icat: Inclusion Capacity Assessment Tool For Organizational Capacity, Charlotte Taylor Westfall

Capstone Collection

Inclusion is a popular buzzword in development, but how can organizations evaluate and learn from their internal practices to better meet the needs of a more diverse population? In order for organizations to assess their strengths, weaknesses and opportunities for growth, organizational development and capacity tools, if conducted in a participatory way, are essential for revealing this information through the process of evaluation and learning. In this course-linked Capstone, social inclusion and capacity assessments are thematic focuses. The paper will begin by briefly tracing the origins and context of social inclusion and then establish the definitions, reasoning and practice behind …

Engagement, Gamification, And Workplace Satisfaction: A Convergent Study Of User Indicators, Josiah J. Eikelboom Ma

All Student Scholarship

The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a correlation between the personal indicators of gamification users, game preferences, and workplace engagement. A three-part survey was deployed through an online, opt-in gamification platform in order to gauge individual user preferences.