Imagery of Regent people and campus

Dissertation Abstract

Following After Hope: An Examination of the Relationship Between the Goal-Directed Affects of Hope and the Dimensions of Courageous Followership as Measured in the Healthcare IndustryAsbury to a Mimetic Christological Model

Liz Boulieris Muhlenbeck
April 2012

Followership is an emerging trend in leadership literature. This study gives a general description of follower behaviors with a specific emphasis on courageous followership. Utilizing an online survey, this study collected data from professionals in the healthcare industry. A Pearson product-moment correlation analysis was conducted which showed a positive and significant relationship between the five courageous follower behaviors of service, responsibility, challenge, transformation, and moral action and the psychodynamic element of hope. Post hoc tests revealed that organizational level did have an impact on hope, most notably at the middle manager level. This study is the first of its kind to expand on the growing body of followership research while integrating aspects of positive psychology. The results of this study will be valuable in designing effective interventions where leader���follower relationships are challenged in the quest to achieve the organization���s purpose.