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A Qualitative Phenomenological Study on Gender and the Glass Ceiling: How Women in Leadership Navigate Through the Barriers Within the Public Sector

Abstract

The research study explored the lived experiences of women occupying leadership roles in the public sector and how they navigate through the barriers. This study was an examination to help understand the factors behind the barriers that some women in leadership face. The data collected utilized phenomenological research design and literature. Additionally, data collection included in-depth interviews with 10 female leader participants from various levels of leadership within the public sector in the State of Florida. This dissertation allowed the participants to share their own personal experiences, feelings, and perspective with respect to being a leader. This research contributes to future conversations and studies on gender roles in leadership development and specific recommendations that can potentially break the glass ceiling. Furthermore, this study can be a useful tool to help guide organizations on how to support and represent women.

Keywords: barriers, glass ceiling, gender, leadership, navigation, phenomenology

The Power of Perspective: Investigating the Relationship Between Teachers’ Followership Beliefs and Psychological Empowerment

Abstract

This study investigated the extent to which teachers’ implicit followership traits predict psychological empowerment (PE) within diverse educational settings. Grounded in Sy’s (2010) implicit followership theory and Spreitzer’s (1995) PE framework, the research examined whether positive traits (industry, enthusiasm, good citizenship) and negative traits (conformity, insubordination, incompetence) uniquely contribute to teachers’ perceptions of meaning, competence, self-determination, and impact. A quantitative correlational design was used, incorporating both independent samples, t tests, and hierarchical multiple regression analyses. Participants were classified into Positive-IFP and Negative-IFP groups, and t tests were conducted to compare levels of PE. Statistically significant differences were found in overall empowerment and the meaning subscale. Regression analyses were then conducted to determine whether individual followership traits predicted empowerment outcomes while controlling for demographic variables such as age, years of teaching experience, gender, race/ethnicity, highest degree attained, and school type. Data were collected via an electronic survey, distributed through a snowball sampling method, resulting in 125 participants, all K–12 educators. Results indicated that positive implicit followership traits significantly predicted higher levels of PE. In particular, industry and good citizenship consistently emerged as strong positive predictors. Unexpectedly, the trait of conformity showed a positive association with certain empowerment dimensions. Insubordination and incompetence were not significant predictors. These findings underscore the complex role of teachers’ internalized followership beliefs in shaping their professional motivation and agency. The study offers practical implications for school leaders seeking to foster empowering work environments by promoting constructive follower role perceptions within educational contexts.

Keywords: Education, Implicit Followership, Leadership, Organizational Leadership, Psychological Empowerment, Training

The Impact of Transformational Leadership Style on Creativity in the Healthcare Sector

Abstract

Transformational leaders have the potential to impact significantly the creative development of their subordinates by serving as role models (Shamir et al., 1993), cultivating organizational environments that encourage creativity (Avolio et al., 1999; Bass, 1985) and providing the knowledge and information essential for executing creative ideas (Gong et al., 2009; X. H. F. Wang et al., 2016). In this study, I examined the impact of transformational leadership style on creativity in the healthcare sector. A total of 401 participants were selected to take part in the study. The study offers valuable insight into relationships that can be used to predict creativity, although it may have some limitations. A hierarchical multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to assess whether models that integrate the elements of transformational leadership are more effective at predicting creativity than models that only include the use of senses, use of other people, technique, and superstition. The results also show that transformational leadership is better at predicting the use of senses, use of other people, technique, and superstition. This means that as transformational leadership increases, the use of these variables decreases. The study’s results can help healthcare leaders better manage change. The study concluded with an analysis of the significance of the findings, as well as the theoretical and practical implications derived from them, and recommendations for future research.

Keywords: Creative Ideas, Creativity, Healthcare Leaders, Organizational Environments

A Comparison of the Effects of Love-Based Leadership in Hierarchical and Organic Structures of Organizations

Abstract

This dissertation examines the comparative effects of love-based leadership within both hierarchical and organic organizational structures. Through quantitative research methods, the study seeks to understand how leadership styles grounded in love and virtue influence employee satisfaction in both tall (hierarchical) and flat (organic) organizations. The research empirically assesses whether organizations with traditional hierarchical frameworks can still achieve high performance and employee satisfaction when implementing love-based leadership practices. Central questions focus on the influence of such leadership on job satisfaction and whether organizational hierarchy acts as a constraint. Using a cross-sectional design, the study employs randomized purposive sampling and validated survey instruments to measure leader love and job satisfaction. Analyses were conducted using t tests and regression models. The results contribute to a deeper understanding of organizational structure, leadership approaches, and their effects on employee outcomes, offering insights for both theory and practice. Notable limitations include a sole focus on U.S. firms and reliance on quantitative methods. The findings prompt further evaluation of hierarchy’s role and the importance of ethical leadership in organizational effectiveness, while identifying directions for future research in leadership and organizational design.

Keywords: Hierarchy, Job Satisfaction, Leader Love, Leadership, Organizational Structure, Tall or Flat Organizations

Servant Leadership in Higher Education: Students’ Perceptions of Professors’ Roles in Fostering Hope

Abstract

Greenleaf (2002) presented the question of whether professors who utilize servant leadership would help inspire hope within their students. The concept of the connection between professors utilizing servant leadership and fostering hope within students is an area that has not been previously studied. This study was conducted to help fill this gap in the literature. Through a qualitative study, I collected data from students at a state school in the southern United States, where I recruited participants using flyers posted on bulletin boards. Servant leadership was assessed through the lens of the Spears’ (2010) model, which provided clear definitions and attributes for what constitutes a professor who practices servant leadership. The participants used these attributes to self-screen. I examined hope in the context of the concept presented by Snyder (2002), who broke it down into three areas: goals (the target), pathways (the means to reach the target), and agency (the drive to achieve the target). Interviews were conducted with the students to examine how they were impacted by their professor’s use of servant leadership, specifically through the creation of goals, pathways, and agency. The data, which I coded using constant comparative analysis, involved extracting base codes from the data and forming them into themes, which I then grouped into core themes. These core themes suggest that professors help foster all three areas of hope demonstrated by Snyder, indicating that professors, using servant leadership, can help their students cultivate hope within themselves.

Keywords: Education, Greenleaf, Hope, Leadership, Servant, Snyder

The HERO Behind the Badge: How Psychological Capital Helps Reduce Police Burnout

Abstract

Burnout is one of the most significant and widespread mental health concerns in modern society. In law enforcement, burnout has serious implications for both police officers and the overall readiness of the force. This work-related stress has been linked to rising rates of mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and suicide among officers. Psychological capital (PsyCap) is a personal resource that individuals have and can develop over time. It has become a vital resource for improving well-being and performance in high-stress jobs and has been associated with lower occupational stress in police officers. Given the research gap regarding the potential benefits of PsyCap for police officers, this study aimed to explore the role of PsyCap in reducing burnout among police officers and investigate how factors such as rank and gender influence burnout levels. The study used a quantitative, nonexperimental, cross-sectional design with a survey. The Oldenburg Burnout Inventory measured burnout, while the Psychological Capital Questionnaire assessed PsyCap. Data analysis involved multiple hierarchical regressions and 2×2 factorial analyses of variance. Findings indicated that efficacy, resilience, and optimism were negatively related to exhaustion, and that efficacy and optimism were negatively related to disengagement. Additionally, differences were observed in perceived levels of hope, resilience, disengagement, and exhaustion by gender, as well as differences in hope and disengagement by the interaction of gender and rank. Recommendations for police officers and law enforcement agencies are included, along with suggestions for future research.

Keywords: burnout, psychological capital, gender differences, rank differences, police officers

Self Efficacy in the Leadership of Jesus

Abstract

Leadership development is a well-known component of successful organizations. As such, leadership development programs are a viable solution for equipping employees with desired skills and characteristics. This study assessed self-efficacy as a generalizable methodology for creating effective leadership development programs. The premise was based on the validity, reliability, predictability, and generalizability of self-efficacy theory and measurement instruments. Through inner texture sociorhetorical analysis of self-efficacy in the leadership development of Jesus’ disciples, sources of efficacy and corresponding learning activities were identified. The following components of self-efficacy in the disciples’ leadership development process were found: the use of a prevalent source of efficacy to cultivate belief in specific thematic content, the utilization of multiple sources of efficacy to cultivate belief in specific thematic content, the use of a prevalent learning activity for specific thematic content, the use of a variety of learning activities to cultivate efficacy as it relates to each category of thematic content, an organized progression of the content, and learning activities facilitated by an authoritative figure. These components were adapted into the self-efficacy leadership development model, a methodology for creating leadership development programs that utilizes sources of efficacy in determining what learning content and learning activities will be most effective in accomplishing leadership development goals.

Twelve Steps Toward Leader Humility: A Sociorhetorical Analysis of Benedict of Nursia

Abstract

This inductive, qualitative research study explored the construct of leader humility within the context of organizational leadership as demonstrated in the writings of Benedict of Nursia, specifically Chapter 7 of Rule of Saint Benedict. This study further sought to understand factors of humility and answer the following three research questions: What is the process of humility development as described in Chapter 7 of the Rule of Saint Benedict? Do the descriptions of organizational humility provided by Galbraith and Galbraith (2004) effectively define the construct of organizational humility promoted by the Rule of Saint Benedict? How does the organizational humility proposed by Benedict reflect or challenge current models of humility in organizational research? The research method employed in this study emerged from the theoretical approach of hermeneutics as described by Gadamer (2004) and Patton (2002), using sociorhetorical critical analysis (Robbins, 1996a) as the interpretative method with a focus on both the inner textuality and the intertextuality of Chapter 7 of the Rule. Following Robbins’ (1996b) recommended framework, the applied analyses included separate study of inner texts and intertexts. Inner texture analysis included (a) repetitive, (b) progressive, (c) narrational, (d) open-middle-closing, and (e) argumentative textures and patterns. Intertexture exploration included (a) oral-scribal, (b) cultural, (c) social, and (d) historical analysis. A progressive, descriptive model of leader humility emerged to indicate a process of development including the following steps: (a) revelation, (b) commitment, (c) abnegation, (d) submission, (e) patience, (f) honesty, (g) contentment, (h) dependency, (i) measured speech, and (g) saturation. A discussion of the research findings and implications for contemporary organizational leadership is included in addition to potential study limitations and possible future research related to this topic.

Traditionally Inherited Leadership Among the Ewes in Togo, West Africa

Abstract

Leadership in Africa is still characterized by authoritarian durability—a perpetual presidential incumbency syndrome. To have a deeper understanding of this phenomenon, this dissertation used problem-focused ethnographic methods to investigate reasons and beliefs associated with inherited leadership and how agapao leadership and hope theory could be useful in the construction of an integrative approach to Ewe leadership with shared and participative leadership among the Ewe-Mina in Togo, West Africa. The study (N = 65) employed participant observation, directed observation, and interview-based participant listening with chiefs, queens, notables, royal family, youth, and a district officer to collect rich qualitative data. After coding emergent themes and categories, thick descriptions of Ewe leadership formed a foundation for analysis. Emergent themes were first analyzed using indigenous typologies and then analyst-constructed typologies before being interpreted to present an indigenous portrayal of the characteristics of the Ewe traditionally inherited leadership, its roles, and concerns—and how decisions are made. Royal ancestorship, Zipki, and Fa indicated inheritance and support for the Duto, who, with a successful role play of functional lordship and leadership, facilitates balance and control of power through his prerogative to approve or not any chief appointed by the royal council. Though hierarchical, the flow of information and communication is facilitated by a traditional organ, Kpavi, which is a framework for collegiality, participation, and representation from the people. Though male-dominated, Ewe leadership is open to youth leadership and a substantial growing female leadership with a special focus on female development and emancipation. Data also pointed at critical changes, compelling chiefs to derive their respect and worth from pragmatist and utilitarian angles of instead of from its institutionality. Drawing from the data, suggestions are offered regarding the integration of theory (agapao and hope) and leadership in the construction of the Ewe integrative approach (Togbui, Mama, and Sohefia) keeping Kpavi as a way to claim important traditional aspects.

Development of the Authentic Followership Profile (AFP) Test Instrument

Abstract

Until recently, the concept of followership has been a relatively general term; an individual who was not a leader was a follower. However, just as differing types of leadership theories have emerged, followership theories are an evolving concept. One such theory is authentic followership (AF), which has only started to emerge in the last decade. Although scholars such as Avolio and Reichard (2008); de Zilwa (2014); Gardner, Avolio, Luthans, May, and Walumbwa (2005); and Goffee and Jones (2006) have developed various models and conceptualizations of AF, to date, there has been no empirical instrument to measure the construct (de Zilwa, 2014). The current research developed and validated a Authentic Followership Profile (AFP) instrument using the attributes that the aforementioned authors used to describe an authentic follower. A panel of five subject matter experts was enlisted to help define a more concise list of attributes of AF from 155 characteristics extracted from the literature. After review and adjudication, the list was narrowed to 74 items that were submitted to a sample participation group via an online survey; 301 completed responses were received. To establish test criterion-related validity, a 20-item test instrument for courageous followership (Dixon, 2003, 2006; Muhlenbeck, 2012) and a nine-item test instrument measuring antisocial behaviors (Fields, 2002; Robinson & O’Leary-Kelly, 1998) were included in the survey that established, as expected, a positive and negative correlation to AF. Component factor analysis results revealed four distinct components within the 74 characteristics that explained 52.48% of the variance. The four components include internalized moral perspective, self-awareness, relational transparency, and psychological ownership, which closely parallel the construct of authentic leadership (Northouse, 2013; Walumbwa, Avolio, Gardner, Wernsing, & Peterson, 2008) as anticipated. Reliability is very strong with Cronbach’s alphas of .84, .83, .81, and .85, respectively. The final AFP scale contains 23 items. The results of this research open a previously unavailable avenue for future scholarly exploration, as well as potential practitioner application for employee evaluation on this important followership construct.