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Servant Leadership Theory Across Subcultures: A Comparative Study Between Officer and Enlisted Leaders of the U.S. Air Force

Servant Leadership Theory Across Subcultures: A Comparative Study Between Officer and Enlisted Leaders of the U.S. Air Force

Christopher B. Ferris | 2018

Abstract

This research study investigated the theoretical servant leadership constructs of love, humility, altruism, trust, vision, empowerment, and service, developed by Patterson (2003), within two subcultures (officer-leaders and enlisted-leaders) of the greater culture of the U.S. Air Force. T-tests were used to investigate whether significant statistical differences were apparent between the two subcultures. Additionally, causal relationships between the seven constructs of Patterson’s (2003) servant leadership model were revealed using simple and multiple regression analysis to test these relationships. This study provided empirical cross subculture validation of Patterson’s (2003) theory in a military context. Overall, the evidence indicated both a both a high degree of statistical significance and a high degree of confidence that leaders of both subcultures (officer-leaders and enlisted-leaders) exhibited Patterson’s (2003) constructs of servant leadership. This finding added to the validity of the foundation previously developed by servant leadership experts and provided another platform for future investigation into servant leadership practices.

An Examination of the Relationship Between the Five Dimensions of Courageous Followership and Servant Leadership Within the U.S. Air Force

An Examination of the Relationship Between the Five Dimensions of Courageous Followership and Servant Leadership Within the U.S. Air Force

Bradley Green | 2018

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to determine if there was a positive and significant relationship between the five dimensions of courageous followership and servant leadership. Based on an extensive review of the literature, it was determined that there had not been an empirical study to date that attempted to determine the correlation between courageous followership and a definition of servant leadership that included the construct of service. This study fills this gap in the literature by surveying participants to indicate their perceptions of their followership behaviors and their perceptions of the servant leadership behaviors of their leaders. The Followership Profile was used to measure followership behaviors, and the Essential Servant Leadership Behaviors Scale was used to measure one-dimensional servant leadership. The data were collected from military members who serve in one of the three components of the U.S. Air Force; data were analyzed with SPSS 24 software. A Pearson product-moment correlation was performed to determine if there was a significant relationship between the five dimensions of courageous followership and servant leadership. The findings from this study substantiated the assertion that there was a positive and significant relationship between the overall model of courageous followership and servant leadership. In addition, two of the five dimensions were positively and significantly correlated to one-dimensional servant leadership. This is the first study to find a correlation between courageous followership and one-dimensional servant leadership. This finding lays the groundwork for future studies. It is likely that the nature of the relationship is reciprocal with servant leaders causing courageous followership behaviors in their followers and courageous followers causing servant leadership behaviors in their leaders.

The Effects of Servant Leadership and Job Stress on Job Satisfaction Among Online University Administrators and Faculty

The Effects of Servant Leadership and Job Stress on Job Satisfaction Among Online University Administrators and Faculty

John Hargadon | 2018

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to test the direct relationship between the level of servant leadership demonstrated by one’s direct supervisor and the level of job satisfaction reported by an employee, as well as the potential moderating effect of servant leadership on the proposed negative relationship between job stress and job satisfaction. Winston and Fields (2015) stated there is a dearth of research on the impact of servant leadership on individual and organizational outcomes; the current research proposes to help fill that gap in the literature. The Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (Short Form; D. Weiss, Dawis, England, & Lofquist, 1967), Perceived Job Stressors scale (Kanner, Kafry, & Pines, 1978), and Essential Servant Leadership Behaviors (Winston & Fields, 2015) are the three previously developed and validated instruments utilized in this study. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis (Cramer, 2007) was utilized to determine the predictive value of the independent variables (job stress and servant leadership) on the dependent variable (job satisfaction) at a significance level of .05. SPSS software was utilized to run all statistical analyses. Potential confounding variables, age and tenure, were controlled for statistically using the analysis software. Results failed to demonstrate a statistically significant relationship between job stress and job satisfaction, but a statistically significant relationship between servant leadership and job satisfaction was supported, as was a significant moderating effect of servant leadership on job stress and job satisfaction. Model and practical implications are discussed, as are study limitations and suggestions for future research.

Authentic Leadership: A Study of the Relationship Between Authentic Leadership and Moral Values

Authentic Leadership: A Study of the Relationship Between Authentic Leadership and Moral Values

Jose Villarreal | 2019

Abstract

The study in this research expounded on the current need in Authentic Leadership (AL) research to better understand the moral aspect of the theory. The approach in this research study design included the comparing the variables of authentic leadership with the variables of Moral Values. An empirical, quantitative correlation field-study was conducted on a random sample of 100 participants in the United States. The Authentic Leadership Questionnaire (ALQ) was used to measure the four variables of authentic leadership, and the Measure of Moral Values (MMV) was used to measure the four variables of moral values. The four ALQ variables were matched with the four MMV variables resulting in 16 hypotheses. The data collection process consisted of using SurveyMonkey® through LinkedIn and Facebook. In addition, printed questionnaires were administered in person to ensure the target sample size of participants. The data were uploaded to IBM® SPSS®, and a Pearson product-moment correlation analysis was conducted. The correlation analysis showed that 14 of the 16 hypotheses were positively correlated ranging from .28 to .55 at the p < .01 level. In addition, the Cronbach alpha coefficient was .95 for the ALQ and .73 for the MMV. The results indicated that an authentic leader’s morals encompassed the four MMV variables or descriptions, including making judgments based on the spirit of the law rather than just the letter of the law, expressing concern for the welfare of society as a whole, having the capacity to see both sides of an issue, and having concern for the sanctity of the individual. Future research should entail testing other moral variables to authentic leadership variables, as well as research in other countries and cultures.

Gossiping About the Supervisor: The Mediating Role of Follower Self-Esteem on the Relationship Between the Dark Triad Traits and Workplace Gossip

Gossiping About the Supervisor: The Mediating Role of Follower Self-Esteem on the Relationship Between the Dark Triad Traits and Workplace Gossip

Fred Settuba-Male Wantaate | 2019

Abstract

Although the dark triad traits and their work outcomes are of great importance to scholars and practitioners, there is a relative lack of research examining the possible mediating effect of follower self-esteem on the relationship between dark leadership and gossip in the workplace. The present study aimed to fill this research gap by empirically exploring the perceived relationship between leader dark triad traits and workplace gossip and examining the mediating role of follower self-esteem. The hypotheses were analyzed with data from a sample of 228 employees working for three Christian internationally based nongovernmental organizations located in Uganda. The results of the study failed to find support for the mediating effect of follower self-esteem on the relationship between perceived leader dark triad traits and workplace gossip. However, the results of the study revealed the existence of other possible mediating variables in the circumstances that impact the relationship between abusive leadership and gossip at work such as occupational tenure, workplace spirituality, getting along and getting ahead behavior strategies, and the national culture. The results opened possible gaps for future research, and they provide critical insight into the leader and follower personality interaction and the resultant workplace outcomes.

Content Analysis: Women of the Bible as a Leadership Model for Modern-Day Women

Content Analysis: Women of the Bible as a Leadership Model for Modern-Day Women

Jean Millicent Williams | 2019

Abstract

This research examined the significance of the lives of women in the Bible and the leadership lessons and models that their life examples could offer modern-day women in leadership. The research also examined the details and nuances of success for women in leadership in modern-day society. The precedent of the phenomenon of the narratives of ancient women of the Bible as well as those of the

modern day both hold value and meaning. Women are in greater, more influential leadership positions today in every field in society than ever before in history. This research analyzed timeless, applicable leadership lessons from the lives of 12 women of the Bible utilizing the narratives of six women from the Old Testament and six women from the New Testament of the Bible to extract from their

experiences connotations of insightful leadership behaviors. The purpose of this study was to bring perspicuity to the leadership behaviors of modern-day women and provide applicable leadership lessons and models for successful leadership outcomes through a content analysis of multiple women of the Bible. A qualitative design approach was implemented. The participants were selected from 12 purposeful samples of women of the Bible—from various roles and entities from the Old and New Testament. The literature of the Bible concerning the life of each woman was interpreted through the research method of content analysis. Each narrative was summarized in an analytical memo. The findings were coded and condensed into categories and themes that derived conceptual leadership lessons for modern-day women in leadership. I compared the results of the content analysis

through the lenses of effective leadership concepts presented in the literature to demonstrate relevance. The goal of this research is to contribute to the body of knowledge regarding women in leadership and provide a substantial model of leadership for women, which acts as a catalyst for developing and enriching the capacity of women in leadership globally.

Keywords: gender, success, women empowerment, women in leadership, women of the Bible

The American Women in Leadership from the Suffrage Movement through the Present: National Culture, Values, and Behaviors Perspective

The American Women in Leadership from the Suffrage Movement through the Present: National Culture, Values, and Behaviors Perspective

Alina Wreczycki | 2019

Abstract

The purpose of this qualitatively study was to analyze extracts of texts written by 6 American female leaders: Carrie Chapman Catt, Eleanor Roosevelt, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Nancy Reagan, Oprah Winfrey, and Michelle Obama. The goal was to find themes that were translated into value representations to answer the research questions. This work involved Heider’s (1958) attribution theory, Hogg’s (2001) social identity theory, and Hofstede’s (1983) masculinity dimension with elements of assertiveness, ego, materialism, and rationalism. The examination of values/moral character traits of the 6 female leaders was taken from the perspectives of their exhibited behaviors and engagement with U.S. culture. Robbins’s (1996) socio rhetorical interpretation, specifically ideological and sociocultural textures, were used to create context of the eras in which incidents of interests involving female leaders had occurred. Findings were expected to inform and deepen insights into the leadership traits based on these women’s responses to perceived social injustice.

The Impact of Followers

The Impact of Followers’ Expectations on Leaders’ Behavior: A Case Study of Church Leadership in Jordan

Emil Abujaber | 2018

Abstract

Leadership is in the eye of the beholder was one of the foundational and revolutionary concepts of implicit leadership theory (ILT) that transformed the way leadership observers and scholars viewed the process and development of leaders in social settings. The focus of the literature moved to the cognitive structure and sense making processes of followers and their role in the system. Little attention was given to leaders and the influence of their information-processing mechanisms and ILT structure on their behavior. To that end, this study explored the influence of followers’ expectation on leaders’ behavior. Through a qualitative bounded case study design of six Christian leaders in local churches in Amman, Jordan, the study sought to answer three questions: How would leaders act and behave if their ILTs were in direct conflict with those of their followers? Would pastors conform to followers’ expectations if they clash with their own expectations, specifically if they conflict with the biblical core values? How do leaders develop the content of their ILT? The answers to the questions found that leaders’ behavior and adaptation under pressure depend on two factors: mature character and motivation. The study also found a number of pressure sources and confirmed that parents and other contextual variables influence the leader’s ILT structure. The study contributes to the scholarly and practitioner literature in filling a research gap of leaders’ ILT in a specific culture and provides several recommendations for future studies and applications.

The Relationship Between Employees

The Relationship Between Employees’ Perception of Spiritual Leadership in Their Organizational Leaders and Employees’ Commitment to Stay with the Organization

Alexander Averin | 2018

Abstract

Recent interest in the effects of spiritual leadership on organizational outcomes focused mainly on the impact of spiritual practices on the leader, as well as the relationship between spiritual leadership and group-level outcomes, thus leaving the link between spiritual leadership and individual followers’ behavior chiefly unexplored (Reave, 2005). The purpose of this research was to add to the understanding of the connection between spiritual leadership and followers’ behavior by addressing the research question of whether there is a relationship between employees’ perception of spiritual leadership of their organizations’ leaders and the employees’ commitment to remain with their organizations. This study proposed to explore this relationship by focusing on the vision, hope/faith, and altruistic love dimensions of spiritual leadership proposed by L. W. Fry (2003) and continuance commitment dimension of employee commitment as proposed by Meyer and Allen (1991). To answer the research question and test stated hypotheses, this study utilized a nonexperimental, cross-sectional, correlational research design and employed the Spiritual Leadership Theory Survey as well as the Continuous Commitment–High Sacrifice scale to collect necessary data (Allen & Meyer, 1990; L. W. Fry, Vitucci, & Cedillo, 2005; Powell & Meyer, 2004). The data were collected from 88 participants who were employed in nonprofit religious organizations in the United States. The results of the data analysis revealed a significant relationship between employees’ perception of their leaders’ vision and altruistic love and their continuance commitment. The relationship between employees’ perception of their leaders’ faith/hope and their continuance commitment was found to be not significant. The potential confounding influence of age, gender, and social desirability bias was also explored and found to be not significant. Implications and limitations of this study as well as recommendations for future research were also discussed.

Exploration of Followership Behaviors in the Workplace: A Phenomenological Study

Exploration of Followership Behaviors in the Workplace: A Phenomenological Study

Vicki S Bonner | 2018

Abstract

Kelley (1998) acknowledged that the success of an organization depends on both the leadership and the degree of follower engagement. Baker (2007) noted that the scholarly research on followership is limited when compared to research on leadership. This phenomenological study presents the lived experience of followers in their work environments. This study addressed the following questions: How do employees view their followership role within their workplace and how does an employee’s perception of their followership behaviors influence their job satisfaction and job commitment in the workplace? The theoretical framework guiding this study includes self-concept, identity theory, followership behaviors, and job attitudes. The review of the literature contributed to the development of 11 open-ended questions to conduct in-depth interviews of 16 higher education employees representing various institution structures within the United States. This study used in vivo and pattern coding strategies to identify themes. The research questions were addressed from interpretations drawn from the data.