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Youth Leadership Development and Empowerment: The Promise of Agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa

Youth Leadership Development and Empowerment: The Promise of Agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa

Joseph Andrews | 2018

Abstract

Youth leadership development and commensurate empowerment for economic productivity are felt-needs in Sub-Saharan Africa. One phenomenon that has demonstrated the essence of this need is the outward migration of African youths, in unchecked manners to Europe. This outward migration is done in ways that tend to disregard the basic safety, and human dignity of young African migrants. Numerous deaths in the Mediterranean Sea do not appear to be scary enough deterrence to these youthful African migrants. The journey to the Mediterranean Sea, often across the arid Sahara Desert, serves as an initiation to a willful expedition that ends in deaths. Agriculture offers solutions, in diverse ways, to the disastrous trend that has resulted from this particular outward migration; fraught with dangers and deaths in the Mediterranean. This thesis explores feasible policy options, and execution of same; as broad panacea to the harm Sub-Saharan African youths inflict on themselves when they embark on these perilous migrations. In addition to providing a solution to a contemporary challenge in Sub-Saharan Africa, this thesis also provides the blueprint for holistic youth leadership development and empowerment. The strategic development needs of Sub-Saharan African countries are met, creatively, through solutions presented hereby.

The solution articulated identifies the various domains in agriculture as holding up promises that offer incrdible opportunties for the youth in sub-Saharan Africa especially. In choosing agriculture as the institutional scafolding for this capacity-building recommendation, the role agriculture plays in Africa is already captured. The unique propositions in this dissertation include the FRDS development architecture. When fully harnessed, the FRDS construct has inherent innovation-fueled action-initiatives to power youth in Africa from being a demographic with challenges to one that provides new success stories in the holistic development of the continent.

The Intelligent Team Program Project

The Intelligent Team Program Project

Christopher Auger | 2018

Abstract

Leaders, followers, and teams thrive when team members have relational depth with one another. Authentic and positive relationships are what drive teams to higher performance levels. Globalization, technological advances, and cultural diversity present challenges that can muddy the developmental relationship environment. This document captures the development, implementation, and analysis of a project called The Intelligent Team Program. The Intelligent Team Program Project is a phased program designed to provide participants with Biblically grounded principles and best practices that will facilitate genuine relational development within teams going forward. The program uses experiential learning to deliver content that combines an emotional intelligence assessment, Biblical truth, servant leadership, and emotional social intelligence (ESI). Research on each of the components showed a positive impact on relational development. The Intelligent Team Program Project makes the assertion that the combination of these components creates a synergistic effect that uniquely improves the competencies needed for relational development among team members. The results of the program showed positive improvement amongst all of the project participants as it related to their confidence levels in the five key principles and their three best practices. The results of the project suggest there is opportunity for further formal research on the subject of combining the four components Biblical truth, servant leadership, and ESI delivered through an experiential format.

Leading the Patient Experience: How to Improve Engagement and Outcomes as a Servant Leader

Leading the Patient Experience: How to Improve Engagement and Outcomes as a Servant Leader

Anthony Baffo | 2018

Abstract

Leading the Patient Experience addresses the need for a leadership resource on delivering excellent patient experiences. The manuscript focuses on Servant Leadership principles to develop healthcare professionals to effectively lead and sustain lasting change related to patient care. It is a resource to mid and upper level managers from a variety of disciplines in support of their efforts to meet growing patient demand for outstanding service and experiences in their care. The manuscript also provides leaders with practical recommendations to engage employees, stimulate a servant-first culture, and, overall, to help all stakeholders better understand and practice the delivery of exceptional patient experiences with outstanding clinical care.

Leading the Patient Experience shows how the qualities of servant leadership support the guiding principles and best practices of contemporary patient experience theory and practice. Emphasizing servant leadership applications across both clinical and non-clinical healthcare disciplines, the manuscript guides the reader in exploring their personal response to becoming a serving leader focused on the needs of others in all daily actions and relationships. Each chapter details how servant leadership manifests itself to ensure service to others’ (patients, families, employees, etc.) highest needs and provides a litmus test for readers to help guide their journey by asking, does my leadership help those served grow as people? Does my leadership help those served become healthier? Does my leadership help those served become more autonomous? What effect does my leadership have on the most dependent on care? What effect does my leadership have on the patient’s families and what is the effect of my leadership on the organization and the communities we serve?

Leading the Patient Experience can help aspiring and established leaders find something for themselves, their followers, and their organizations to put into practice to provide outstanding patient outcomes while developing self and others as servant-first leaders.

Doing Good

Doing Good – Well: The Applicability of Leadership Theory to Faith-based Leadership

Craig Bell | 2018

Abstract

It appears that nothing is as simple as it was in the good ole’ days. According to Guy, the requirements for faith-based leadership following the crucifixion were simple. All that church leadership required was “giftedness” from God. Further, in organization and structure, the early church sought to emulate the structure outlined in the New Testament. This meant that leadership was Spirit-directed, and the organizational configuration was simple – “a small organization consisting of one executive and perhaps a few other individuals.”

While these are the conditions that surrounded the beginning of the church, this simple (though effective) paradigm is no longer enough to render leadership effective in the contemporary church. Help, however, is not only on the way; it is already here – and has been for quite some time. The impetus of this book and thus, the solution that you are looking for, is the application of leadership theory to church administration. While both theological insight and leadership theory have progressed since the advent of the New Testament Church, the linkage of the two has not.
This book is an honest attempt to highlight the benefits that faith-based leaders can glean from the advances in leadership theory. Over my lifetime of leadership within faith-based organizations, two things have become apparent. While seminaries do an excellent job of preparing students for ministry, they have traditionally been less focused on the business of the ministry. As a result, many faith-based leaders have assumed the leadership of organizations without a full set of tools and resources readily at their disposal.

The second truism is that church leaders truly desire to do what is right from the standpoint of God concerning their congregations. Although they often lack the requisite tools, they have been remarkably successful despite this – even if this success has been difficult to achieve. Unfortunately, in an increasingly global environment and complex world, leaders can no longer afford the luxury of leading in the absence of these resources.

This book highlights the applicability of several secular leadership theories to church leadership as a method of aiding Faith-based organization in Doing Good, Well.

Developing Leadership Aptitude: To Promote Gender Equality in Leadership Positions

Developing Leadership Aptitude: To Promote Gender Equality in Leadership Positions

Sylvia M. Corbin Berry | 2018

Abstract

The purpose of this Doctoral Project is to design a leadership curriculum targeted at male and female professionals in leadership or management positions. The curriculum aims to build leadership aptitude in managers and leaders equipping them with the skills to identify and develop women for management positions. Studies and research have exposed a detrimental perception of women being unsuitable for leadership positions in comparison to their male counterparts. Regardless of a woman’s educational or skill, women face barriers and stereotypes that prevent them from reaching career goals in management. This paradigm is prevailing throughout the United States in leading companies and reaches across cultural boundaries.

The curriculum provides an analysis of issues and problems facing women in precluding them from transitioning to a leadership position. The pedagogy offers leaders an awareness of the benefits to the organization and community when women are empowered to become leaders. Women often face barriers to leadership because of organizational culture, hidden biases, and stereotypes. Leaders can promote equality among potential leaders by developing a strategic plan that changes corporate culture and leader’s propensity to recognize and advance women to professional positions. Leaders will acquire skills to build their capacity to promote equality in the organization. The curriculum is designed in four modules as follows:

  • Module 1: Awareness and Overview of the Problem Research shows that women are equally as qualified to hold leadership positions in businesses; however, there are consistent barriers (language and stereotypes). The module will provide awareness and an overview of the issues and obstacles that prevent women from holding leadership positions.
  • Module 2: Benefits of Empowering Women for Leadership This module will provide the data that illustrates the benefits of hiring and training women for leadership positions. Organizations that empower women to become leaders are growing in the 21st century; however, it is at a slow rate. Developing and hiring women for leadership positions not only benefits the organization but it also improves the quality of life for females, with increased income and benefits.
  • Module 3: Strategic Plans for Resolving Inequality in Leadership This module will provide a strategic plan for hiring, developing, and empowering women to become leaders. The module will provide diagnostic tips on changing organizational culture and gender bias, train leaders in recognizing how culture is transmitted and created by leadership, the importance of learning how to manage multicultural groups that are inclusive to empowering women leaders.
  • Module 4: How to become a Cultural Agile Professional This module will provide leadership development training for becoming a cultural agile professional to include the benefits of cross-cultural experiences in working in countries in areas that practice gender bias in leadership. The participant will develop a model or plan of practices to commit to preventing gender biases and promote equality in the workforce.

Discipleship Style Coaching: Crossing the Secular-Sacred Divide

Discipleship Style Coaching: Crossing the Secular-Sacred Divide

Jerry Breedlove, Jr. | 2018

Abstract

Assisting others in the process of leadership development comes in many forms. In recent years, coaching continues to develop as a popular way of accomplishing this, and this development has catalyzed the emergence of different models. What follows is the exploration of one such model the author terms as Discipleship Style Coaching (DSC). The DSC model is a distinctly Christian model of coaching that intentionally embraces the principles of Christian discipleship and blends those principles with coaching methodologies. This blending of coaching and discipleship is intended to help both professional and amateur Christian coaches as they seek to develop a culture of coaching in the many organizations in which they have influence. According to the author, this can be accomplished in formalized coaching engagements as well as in informal ones spanning a variety of organizations as small as family units, to small businesses and non-profits, and even multi-billion-dollar corporations. One of the most unique aspects of the DSC model is how it can help leaders at all levels cross the ever-increasing divide between the secular and the sacred in order to bring Kingdom principles into the places where Christians live, work, and play. Using both scholarly research and relevant examples, the author unpacks how the DSC model can be used to transform individuals, organizations, and ultimately whole communities.

An Exploration of the Gift of Administration Utilizing the Theory of Minute Evolutionary Spectrum

An Exploration of the Gift of Administration Utilizing the Theory of Minute Evolutionary Spectrum

Tonja R. Clemons | 2018

Abstract

This manuscript serves as a handbook to provide Christian administrators (working in the sacred or secular arena) with the necessary tools to effectively navigate administrative assignments through a partnership with God to manifest His excellence in their work product, in their team, and in their personal lives. By biblically defining and outlining the multi-faceted dimensions and purposes of the gift of administration, this manuscript reveals how the proper use of the gift of administration releases the glory of God in the earth and develops His people to operate in and at their full potential.

Additionally, this manuscript introduces and intertwines the Theory of Minute Evolutionary Spectrum to demonstrate the process of seeing God in everything and obeying each incremental step He provides to fulfill His ultimate vision for each administrative assignment. This manuscript also meticulously unveils the successful execution of the gift of administration utilizing the Theory of Minute Evolutionary Spectrum in the Genesis account of creation, the Book of Nehemiah, and the Gospel of Mark.

Finally, the manuscript concludes with an outline for the practical application of administration and the Theory of Minute Evolutionary Spectrum in administrators’ lives and provides a poignant explanation of the necessity and core purposes for personal administration.

Succession in the Church: Leading at the Crossroads of Stewardship and Discipleship

Succession in the Church: Leading at the Crossroads of Stewardship and Discipleship

Brent Coltharp | 2018

Abstract

This manuscript makes a case for why an understanding and commitment to healthy succession is essential for the future of Christian organizations and local congregations. The corporate world, along with many other fields and disciplines, has realized the importance of succession planning and management. Far too often Christian organizations are only motivated to address succession when they are forced to reactively execute a succession plan due to a crisis, rather than proactively engaging from a position of strength and stability. Secondarily, the concept of succession in the church is inextricably intertwined with the senior leadership position. The topic is rarely considered with regards to other positions, roles, and responsibilities throughout the organization or congregation. The author proposes that succession should be holistic and healthy, meaning that it should exceed traditional planning to incorporate succession management, addressing the leadership needs of the entire organization in the present, while simultaneously preparing for the future. Also, the argument is made that the Christian church should be leading the way when it comes to succession planning and management, recognizing that there is a biblical foundation for the practice and process. The scriptures emphasize the importance of two core doctrines, stewardship and discipleship. The author believes that when organizational and church leaders lead at the crossroads of stewardship and discipleship, healthy and holistic succession planning and management will be the natural result.

Leading in a Multi-Generational Organization

Leading in a Multi-Generational Organization

Paul Thornton | 2019

Abstract

Currently, there are three generations (Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Millennials) represented in the workforce, causing leaders to re-evaluate organizational policies and the way they manage the multi-generational workforce. Managing generational diversity is a complicated process for leaders who now have to discuss generational issues. Business leaders are overwhelmed by handling generational differences. The workforce consists of members of different generations who view getting the job done differently. Leaders have to find ways to respond to the needs of all generations to retain employees and keep them happy.

Organizational leaders now find challenges in managing a workforce comprised of employees with different values, expectations, and beliefs. Intergenerational issues have created an uncharted territory for leaders and problems that have arisen from generational differences are impeding effective collaboration between coworkers. Understanding the core values, characteristics, and work ethics of each generation will empower organizational leaders to develop proactive strategies that may create synergy amongst the generations, reduce conflict, and create a productive work environment. This manuscript will discuss key elements of leading a multi-generational organization. It will include an examination of the generational cohorts – their values, beliefs, and differences, strategies for leading a multi-generational workforce, and the use of coaching as a tool to bridge the generational divide.

Organizational Design for Torres Coaching Group, LLC

Organizational Design for Torres Coaching Group, LLC

Joshua Torres | 2019

Abstract

This project outlines the business plan of Torres Coaching Group, LLC. The business plan has three main components. The first areas cover the executive summary, problem, and solution of the market according to TCG’s ability, and a glance at the company and key players of TCG. The second area covers an explanation of the market and how TCG differs from what currently exists. The second areas also include TCG’s executions. Lastly, this project will show TCG’s financial plans that cover month to month, quarterly, annual, and five-year projections. The financial section will also show a comparison between venture capitalist contributions and bootstrapper approach.