Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Lived experience leadership'

Changes to society, the economy, and technology in the 21 ^st century have transformed the world of work as employees are expecting greater flexibility (Bond, Thompson, Galinsky, & Prottas, 2002; Matos & Galinsky, 2014; McNall, Masuda, & Nicklin, 2010). Among all forms of flexibility, gaining in popularity is the concept known as teleworking (Nilles, 1998). Teleworking is on the rise (Matos & Galinsky, 2014; Lister, 2010; Telework trendlines, 2007; Telework trendlines, 2009) however adequate literature is lacking on the teleworker experience. This case study was designed to understand and explore the lived experiences of exempt employees who telework and to determine if these employees experience fit, as outlined by the theoretical framework, Concept of Fit (Belanger & Collins, 1998).

The 11 participants in the sample included exempt employees who had a telework agreement on file with the Department of Human Resources at public, research university located in the state of Maryland. Semi-structured interviews were conducted and data analysis revealed that exempt employees did experience fit at outlined by the theoretical framework. While all participants had unique experiences with teleworking, there were similar themes among the entire participant group. Participants agreed that they would like to telework more. During their telework day, they are more focused and disciplined, leading to increased productivity. They understand, however, the need for face-to-face communication and collaboration in the workplace. They plan specific tasks to complete while working from home and believe that they work with supportive supervisors and employees. It was recommended that additional research on the theoretical framework, as amended, be conducted to further support the framework. Additionally, it was recommended that research on supervisory support, the influence of gender on teleworking, and telework day in respect to experience, be explored.

In response to the prediction of a significant shortage of nurses, the research addressed attrition in accelerated associate degree in nursing (ADN) programs. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the meaningfulness and essence of successful nursing students’ lived experiences of persistence in accelerated ADN programs. The study included 11 students from two accelerated ADN programs located in Central Florida, who participated in two lengthy semi-structured interviews. The interview questions were created from three theories: the strand theory, Knowles’s adult learning theory, and Tinto’s theory of persistence. The results indicated the importance for educational leaders in higher education to recognize the potential of accelerated ADN programs and nontraditional students. The findings indicated there is a need to improve future student access to nursing programs, and admission criteria should be realistic and meet the needs of nontraditional students. In addition, curriculum and instruction should be creative and address ways to make difficult content easier. Future implications of this study align with recommendations of the Florida Center for Nursing, which address the following areas of concern: (a) recruitment, (b) career advancement, (c) creative instruction to improve retention, and (d) ongoing support of research that analyze workforce trends.

RESEARCH PROBLEM: Educational systems find themselves in a constant state of flux with continuous restructuring and the work of teachers increasing in complexity (Hargreaves, 1998). The nature and pace of this institutional change along with the highly emotional nature of the classroom set the stage for what can become highly stressful experiences. Educational systems appear to assume, in part by virtue of its absence in training, that teachers have the requisite social and emotional competencies necessary to negotiate the emotional terrain of the classroom. The growing problem of teacher burnout and attrition contradict this assumption. A burgeoning body of research on mindfulness reveals the potential of mindfulness-based practices to decrease stress and improve well-being. A wide variety of neuroscientific research has shown the effects of mindfulness practices on brain activity and physiology. Most recently, studies on the effects of various mindfulness-based interventions in education have shown promise.

METHODS: This qualitative study explores the ways in which mindfulness practices influence the lived experiences of teachers in a public middle school. The teachers in this study participate in a course designed for educators. This course combines a variety of mindfulness practices and practical in-the-moment strategies that can be incorporated into everyday life. At the conclusion of the course, teachers participated in focus group discussions and individual interviews during which teachers provide rich descriptions of their experiences.

RESEARCH QUESTION: What is the lived experience of middle school teachers engaged in mindfulness practice?

KEY FINDINGS: 1. Mindfulness increases awareness of oneself and others and enhances teachers’ ability to choose a response rather than succumb to automatic reactions. 2. A mindful response includes specific common mechanisms including pausing, distancing, appraisal, reappraisal, and choice. 3. Mindfulness improves communication both in terms of transmission (speaking) and reception (listening). 4. Increased awareness fosters a greater sense of empathy and compassion which thereby promotes the expression of a mindful response. 5. Mindfulness reduces feelings of isolation through an increased recognition that negative experiences and struggles are common. Participation in the mindfulness course also results in feelings of close connection and community within the group.

Background: Despite efforts by academic medical centers to adopt institutional policies and practices to create an inclusive environment for LGBT patients, students, staff, and faculty, the literature on the experiences of LGBT faculty with academic medicine is limited. Thus, this study examined the career experiences of gay physicians in academic medicine to further develop a narrative of the queer faculty experience.

Methods: A qualitative study was conducted with eleven full-time academic physicians from various AAMC accredited medical schools who openly identify as gay. In-depth interviews were conducted with each participant to understand their reasons for becoming a physician, their career progression and current roles, and their experiences with particular elements of faculty life such as promotion and tenure.

Results: A thematic analysis using interpretative phenomenological analysis techniques revealed that the lived experience of gay physicians can be grouped into two categories based upon the saliency of sexual identity. In the first, the academic physician’s sexual identity is at the forefront, whereas in the second, sexual identity becomes almost invisible. The influence of sexual identity can be clearly seen in the service obligations of gay academic physicians as well as the relationships they create with learners, colleagues, and patients. While gay physicians in academic medicine struggle to find other LGBT mentors, they do often rely on a network of mentors similar to all academic physicians. Lastly, there did not appear to be significant consequences for gay physicians navigating a career in academic medicine nor being successful in the promotion and tenure process.

Conclusions: Findings from this study indicate that the environment for LGBT individuals within academic medicine is rapidly evolving. Yet, the results of this study still suggest opportunities for leaders within academic health centers to implement inclusive policies and benefit programs for LGBT individuals, develop active recruitment and retention programs for LGBT faculty, and infuse LGBT perspectives into institutional programming. By doing so, academic medical centers allow LGBT faculty to be their authentic self and ultimately be thriving clinical educators.

The purpose of this study was to examine the lived experiences of retired transformative public school superintendents in Oregon. The difficult, complex, and dynamic position of the superintendent is told through the untapped wealth of knowledge and experience from those who have served in the position for a minimum of ten years.

This research contributes to the limited body of research of superintendents and provides a contemporary analysis of the complexities of the position of the superintendent. Nine retired transformative public school superintendents in Oregon participated in this research.

The study gained a deeper understanding of the recollections of the retired superintendents through in-depth interviews. Data was analyzed, interpreted, and coded using common themes.

The major findings in the study included: retired transformative superintendents were a lifelong and lead learner in their position as superintendent. A second finding in the study highlighted the key role of equity in the work of a superintendent. A third finding is centered on the need for the superintendent to be an innovator, problem solver, and informed opportunist. A fourth finding is the vital role of humor in the position of the superintendent. The fifth finding is each of the retired superintendents, if given the opportunity, would choose to become superintendents again.

Future superintendents can use this research to better understand the position of the superintendent and to study and learn "wisdom from their elders" in order to be a successful superintendent. Superintendent preparation programs can also use this research in the designing and implementation of relevant curriculum in training the next generation of superintendents.

The human experience occupies the central role in phenomenological research. In this interpretive phenomenological study, the researcher recruited and interviewed secondary school teachers from three public urban schools in the Pacific Northwest in order to have them describe their lived experiences that relate to instructing students affected by homelessness. The researcher used two semi-structured, conversational interviews with six participants who reflected on how their classroom experiences influenced their teaching, engagement strategies, emotional states, and student relationships. The conceptual framework for this study included: Homelessness in America, public school setting, impact of homelessness, and teacher perspective. In this study, the researcher identified gaps in pre-service teacher programs with regard to supporting the marginalized population of students affected by the homeless experience. The essence of the lived experience of the participants’ in this study is centered around a teachers’ drive to seek introspective reflection and gain knowledge, along with building positive relationships with their students, which leads to increasing engagement strategies with all students, including those affected with homelessness. Based on discovering the essence of the lived experience of educators who work with homeless adolescents in a public school, the researcher has begun to fill in the missing gap of literature and potentially assist educators to be more effective in supporting this marginalized population of students.

ABSTRACT Autism continues to be an intriguing condition, and perhaps the most efficiently researched of all child psychiatric disorders (Wolff, 2004). Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are multifaceted neurodevelopmental disorders that entail vital social focused deficiency and behavioral obstinacy. Autism is the ultimate form of ASD and includes substantial deficiency in interaction skills. Treatment of ASD is intricate and comprises an inclusive instructive interventional plan (Cauffield, 2013). The history of autism yields numerous lessons regarding both effective and ineffective teaching strategies for addressing autistic students. Initial beliefs viewed autism as possibly a result of bad parenting and secondly, as an early form of childhood schizophrenia (Rutter, 2001). Rutter (2001) initially purported the symptoms of autism as secondary to developmental receptive language disorder. Research focus eventually transitioned to developmental issues, clarifying similarities and differences between the developmental process distortions (Wolff, 2004). The overarching question for this study is: What are common experiences of teachers in addressing the needs of students with Autism Spectrum Disorder?

Millennials are rapidly taking leadership positions, but few research studies have focused on Millennials in leadership roles, particularly focused on the shaping of their leadership styles existed. Therefore, this study filled a void in both generational and leadership theories. The purpose of this qualitative, phenomenological study was to explore how Millennials, as leaders in a Florida financial services corporation, described, and reflected on the workplace experiences that helped shape their leadership style. A purposive sampling of nine millennial participants in leadership roles, answered two research questions: How do Millennials describe the workplace experiences that may have their current leadership style? and how do Millennials interpret the workplace experiences that may have shaped their current leadership style? Two semistructured interviews captured data from each of the nine participants resulting in 18 transcripts. The hermeneutic circle was used to analyze data through a holistic reading, a selective reading, and a detailed line-by-line reading while making reflective notes on the transcript. Themes consisted of development, feedback, mentoring, and learning to answer question one and the reciprocal themes, developing others, giving feedback, mentoring others, and instilling learning answered question two. Additionally, findings consisted of strong servant leadership characteristics, and three traits that were important to them as leaders; honesty, openness, and transparency. Although generalizations in this type of study are not possible, additional studies around millennial leaders and the shaping of their leadership styles are warranted.

The purpose of this qualitative narrative inquiry was to explore the perceptions and lived experiences of Illinois Parents as Teachers (PAT) program leaders managing a multigenerational workforce. Supervisors state that leading a multigenerational staff possesses challenges that affect overall productivity (Bell, 2008). PAT stakeholders including leaders, facilitators, parents, and children risk failing to provide or receive optimal services because of weak supervisory practices. Obtaining the perceptions and lived experiences, as narrated by PAT leaders about the work practices, behaviors, ethics, and leadership styles of employees from various generations will add insight to this plight. The study involved 10 Illinois Parents as Teachers program leaders purposely selected based on the number of employees and generational cohorts represented in the program. The participants were interviewed using a semi-structured, open ended interview format; data was collected and analyzed. Five themes were extracted from the data using manual analysis and NVivo 9.0© to aid in the coding process. The themes were important to understanding the participant’s perceptions of managing a multigenerational staff. This study provided insight into how PAT leaders view employees from various generations in terms of work practices, behaviors, ethics, and leadership. The narratives provided rich accounts of leader’s experiences, which in turn will be a helpful professional development and technical assistance tool in training leaders to use the most effective techniques with a multigenerational staff. Suggestions for educational practice and further research are included in the recommendations.

This qualitative research study discovers, investigates and explores how selected Latinas make meaning of their high school experience. This study also examines whether there are any resources and/or factors that contributed to their success. The 14 participants are currently enrolled as full time students at a post-secondary institution. The researcher conducted one in-depth, semi-structured interview with each participant. Qualitative research methods (Merriam, 2009) were used to analyze what participants shared. Social capital theory was the theoretical perspective that provided the lens for this study (Coleman, 1988; Putnam, 2000; Stanton-Salazar, 2001). A concept map containing four categories, self, family, school and community, along with a constructivist outlook were included in the overall approach to interpret how Latinas made meaning of their experience. Results from analysis of the data revealed five main themes: (a) Self Identity, (b) Family Influences, (c) Educational Experiences, (d) Advocacy, and (e) Community Connections. These themes and the categories in the concept map are interrelated and were found to have an impact on how Latinas access, acquire, network, and build upon social capital. The conclusions, along with the implication to theory, inform the implications for practice in school systems and policy.

This dissertation study examines how cable television executives are able to experience the phenomenon of candor with their teams. The research used a phenomenological research framework to gain an understanding of how cable executives are able to experience candor. Face to face interviews was the method and tool used to obtain the data. The cable executives were purposefully selected from the researcher’s professional network to participate.

The research analyzed the data to reveal any common themes or undertones in how the phenomenon of candor is experienced. The research discovered that cable executives do experience candor and the environment to foster candor is a determining factor. Further analysis unveiled areas where the cable executives can influence the environment by building relationships, trust, and modeling the desired behavior. The environment influences feedback and employee performance. The research did find that cable executives do implement a level of discretion when dealing with confidential information. Discretionary candor varies and is dependent on the nature of the information in terms of the level of disclosure and nature of the relationship.

The research provides areas that warrant further research; how leaders create the environment and atmosphere that foster candor; is there a difference in how male and female leaders create an environment for candor; what are the human characteristics of leaders that accelerate the atmosphere and environment that foster candor; what are the human characteristics, emotional or mental state that followers and team members need to have to accept and contribute into a candid environment; and how candor contributes to employee retention. The areas for further research can assist new or existing managers and leaders accelerate the creation of the environment conducive to experiencing the phenomenon of candor.

Although media attention is increasing describing the effects military commander’s toxic leadership has on the organization and subordinate military members, few studies focus on an Army commander toxic leadership (ACTL) as experienced by an Army officer’s wife (AOW) whose spouse is subordinate to the ACTL. Researchers have focused on the unique stressors experienced by military members and their families in an attempt to gain insight and understanding into the unique culture from a stress theory perspective. Studies report the active duty member’s is challenged with negative interpersonal relationship problems, reduced coping skills, limited resources, and feelings of hopelessness resulting from the exposure to a commander’s toxic leadership. The stress theory is rooted in positive psychology focusing on individual perceptions and strengths to overcome stressors from a culturally competent lens. This qualitative phenomenological study explores the lived experiences of 10 Army officer’s wives on their journey through an Army commander’s toxic leadership. The participants were recruited nationwide from the social media network, Facebook. Participants were interviewed using a modified, semi-structured interview guide to insure responses were related to the central research question. The results of the study confirmed the presence of non-normative stressors, coping skills, resources, and crises framed from a stress theory perspective. Themes were related to ACTL stressor description, ACTL hardships, stressor meeting resources, and outcome gains and costs. The study concluded that the experience of an ACTL is an institutional cancer with the high-propensity to metastasize, leaving a path of destruction, poison, and scars in its’ path.

This phenomenological feminist study aimed to describe the lived experiences of Black female faculty in leadership positions in higher education. Black female academic leaders find it challenging to celebrate their individual leader development, work effort and success independent of historical marginalization, Affirmative Action, stereotypes, and tokenism among other stigmas. The group of faculty that was interviewed consisted of two deans and one associate dean, two department chairs who were also full professors, four full professors, five associate professors, two assistant professors, two faculty specialists, and two long serving adjunct professors. The group responses were used as the data that was then coded and emerging patterns were categorized into themes. In response to the research questions and from the findings, using the recurrent themes of challenges, gender and racism, success, mentoring and coping strategies, three conclusions were drawn: exclusion and discounting cause stress levels to rise and also contribute to lowered self-confidence and increased self-doubt; in the long term, the definition of success evolves and becomes less about academic expectations and more about authenticity and personal values; and having a mentor in higher education contributes to better chances of being appointed to leadership positions. Recommendations to specific departments include rewarding and recognizing as part of faculty evaluation the extra service Black female faculty add to their heavy workloads as they serve and mentor Black and minority students.

Bullying behaviors among primary school-aged children are underreported, which communicates to the children that the issue is not important to the adults who should be promoting a safe and healthy environment. The purpose of this qualitative, hermeneutic phenomenological study was to explore the perceptions and lived experiences of a purposeful sample of 15 fourth- and fifth-grade elementary teachers concerning the possible effect of Bernstein’s Artful Learning™ Model strategies (an arts integration program) on bullying behaviors of fourth- and fifth-grade students at an arts magnate school. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of 15 fourth- and fifth-grade teachers, using an interview guide with open-ended questions, about their perceptions of bullying at the research site and the effects of Bernstein’s Artful Learning™ model on bullying behaviors. The study results indicated use of the model has the potential to help deter bullying behaviors. Participants believed the model’s community-building component and strategies helped decrease bullying and aggressive behaviors. This study provides educational leaders with a demonstration the efficacy of an arts-integration program in deterring bullying behaviors among elementary students.