<p> Within today's technologically enmeshed world, people are spending more and more time in front of screens (both large and small). This comes at a cost; time spent outdoors is becoming scarce. How does engaging with nature impact our practice of leadership? A Collaborative Inquiry carried out by four individuals with personal leadership practices explored this question. We found that our leadership practices were improved through spending time in nature. A significant impact we identified was that our experiences in nature had an ego-reductive influence, turning our focus outwards and improving our ability to navigate complex situations with greater fluidity. We recommend that leaders looking to alter their perspective adopt a practice of intentional reflective time in nature.</p><p>

<p> Toxic leadership harms people and, eventually, the company as well through the poisoning of enthusiasm, creativity, autonomy, and innovative expression. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to investigate the decisions made by employees who were exposed to the actions of a toxic leader, and to explore the lived experiences of employees who were affected by toxic leadership within their organizations. The study explored the lived experiences of 13 participants who experienced and were affected by toxic leadership. This study used the modified Stevick-Colaizzi-Keen phenomenological method of data analysis to examine the participants&rsquo; transcripts. Analysis of the data gathered during the interviews developed five themes: 1) Flight: Leave the toxic environment; 2) Hope: Stay within the toxic environment; 3) Damage: Physical &amp; psychological health issues; 4) Trust: Lack of trust at the workplace; and 5) Development: A positive outlook after experiencing toxic leadership. Findings from the study recommended that obtaining the employees&rsquo; perspectives whenever conducting research on the after effects of toxic leadership was significant. The results of this study suggested that the adverse effects of toxic leadership may continue past the immediate and adverse physiological and psychological responses. This study was intended to add value to the existing body of knowledge concerning toxic leadership for both the practitioner and scholar communities.</p><p>

<p> Innovative and enduring solutions to the myriad of complex social and environmental challenges facing the world today require the shared resources and combined talents of government, nonprofit and for-profit sectors. Interactions between these sectors are called cross sector partnerships (CSPs). As an example of CSPs, nonprofit patient advocacy organizations (PAOs) are increasingly entering relationships and collaborations with for-profit pharmaceutical companies (FPPCs). Using a phenomenological approach, this study sought to contribute to the body of knowledge on PAO/FPPC partnerships, as well as the broader CSP phenomenon, by exploring how leaders in the field of PAO/FPPC alliances experience collaboration with one another. Three research questions were used as the basis of semi-structured interviews with 11 patient advocacy leaders. Five of the participants were nonprofit leaders (NPLs) and six were for-profit leaders (FPLs). Results from this study include several important new contributions that add to the body of knowledge related to PAO/FPPC cross sector alliances. First, the data describe disparities in decision-making authority between the NPLs and FPLs and the data illustrate the complex, variable and challenging decision-making context that exists in PAO/FPPC partnerships. Second, these results confirm that strategic analysis skills, marketing skills and facilitation skills are important leadership competencies that impact productive PAO/FPPC partnerships. Finally, this research describes similarities and differences in leadership competencies that are important to NPLs and FPLs. This study is significant because an increased understanding of collaborations between patient advocacy organizations and drug development companies may allow for more positive and beneficial future collaborations. In addition, this research provides insight into the general phenomena of cross sector alliances, which may prove beneficial to a wide range of social challenges.</p><p>

La progression tumorale peut être considérée comme le résultat d’un dialogue dynamique entre les cellules tumorales et le microenvironnement. Une meilleure connaissance de ces interactions est donc primordiale pour mieux cerner le comportement des cellules tumorales et participer à la définition de nouvelles cibles thérapeutiques. Notre travail a consisté à « décortiquer » les interactions entre deux éléments du microenvironnement décrits comme ayant des effets contradictoires ; l’Inhibiteur de l’Activateur du Plasminogène de type 1 (PAI-1) connu pour favoriser le comportement amiboïde de cellules cancéreuses, et l’Acide Hyaluronique (HA) connu pour en favoriser le comportement mésenchymateux. HA, qui peut se fixer à la membrane cellulaire, soit par CD44, soit par RHAMM, est retrouvé, comme PAI-1, en abondance autour des tumeurs les plus invasives et constitue, cliniquement, un facteur indépendant de mauvais pronostic. En utilisant une lignée de cellules épithéliales issues de cancer du sein, les MDA-MB-231, nous avons observé qu’un microenvironnement enrichi en HA n’induit pas, dans nos conditions expérimentales, d’effet visible sur le comportement cellulaire. En revanche, un microenvironnement enrichi en PAI-1 matriciel est capable d’entretenir la morphologie amiboïde des cellules MDA-MB-231. De façon surprenante, lorsque les cellules se retrouvent dans un environnement mixte PAI-1/HA, le comportement des MDA n’est semblable à l’effet d’aucun des éléments seuls et varie avec le temps de contact. A temps court de contact, soit une heure, HA amplifie l’effet de PAI-1 en augmentant le blebbing. Ce dernier est associé à une forte augmentation de MLC-P révélant sans doute l’activation de la voie précédemment identifiée, RhoA/ROCK. Cette contribution synergique d'HA et de PAI-1 dépend de la disponibilité du récepteur CD44 et s'inverse avec le temps. En effet, au bout de 3 heures, la présence d’HA associée à PAI-1 semble au contraire contrebalancer l’effet de PAI-1 en diminuant le blebbing et en augmentant l’étalement. Cet effet s'accompagne de l’augmentation de l’expression de RHAMM et celle de RAC 1 et une diminution de l’expression de MLC-P, comparé à leur expression en présence de PAI-1 seul. Enfin, des colocalisations impressionnantes d'uPAR avec CD44 ou avec l'actine pourraient rendre compte de la synergie positive ou inversée et de la relation complexe HA/PAI-1. L’ensemble de nos résultats confirme la dynamique moléculaire qui régit le comportement des cellules cancéreuses. La partie du mécanisme mise en évidence par notre étude, éclaire le rôle des acteurs sous un autre jour en les replaçant au sein du système complexe que représentent les cellules dans leur microenvironnement. Cette étude souligne l’importance d'une approche globale et dynamique des interactions molécules-cellules-microenvironnement et permet d'envisager de nouvelles cibles thérapeutiques incluant l’ensemble des composantes du microenvironnement. / Tumor progression can be considered as the result of a dynamic dialogue between tumor cells and their microenvironment. The study of possible interactions between them is therefore essential to better understand the behavior of tumor cells. Our goal was to “dissect” the interactions between two molecules described as having contradictory effects; the inhibitor of plasminogen activator type 1 (PAI-1) known to promote, in cancer cells, amoeboid behavior and Hyaluronic Acid (HA) known to promote mesenchymal behavior. HA can bind the cell membrane either via CD44 or via RHAMM, and as PAI-1, is found in abundance around the more invasive tumors and is clinically an independent factor of poor prognosis. We highlighted that, in our experimental conditions, an HA enriched microenvironment does not induce visible effect on cell behavior of the breast cancer cells MDA-MB-231. However, a matrix PAI-1 enriched microenvironment is able to maintain the morphology of amoeboid cells. Surprisingly, when cells are found in a mixed microenvironment PAI-1 / HA, the behavior of MDA is not similar to any of the effect observed with the single elements and varies with the time of contact. In a short period of time, after one hour of contact, HA in the presence of PAI-1 amplifies the effect of PAI-1 by increasing the blebbing. This is associated with a high increase of the amount of phosphorylated MLC, undoubtedly revealing the activation of the previously identified pathway RhoA/ROCK. This contribution is synergistic and depends on the presence of the HA receptor CD44. However, after a longer contact time (3 hours), the presence of HA associated with PAI-1 appears to counterbalance the effect of PAI-1; the blebbing is reduced and the spreading increased. These cellular effects are accompanied by an increase of the RHAMM and RAC 1 expression and a decrease of the amount of phosphorylated MLC compared with their expression in the presence of PAI-1 alone. Finally, impressive colocalization of uPAR with CD44 or actin could account for the positive or reversed synergy and the complex relation HA/PAI-1. Taken together, these results confirm the complex dynamic governing the behavior of cancer cells. The part of the mechanism deciphered by our results sheds light on the role of each molecule and underlies the importance of taking into account the interactions molecule-cell-microenvironment. This will imply a future therapeutic approach including all the components of the microenvironment.

<p> The goal of this study was to explore the connection between authentic leadership, spirituality, and human development theory to determine if spirituality contributes to the emergence or formation of an authentic leadership identity. An interdisciplinary research approach was conducted by reviewing literature on authentic leadership, spirituality, and human development. A sequential explanatory mixed method design was used to collect and analyze the personal beliefs and life experiences of individuals who were nominated as authentic leaders. Sixty-one participants completed a questionnaire and a subset of eleven participants completed semi-structured interviews. </p><p> Quantitative findings identified that nearly 94% of participants considered themselves to be spiritual (<i>n</i> = 57). Most participants (90%) believe that spirituality influences their beliefs about leadership and their behaviors as leaders (<i>n</i> = 55). Similarly, most participants (90%) affirmed that their spirituality influences their authenticity and self-awareness as a leader (<i>n</i> = 55). Qualitative findings from semi-structured interviews identified that spirituality, or spiritual influences, experienced during the formative years, influenced participants&rsquo; values and beliefs, defined their principles and ethics, and provided a framework for how to live and behave. For most participants, these values and beliefs were informed by religious parents and/or a religious upbringing. When a participant did not reference a religious parent or religious upbringing, a sense of God, or higher power, or a strong sense of service was acknowledged instead. Findings also credit spirituality, or the belief in a higher power or God with having encouraged a participants&rsquo; journey or purpose. Participants acknowledged that spirituality has helped and continues to help define who they are, who they want to be, and how they want to live and work. Based on these findings, this study offers evidence that values and beliefs link spirituality to the emergence of an authentic leadership identity. While an individual&rsquo;s identity continues to be shaped and influenced across a person&rsquo;s lifespan, core values which influenced their emergence as an authentic leader were established during the early formative years, informed by parental and spiritual (religious) influences. As such, spirituality may be a mediating variable which influences the emergence of authentic leadership identity, as well as, encourages a sense of purpose, life-direction, and/or self-actualization.</p><p>

<p> Workplace flexibility is becoming more and more common in American workplaces. However, most of these policies are created for professional and white-collar workers. Scholars have argued that the &ldquo;missing middle,&rdquo; that is, workers who are neither in the professional class nor low-wage workers, are often ignored in formal policies. Scholars have argued that workers experience a stigma for using these policies; however, little is known about how this stigmatization process occurs. This dissertation employs a grounded theory methodology to analyze 29 semi-structured interviews with missing middle workers to understand how they communicatively construct workplace flexibility and its attending stigma. Analysis of the data suggested the missing middle constructed workplace flexibility by drawing upon macro, meso, and micro-level D/discourses. In doing so, my participants communicated a fine line between use and abuse of workplace flexibility policies based on a) the perception of a worker as lazy, b) the perception of a worker using flexibility too frequently, and c) the perception of a worker having a non-acceptable rationale for using flexibility. Thus, workers become stigmatized for being perceived to abuse, not use, the policies. Based on the data, I offer a ground theory of this flexibility stigmatization process, that includes: a) organizational norms surrounding flexibility, b) the use of workplace flexibility, c) talk surrounding flexibility, and d) stigma perceptions. I then offer potential ways this communicative process can be reconstituted and transformed by human resource personnel, managers, and workers to disrupt the cycle of workplace flexibility stigma.</p><p>

<p> Ministerial advisers encounter challenges in communicating change to support sustainability in economic growth and capacity building in security missions between Afghan and United States leaders. The problem rooted in the differences among the Afghan leaders and the ministerial advisers would stabilize the Afghan economy and building capacity within security missions. The qualitative exploratory case study examined how communication challenges impede the progress of successfully advising Afghan senior leaders in support of sustaining economic growth and capacity building within security missions. Ten Ministry of Defense (MoDA) advisers were interviewed. During the analysis, two main groups, six themes, and 13 sub-themes emerged. Results corroborated the official government reporting, which found a misalignment with Afghan counterparts and in communicating and sharing information often limited the MoDA program's ability to assess advisory effectiveness. The results discovered that leaders should develop long-lasting and trusting relationships to be able to effectively communicate change. Results exposed that the training programs for these leaders who will communicate change should include more role-playing exercises and on the ground training, prior to placement into the adviser role. Peacekeeping advising efforts in Afghanistan will be successful by allowing time to overcome change-related learning curves. The recommendation for future training must include an evaluation of training programs, and the effectiveness in preparing the adviser with the necessary knowledge and skills to perform their assigned duties.</p><p>

The evidence linking self-monitoring(Snyder, 1974) and leadership suggests that it is better to be high than low in self-monitoring regarding leader effectiveness (Day et al., 2002); however, social responsiveness could be a double-edged sword when it comes to leading organization change. It was hypothesized that high self-monitoring (HSM) leaders would launch change in a participative manner and create positive conditions for change, but they would lack strength of purpose for leading the effort in the face of resistance. Grit (Duckworth, Peterson, Matthews & Kelly, 2007), an individual characteristic introduced recently by positive psychologists, is potentially a positive characteristic of change leaders. It was also predicted that grit would be a positive predictor of leader strength of purpose for leading change. Drawing on these literatures, a theoretical model was developed and tested to examine the interaction effect of these two characteristics and a change leader's situation (resistance or support) on strength of purpose (commitment to change goals and intentions to stay with the organization). Two surveys, one scenario-based and one experience-based, were administered to senior leaders (mean age = 43) from across the globe representing a wide range of industries and job functions. The results provided some support that self-monitoring interacted with the leader situation to predict leader approach to change in the scenario survey group, but not in the experience survey group. The findings also demonstrated support for self-monitoring theory in that cultural context moderated the relationship between self-monitoring and leader approach to change, such that HSMs' approach varied significantly depending on whether they were leading change inside or outside their own country of origin (i.e., nationality) whereas LSMs did not vary their approach across these different contexts. The prediction that grit would predict leader strength of purpose was unsupported. It was also found that cultural context moderated the relationship between leader situation and intentions to stay with the organization such that, in conditions of less support (i.e., resistance) from one's established in-group (nationality or societal culture match between the leader and change recipients), leaders expressed higher intentions to leave than when unsupported in out-group conditions. These results and the implications for future research and practice are discussed.

Based on ethnography, oral history and archival research, this study examines the culture of the Accompong Maroons by focusing on the political, economic, social, religious and kinship institutions, foodways, and land history. This research demonstrates that like the South American Maroons, the Accompong Maroons differ in their ideology and symbolisms from the larger New World population. However, the Accompong Maroons have assimilated, accommodated and integrated into the state in every other aspect. As a consequence, the Accompong Maroons can only be considered maroons in name only. Today's Accompong Maroons resemble any other rural peasant community in Jamaica. Grounded in historical analysis, the study also demonstrate that social stratification in Accompong Town results from unequal access to land and other resources, lack of economic infrastructure, and constraints on food marketeers and migration. This finding does not support the concept of communalism presented in previous studies.

Recently economists have shown that people who graduate during recessions earn less money and hold less prestigious jobs, even decades after entering the workforce. This dissertation argues that despite these suboptimal outcomes, these graduates are likely to be happier with their jobs, even long after these economic conditions have changed. Four studies found that people who entered the workforce when the economy was sputtering and jobs were difficult to secure were more satisfied with their jobs than their peers who entered during better economic times, even decades after these early workforce experiences. Study 1 utilized a large cross-sectional national survey of working adults in the United States and found that college graduates who first looked for work during difficult economic times were more satisfied with their jobs well into their careers. Study 2 found that people who graduated from both college and graduate school during times of higher unemployment were happier with their jobs both early in their careers and years later, even when they earned less money. Study 3 replicated this effect in a different country, the United Kingdom, and among a more diverse educational population. Study 3 found that economic conditions at workforce entry predicted life satisfaction as well. Finally, Study 4 explored potential mediators of this effect and suggested that people who entered the workforce during economic downturns were less likely to entertain upward counterfactual thoughts about how they might have done better. This tendency fully mediated the relationship between workforce economic conditions and job satisfaction. While past research on job satisfaction has focused on dispositional and situational antecedents, these findings suggest that strong experiential factors also may have an enduring effect on how satisfied people are with their jobs.