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Master of Science / Counseling and Student Development / Christy D. Craft / Throughout my undergraduate and graduate work at Kansas State University, I have been fascinated with students’ faith development. Sharon Parks’ Theory of Faith Development for the College Years (Parks, 2000) outlines four stages of faith during the four to five years of college. As students enter into college, most start with a faith that is bound by authority and is dependent on others to function in a socially acceptable way. Healthy development continues until students enter a mature adult faith—one in which they have gained interdependence between their personal faith and the faith of others. They are open to those who are different and welcome diversity. With this in mind, how a campus ministry approaches a student may be vastly different depending on their stage of development. My report focuses on comparing and contrasting Sharon Parks’ Theory of Faith Development (Parks, 2000) and Susan Komives Stages of Leadership Identity Development (Komives, Owen, Longerbeam, Mainella & Osteen, 2005) in order to better understand the ability at which students can lead depending on their faith development. I concentrated on college age students who attend a non-denominational Christian campus ministry group. After completing my review of the similarities and differences of the two theories, I engaged in conversations with those involved in the ministries about each theory and how they are applicable to their faith leadership position within their organization. Having been heavily involved in a campus ministry, both as a participant and an observer, I have gained great knowledge about the ministries and how students get involved. Adding my classroom experience learning about faith development and leadership development, I feel that researching and presenting information about leadership and faith development to campus leaders would be beneficial. Educating campus leaders about student leadership development and faith development will better help equip them to reach students at the students’ level.

This companion dissertation reports the findings of applied case study research on four community college organizational units that consistently meet or exceed standard performance measures. In addition, prior ample evidence confirms that performance extended significantly beyond what might be explained by available tangible resources alone. The case study contexts are common in higher education in general: a) an external partnership, (b) an ad hoc team, (c) a traditional, cross-divisional service unit, and (d) a grant-funded student service unit. Emerging positive organizational theory and research shows promise for revealing performance-influencing phenomena and behaviors that are not adequately represented in standard measures. Therefore, this collaborative case study research was designed to explore positive influences on the success of the four community college units. This companion dissertation consists of three manuscripts. Chapter 2, a technical report, contains the collaboratively-written synthesis of findings from the four individual case studies. Key findings across the units suggest the influence on performance of: (a) a people-first culture, (b) authentic, trusting, inclusive leadership, and (c) resource richness beyond constrained tangible resources. In Chapter 3, the researcher presents the key findings of the individual case study that looks at the success of an ad hoc committee formed to guide their institution through the accreditation process. The findings of this study emphasize the important role that leadership plays in the team’s success. In Chapter 4, the researcher shares lessons learned throughout the research process and by walking through her leadership journey from reluctant to authentic leader.

Leadership development is adopted as a strategy to become a learning organisation. The emphasis on leadership or transfer of leadership training is perceived as central to the development of a learning organisation, which is the only sustainable competitive advantage in response to an increasingly unpredictable business environment. Leadership development may be seen as oriented towards building capacity in anticipation of unforeseen challenges. In this vein, developing leadership behaviours/capabilities might be a priority for successful organisations. This suggests that organisations should be able to develop their leaders by ensuring the harmony between the requirements of corporate strategy and the context in which they work. Given the fact that leadership is such essential part of organisational development, the methods for developing the leadership behaviours/capabilities must be present. Without defining leadership behaviours/capabilities, and their development methods, organisations may fail to optimize the outcomes of their leadership. This indicates the importance for understanding how leadership development (LD) is approached. Consequently, this study explores how LD occurs and what factors influence this phenomenon in the Arab context using evidence from Syria, and develops an integrated model to support the introduction of LD to organisations operating in the Syrian/Arab context. This study utilises a qualitative multiple-case design to understand and explain the character of and the influence on LD in the Arab world using evidence from Syria. Specifically, the study was based upon a sample of three cases of for-profit companies. Research data was gathered through 36 in-depth semi-structured interviews with the middle and top management levels. The findings reveal that LD occurs through the process that begins once a company identifies its leadership needs. This occurs by analysing internal/external environment to select the leadership behaviours/capabilities required, and their development methods. It was noted that this process seems to be similar among the three companies, but the type of behaviour/capabilities required tends to be context specific. Additionally, the findings reveal that there were two types of factors that influence LD at the three companies: Factors were seen as determinant factors through which the decisions of whether to introduce LD were made; and factors influencing the successful application of LD. The findings also reveal that there is a dynamic interaction between the mechanism used for understanding the weakness to identify leadership needs from one side and the context in which the companies operate from the other side. This relationship poses the basis for each company to select what fits its internal/external needs. This was evident through the types of behaviours/capabilities required and the purpose of each development method adopted by each company for developing the behaviours/capabilities required. The findings provide several contributions, but the major contribution is the discovery of how LD is applied in an Arab context, what behaviours/capabilities and development methods work best with for-profit companies in this context, how companies operating in an Arab context identify leadership needs for development, and what factors they perceive as determinants of LD and what factors influence the implications of LD. The study makes an additional contribution by developing an empirical model for introducing LD in an Arab context using evidence from Syria. The model was based on the data obtained from the field study. This could be appropriate for the Syrian/Arab context from one side that shares the same traditional characteristics, and companies working in these contexts (Arab) from the other side.

This thesis explores the impact and effects of a leadership development programme in-depth and over time. There has been a lack of attention given to understanding the impact of such interventions in the academic literature. Where studies do investigate the impact (s) of leadership development they tend to focus almost exclusively on positive outcomes or the achievement of pre-determined targets and tend to be short-term in focus. This research finds that there is also a shadow side of leadership development, defined as the unintended effects of leadership development programmes which can be counter-productive and dysfunctional. A longitudinal case study approach was adopted comprising documentary analysis, observation and interviews, the latter of which were conducted with multiple stakeholders at three different junctures in time during and beyond the length of the leadership development programme. Three conceptual dimensions of identity, organisational culture and organisational context were identified which together facilitated a multi-faceted understanding of the changing impact and effects of the leadership development programme over time. In conclusion this thesis makes both a theoretical and methodological contribution by adding a longitudinal, multi-level analysis and evaluation of leadership development, evidencing both positive and shadow impacts and effects.

Leadership quality is recognised as a major contributor to organisational performance. With a talent war looming, there is an increasing emphasis on developing an internal leadership talent pipeline. Formal leadership development programmes are a major vehicle for this purpose. Leadership development programmes find themselves competing with other organisational projects for funds and are expected to show a return on investment. Successful learning translation from the programme to the workplace is therefore essential to fulfil this requirement. Yet, the generally accepted transfer rate of 10% is worryingly low. Traditional learning transfer research, with the working environment explored from a hierarchical and single dyad perspective, provides inconsistent results and little advice for the human resource development (HRD) profession on how to improve transfer performance. This research creates a new conversation by considering learning transfer from a network social capital perspective; a perspective, arguably, more aligned to the socially situated nature of leadership. A longitudinal case study of a senior leadership development programme, underpinned by a critical realist philosophy, is used to explore how a leader’s network social capital – defined as the value inherent in the relationships within the leader’s organisational, professional and home networks – may influence leadership learning translation in the workplace. The results show a far wider range of social network actors are perceived as enabling or hindering the translation of leadership programme knowledge into improved practice than currently considered in the literature. Further, the four groups of identified developmental roles enacted by the social network and forming the leader’s network social capital (Opportunity to participate in learning translation, Structure for learning translation, Learning assistance and Access to vicarious leadership practice) can be sourced from many different parts of the leader’s network. The diversity, multiplexity and individuality of network social capital may explain the ambiguity and contradiction within the extant learning transfer results. Mechanisms facilitating the formation and flow of the four social capital groups are also isolated and then discussed within the context of the leader’s personal agency. The research is limited by a single case focus and its outcomes may be influenced by the seniority of the leaders within the case. However, the inference of the study’s findings is that the HRD community needs to think far wider than the leader’s line manager when designing strategies to support leadership learning translation. The emergence of two distinct drivers of social capital flows suggests consideration of two distinct solutions for improving translation – one focussed on the organisation and one directed at the leader.

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Leadership in schools is equated principally with those who hold formal or designated positions of leadership. However, the general leadership literature asserts that leadership in the post-corporate world of the organisation is not solely position-based, nor does it belong to any one person. Rather, leadership is shared and collaborative, is distributive and multi-dimensional, and is open to all members of an organisation. This study explored the perceptions and experiences of leadership by teachers and their opportunities for leadership development, in the context of the study of the Catholic school. A key assumption that underpinned the study was that teachers, by virtue of their professional practice and professional learning, exercise leadership. It was argued in the study that the educational philosophy of a Catholic school provides a suitable context for teachers to exercise leadership. The conceptual framework for the study was derived from an exploration of the research literature which focused on the general field of leadership, educational leadership and the genre of teacher leadership. The empirical study involved qualitative inquiry situated within an interpretative paradigm and oriented to providing in-depth and detailed descriptions and interpretations of the phenomenon of leadership. Data were gathered through four focus group interviews conducted with teachers in two Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Melbourne, Australia. A fifth focus group interview was conducted with an ‘expert’ group of teachers to verify a first summary of the findings. Data were analysed through an iterative process of data reduction, data display and verification. The data produced rich descriptions of leadership as perceived and experienced by teachers and were displayed in key themes within the framework of the research questions. The findings of the study revealed that teachers in the sample had well-developed understandings of leadership, of the nature of leadership in a Catholic school, and of their personal, interpersonal and professional capacity to exercise leadership in their professional practice and professional learning. However, these conceptual understandings did not always translate into practice. Leadership by teachers and leadership development of teachers were hindered by a number of factors, namely, a perceived lack of identity of teaching as a profession; the association of leadership with formal leadership structures within the school, and limited access to professional learning programs. The recommendations arising from the study have implications for system and school leaders and for policymakers and practitioners alike. In particular, the development of policy and practice that articulates the multi-dimensional perspective of leadership, and the leadership and professional role of teachers within this perspective, are highlighted. In light of the study’s findings, future research relating to the area of teacher leadership is recommended. Although the genre, teacher leadership, is well established in educational literature, there has been limited empirical research undertaken in this field in the Australian education context. This study makes a small but significant contribution to the ongoing development of knowledge in the field.

The Saskatchewan First Nations leadership development study is essentially a continuation of my previous research on First Nations leadership and spirituality (2002). The purpose of this study was to explore First Nations leadership and leadership development in Saskatchewan within the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations organizational context. To accomplish this, the study involved an extensive literature review on Indigenous and Western leadership and leadership development theories. Further, an examination of four established and prominent North American Indigenous leadership development programs was conducted to gain further understanding of Indigenous leadership. In addition, 10 First Nations leaders from the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations participated in in-depth interviews. <p>Qualitative inquiry was chosen for this study because qualitative research methods were congruent with First Nations methods of sharing and preserving information. In-depth interviews with semi-structured questions were conducted to obtain information on Saskatchewan First Nations leadership and leadership development. All but one participant agreed to the use of an audio taped interview. Once the interviews were complete, Atlas-ti, a computer software program, was used to assist in the coding, categorizing, and thematic emergence process. <p>The four Aboriginal leadership development programs that were examined were University of Arizonas Native Nations Institute for Leadership, Management, and Policy, Pennsylvania States American Indian Leadership Program, Banff Centres Aboriginal Leadership and Management Program, and the Aboriginal Leadership Institute Incorporated, located in Winnipeg. These programs strived to remain current and were involved in research initiatives. Moreover, they all attempted to incorporate First Nations culture, history, and issues alongside Western leadership skills, training, and education. They evolved, adapted, and were sensitive to change and innovation in leadership development. First Nations leadership development programs, like those studied, are valuable because they unite Aboriginal leadership for the purpose of personal and professional growth.<p>The First Nations leaders that participated in this study shared personal and professional leadership and leadership development experiences and philosophy. <p>The leaders indicated that being a First Nations leader was challenging because it continuously contended with two fundamentally different cultures Western and First Nations. In addition, First Nations poverty, lack of funding, residential school effects, addictions, among other things, made leadership difficult. Because First Nations leadership is physically, emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually taxing, many of the Chiefs cited internal rather than material satisfaction. Moreover, these leaders were often motivated by a cause and the desire for collective well-being and positive change. Family, community members, other leaders, Elders, and the Creator were acknowledged as sources of strength and inspiration. <p>The First Nations leaders who participated in the study perceived leadership development as a life-long process of formal and informal learning experiences. Consequently, many of the leaders indicated that leadership development began in childhood with individual and family development. The leaders described a First Nations leadership development program that was flexible (able to work in community, tribal, and provincial settings), cognizant of First Nations culture, needs, and issues, and aware of current and innovative leadership practices. First Nations leadership development should also incorporate Western knowledge, skills, and education. <p>This First Nations leadership investigation has provided invaluable insight into the values, beliefs, worldview, and philosophies that entail and ultimately constitute Indigenous leadership and leadership development. Studies that focus on Indigenous leadership development ultimately have significant implications for theory, research, fundamental, and practical applications for learning organizations.