Our fast-paced and seemingly ever-changing world is reflected in the transformations that are occurring in our school systems. Meeting the dynamic needs of all stakeholders in a school building’s ecosystem falls on the shoulders of the school principals. Employing capable leaders in this role is vital yet many countries do not require candidates for the position to have special qualifications. In addition, training programs that do exist have been subject to much criticism. Recently, suggestions for reform have been implemented and this study explored a newly mandated school leader training program to assess its perceived effectiveness. This qualitative research study contributes a missing link to current research into educational leadership training programs world-wide which tends to focus on educational reforms in Canada, the United States and Australia. Twelve Hungarian school principals, or directors as they are termed in their native land, were interviewed for this research and asked to share their personal formal and informal pre-service preparation and training experiences. The directors were also asked to provide their opinions regarding the relative value of different components of their compulsory School Leaders’ Training program. Findings support the theories presented in existing literature regarding effective school leader training programs using methods specifically targeted toward adult learners and add to the call for mandatory school administrator training and preparation.

Our fast-paced and seemingly ever-changing world is reflected in the transformations that are occurring in our school systems. Meeting the dynamic needs of all stakeholders in a school building’s ecosystem falls on the shoulders of the school principals. Employing capable leaders in this role is vital yet many countries do not require candidates for the position to have special qualifications. In addition, training programs that do exist have been subject to much criticism. Recently, suggestions for reform have been implemented and this study explored a newly mandated school leader training program to assess its perceived effectiveness. This qualitative research study contributes a missing link to current research into educational leadership training programs world-wide which tends to focus on educational reforms in Canada, the United States and Australia. Twelve Hungarian school principals, or directors as they are termed in their native land, were interviewed for this research and asked to share their personal formal and informal pre-service preparation and training experiences. The directors were also asked to provide their opinions regarding the relative value of different components of their compulsory School Leaders’ Training program. Findings support the theories presented in existing literature regarding effective school leader training programs using methods specifically targeted toward adult learners and add to the call for mandatory school administrator training and preparation.

published_or_final_version / abstract / toc / Social Work and Social Administration / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

Thesis (Ed.D.)--Boston University / PLEASE NOTE: Boston University Libraries did not receive an Authorization To Manage form for this thesis or dissertation. It is therefore not openly accessible, though it may be available by request. If you are the author or principal advisor of this work and would like to request open access for it, please contact us at open-help@bu.edu. Thank you. / There is a well-documented shortage of competent leaders in American corporations today due in part to the fact that leadership has been traditionally conceptualized as an individual-level skill. Accordingly, development is believed to occur primarily through training to improve individual skills and abilities (Day, 2000). These approaches have failed to see that leadership is at its essence a complex interaction between the designated leader and the social and organizational environment (Fiedler, 1996). Corporate educators need to recognize this interaction and begin to focus on holistic training and development models that address the interpersonal and social leadership behaviors required for future success. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between a relatively new kind of leadership training based on the Health Realization/State of Mind understanding and organizational performance. It was a mixed methods design incorporating interviews with a number of leaders from a particular business area in the organization, work environment surveys, employee opinion surveys, and organizational performance measures. An analysis of the results showed that the behavior of the leaders did indeed change, but the leaders attributed those positive changes to a combination of the leadership training, the influence of a transformational leader, and a shift in the cultural norms that improved the work environment. A comparison of the employee opinion and work environment surveys showed a noticeable difference in the quality of the work environment and overall job satisfaction between the subject business area and the rest of the organization. The organizational performance indicators, sales, income, and cost of poor quality indicated improvements as well. / 2031-01-02

This study was conducted to compare two different approaches to leadership training workshops—a team/group dynamics training model with a team/traditional training model—with regard to the changes in tolerance, open-mindedness, flexibility, adaptability, and cooperativeness of the participants in the group dynamics model.

Leaders in Christian ministry, in many instances, are in a crisis of competence. This research was a comparative analysis of select ministry professionals for the purpose of determining their perceptions as to the necessary leadership competencies needed for leadership in Christian ministry. The research problem that was addressed is not a new problem but one that must continue to be addressed as long as theological institutions of higher learning have the purpose of training and preparing vocational ministry leaders for Christian service. The purpose of the research that was to develop a comparative analysis of ministry professionals perceptions of the necessary character qualities and competencies for vocational ministry leaders in order to enhance ministry training. The literature review section identified the needs for this study. A theological foundation was set by looking at leaders in both Old and New Testaments and identifying the models and skills of a leader. The character and qualifications for leadership according to the Scriptures were also identified. The model of leadership that was developed in the study was a model that sees the ministry leader as a shepherd, which encompasses a variety of leadership skills, attitudes and behaviors. These were analyzed through the literature from a biblical and non-biblical leadership perspective. Other research was also analyzed in order to discover what other researchers had discovered to enhance the process of training as well. The methodology used was for the purpose of discovering the perceptions of the ministry professionals being surveyed. The study used an expert panel to assist in the development of a survey instrument that asked respondents to rank a list of leadership competencies as to their importance for ministry leaders. The respondents were asked to analyze the personal characteristics necessary for effective ministry leadership. The survey used two sample populations, local church leaders and denominational/institutional leaders which included state convention leadership and directors of associational missions. The analysis of data and correlations of the perceptions between the groups in the study was completed. The chapter that deals with data analysis shows how the data was analyzed and the responses within groups according to age, education and other demographic data. Final conclusions and implications from the research were drawn. Chapter 5 draws out conclusions from the findings in the data and it was discovered that a set of character qualities and leadership competencies existed among the ministry professionals surveyed that can be used in a variety of settings for training and preparing those who are in training for vocational Christian ministry. / This item is only available to students and faculty of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. If you are not associated with SBTS, this dissertation may be purchased from <a href="http://disexpress.umi.com/dxweb">http://disexpress.umi.com/dxweb</a> or downloaded through ProQuest's Dissertation and Theses database if your institution subscribes to that service.

As leadership theory continues to develop and change, so do the attempts to enhance experiences for women in higher education. Women face many obstacles, which include lack of role models in student and institutional leaders (Astin & Leland, 1991). Traditionally, institutions offer no specific leadership programs or curricula and pay minimal attention to the leadership development of their students (Cress, Astin, Zimmerman-Oster, & Burkhardt, 2001). This study was a case study with an in-depth analysis of the establishment of a women's leadership education and training program at Hollins University in Roanoke, Virginia. Six students, four administrators, and one intern were interviewed to illustrate the process of the planning of the program, its implementation and current operations, and the complexities involved. Document analysis and observations were utilized as well. The study was focused on the impact of the program on the students and administrators involved in the development of the program during this period. The researcher also described how the Batten Leadership Institute has evolved over the past five years with a focus on how it came into being, what it was like, then and now, and changes that have occurred. The findings are organized by three phases: 1) conceptualization, 2) implementation, and 3) refinement and expansion. The phases are based on a chronological framework and resulting categories and themes emerged. Results indicate the participants' described their leadership skills improved because of their participation and experience in the BLI. The Communication Skills Group and its interpersonal component as well the presence of positive female role-models created the most personal transformation for the student participants. The students' previous ideas and definitions of leadership became more comprehensive. As a result of their personal transformation, their perceptions of the BLI changed from initial uncertainty and hesitation to admiration and support. The program expanded significantly over the first five years. Programmatic challenges have been addressed and many positive changes have occurred. Hollins administrators embraced the BLI and fully supported future expansions within Hollins University and in the Roanoke community. / Ph. D.

This thesis explores shifting ideas of youth work, and the changing notions of professional competence that have shaped it since its emergence at the end of the last century. It begins by discussing Foucault's distinctive conception of power. This analysis is applied later in the thesis to youth work itself and to its forms of professional education and training. It is argued that modem professional practices illustrate the changing nature of disciplinary techniques in modem societies. These techniques are employed to discipline both professions themselves (by 'normalising' professional practices), and their client groups, and are also part of the contemporary problem of 'government'. Indeed, it is argued that models of professional education reflect the historically changing rationales on which British society has been organised and managed. The thesis identifies three phases of this: 'emergent welfarism', social government' or 'welfarism' and 'neo-liberalism. Drawing on a range of historical sources, a number of changing assumptions about young people in the context of youth work are identified, such as their characterisation as an inherently and naturally problematic social category. The 'discourse of adolescence' which draws on a range of knowledges about young people (from scientific to moral) is seen as providing a powerful justification for the expansion of youth work over the last hundred years or so. The youth worker's modem role in managing groups, offering counselling and acting as a 'broker' of social and moral knowledge is discussed. The progressive development of the professional education and training of youth workers since the 1930s is examined together with its curriculum content and the techniques and practices through which youth workers have been socialised into their occupational roles. After the initial tendency towards leadership training through apprenticeship, the professional model became organised on 'technical-rational' principles, with various 'techniques of the self' by which youth workers became disciplined into their professional identities (for example by 'surveillance' and 'confession'). Focus is given to the paradigmatic development and deployment of such techniques at the National College for the Training of Youth Leaders in the 1960s. The thesis concludes with an analysis of the intense criticism to which professional education and training in youth work has been subjected in the last decade, including the separation of theory and practice, unclear curricula, academic and professional elitism, and the marginalisation of learners' experience. The 'discourse of competency' is identified as being important in shaping current approaches to professional education and training in youth work. Finally, it is suggested that the emergent model of professional education is, ironically, characterised by an increasingly intense and invasive application of the techniques of disciplinary power identified earlier in the thesis. Competency practices we suggest facilitate the attempt to govern, professionals ahd professional practice. The thesis is broadly structured in four parts, and in the following way: Chapter 1 provides a broad introduction and context for the thesis. In Part One, Chapter 2 discusses Foucault's concept of power which informs the thesis. In Part Two, Chapter 3 discusses the managerial and disciplinary functions of the human service professions, providing a context for the subsequent analysis of youth work. Chapter 4 goes on to identify models of professional education in their political and social contexts and concludes with a discussion of the 'competency model'. In Part Three, Chapters 5 and 6 explore the distinctive contribution which youth work has made to the regulation and disciplining of young people. In these chapters links are made between broad political objectives and the evolving knowledge and practices of youth workers. In Part Four, Chapter 7 identifies the earliest attempts to identify and enhance competence through the training and education of youth workers. Chapter 8 explores youth work training in the 1960s and 1970s, identifying the essentially humanistic discourse which subsequently dominated youth work and the training of youth workers. In the context of political shifts beginning in the 1970s, Chapter 9 analyses the emergence of a 'discourse of competency' in youth work, and its challenge to the prevailing humanistic orthodoxy which characterised the professional education and training of youth workers. Finally, Chapter 11 draws general and particular conclusions to the thesis.

Existing research on leadership and motivation tends to focus primarily on how leadership style influences employee motivation with very little consideration for how follower characteristics may influence the preference of the leader. In an attempt to contribute to this research gap, this thesis examined whether motivation, as represented by extrinsic and intrinsic sources, influences an individual’s preference towards a transactional vs. transformational leadership style. This thesis provides further novelty by examining this concept on the largely understudied and newest generation to enter the labour market, the millennials. To investigate the main research question, 220 Swedish students participated in a questionnaire that was designed to assess their motivation and leadership style preference. As age, gender and personality were considered as potential predictors in this relationship they were also included in the questionnaire as control variables. A multiple regression analysis revealed intrinsic motivation to be a significant predictor of transformational leadership preference, and extrinsic motivation as a significant predictor of transactional leadership preference. These findings provide merit in both the academic and organisational sectors, not only contributing empirical evidence to this widely neglected research field, but also in the practical utility these results can provide for creating more informed leadership training decisions in a bid to recruit, retain and motivate the millennial generation as they enter the workforce.

<p>A good leadership inside a company is able to improve a company’s performance.</p><p>This thesis tries to highlight the importance of an effective leader for a company and</p><p>how a company is able to enhance their performance by upgrading leadership</p><p>training. Therefore, this work concentrates on the technical industry in Germany to</p><p>find a standardized leader image regarding biographical characteristics, which offers</p><p>the requirements for modulating leadership development methods or rather leadership</p><p>training to it.</p><p>The existing literature gave information about the duties and responsibilities of a</p><p>leading person and the major contributors to an effective leader. Beyond that,</p><p>information has been gathered about the educational background of the leadership</p><p>circles in Germany’s top companies to draw a conclusion about the composition of</p><p>the leadership ranks in Germany’s technical companies. Besides, leadership</p><p>development methods have been analyzed from which leadership training is</p><p>emphasized as the most important for this study.</p><p>In order to gather the missing information, a qualitative research has been conducted,</p><p>giving the information about the standard leaders as a male, studied engineer, who did</p><p>not experience leadership soft skills during his academic education. From this it</p><p>follows, that it is possible to adapt leadership training in terms of knowledge transfer</p><p>of leadership soft skills especially to fill the gaps of the technical audience.</p><p> </p>