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An investigation into leadership emergence, growth, and culture among evangelical pastors of Tegucigalpa, Honduras

<p> This study investigated leadership emergence and growth from the perspective of a purposeful criterion sample of Evangelical pastors in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Their description of their stories regarding how they emerged as leaders and how they grew as leaders was the primary source of data acquired through semi-structured interviews.</p><p> There is a need for greater clarify regarding the processes by which a person emerges and comes to embody the virtues and attributes needed for leadership. Leadership is culturally contingent, but there is a lack of specificity in understanding how the Latin American culture influences leadership emergence and growth.</p><p> Three research questions guided this study: (1) How do Evangelical pastors describe how they emerged as leaders?; (2) How do Evangelical pastors describe how they grew as leaders?; (3) What Latin American cultural elements can be observed in the Evangelical pastors' descriptions of how they emerged and grew as leaders?</p><p> The literature discussed caudillismo, a prototype of leadership in Latin America, which includes elements of high-power distance, machismo, and paternalism. </p><p> Using snowball sampling, twenty-five pastors were chosen and the interview data revealed twelve processes by which these pastors emerged as leaders. For instance, the accompaniment of others was key as was having firsthand experiences in ministry, which moved them to compassionate, on-going action. They emerged because someone saw something in them, named it and opened up spaces (opportunities) for "acts of leadership." Contrary to expectations, training played almost no role in emergence but did in leadership growth. </p><p> Seven processes were identified that promoted their growth, like being self-taught, sharing interdenominationally, and keeping an open mind. Six cultural dimensions were observed as having a direct influence (both positive and negative) on leadership emergence and growth: (1) High tolerance for uncertainty; (2) Diffuse culture; (3) Image of limited good; (4) Caudillismo; (5) Ascribed status; (6) Self-effacing (modesty).</p><p> This study meets the need for academic inquiry on leadership in Latin America, in Spanish, in the hope that it stimulates Latin Americans to analyze their own leadership, and informs expatriates who serve Latin Americans how to better participate with God in helping leaders emerge and grow.</p>

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:PROQUEST/oai:pqdtoai.proquest.com:3720942
Date08 October 2015
CreatorsAnderson-Umana, Lisa
PublisherTrinity International University
Source SetsProQuest.com
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
Typethesis

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