The lived experience of African American women leaders concerning intersectionality and the methodologies they utilize to overcome barriers to leadership

African American women face barriers that prevent them from obtaining leadership positions. As a result, African American women are underrepresented in leadership positions. During the midst of the Coronavirus (COVID) Pandemic in 2020, the participation rate for African American women was 58.8% in the labor force, compared to all women, which was 56.2%. However, African American women only represented 1.4% of C-Suite, leadership positions. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of 10 African American women leaders at the GS-14 and GS-15 grade level. The participants were supervisors who worked at federal government agencies in the Washington, DC Metropolitan Area. The conceptual framework encompasses leadership, intersectionality, and methodologies to overcome barriers to leadership. The research questions are "What is the lived experience of African American women leaders concerning intersectionality? and "What are the methodologies they utilize to overcome barriers to leadership?" Those who will benefit from this study include African American women aspiring to leadership positions and organizational leaders who aim to better understand the barriers that African American women face. The findings reflected how African American women leaders described their lived experiences and the methodologies they utilized to overcome barriers to leadership. Based on the findings, African American women leaders should continue to strive for equity in the workplace and should have the same opportunities as all counterparts. However, to further inclusion, more support needs to be provided to African American women in the workplace through organizational support. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Executive presence: African American female executives' leadership experiences during America's racial awakening and COVID-19

This phenomenological study explored lived experiences of African American female executives in organizations during the racial awakening of May 2020 and the COVID-19 pandemic. The study used semi-structured interviews to describe experiences that defined the essence of African American female executives' unique challenges in navigating race and gender and their advice for senior executives. The sample size was eleven leaders at or above the Director (managing others) level leading in US organizations. The researcher classified codes into general themes to summarize findings. Findings include four themes identified after coding;amazing grace, do what your soul can handle, climbing glass cliff barriers to navigate their career, and comfort amid racial discomfort trauma. Each African American leader provided senior executives specific advice to advocate for and sponsor female leaders within their organization. This study is significant for a senior executive to obtain viewpoints from African American female executives' leadership experiences circumnavigated the past two years for organizational success. It provides insights for African American women with leadership aspirations. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

In dialogue with Takuji Natori president of the International Society for Sandplay Therapy

This is an interview with Professor Takuji Natori, who describes his current role as President of the International Society for Sandplay Therapy (ISST) and the challenges of conducting business since his tenure began just shortly before the pandemic-August, 2019. Creative solutions have emerged including regional meetings within the International Society for Sandplay Therapy Board and more frequent online board meetings. Natori-san also talks about the challenges of conducting sandplay therapy at a time of social distancing, the importance of the relationship in sandplay, transference and countertransference, as well as symbols and myths important to him in the context of the Japanese culture. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

The lived experience of African American women leaders concerning intersectionality and the methodologies they utilize to overcome barriers to leadership

African American women face barriers that prevent them from obtaining leadership positions. As a result, African American women are underrepresented in leadership positions. During the midst of the Coronavirus (COVID) Pandemic in 2020, the participation rate for African American women was 58.8% in the labor force, compared to all women, which was 56.2%. However, African American women only represented 1.4% of C-Suite, leadership positions. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of 10 African American women leaders at the GS-14 and GS-15 grade level. The participants were supervisors who worked at federal government agencies in the Washington, DC Metropolitan Area. The conceptual framework encompasses leadership, intersectionality, and methodologies to overcome barriers to leadership. The research questions are "What is the lived experience of African American women leaders concerning intersectionality? and "What are the methodologies they utilize to overcome barriers to leadership?" Those who will benefit from this study include African American women aspiring to leadership positions and organizational leaders who aim to better understand the barriers that African American women face. The findings reflected how African American women leaders described their lived experiences and the methodologies they utilized to overcome barriers to leadership. Based on the findings, African American women leaders should continue to strive for equity in the workplace and should have the same opportunities as all counterparts. However, to further inclusion, more support needs to be provided to African American women in the workplace through organizational support. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Organizational change perspectives of chief business officers in U.S. Mid-Atlantic public higher education: COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a major crisis for public higher education causing drastic changes in enrollment and organizational administration. Effective leadership is crucial during times of crisis and change. The chief business officer is responsible for the financial and operational health of an institution. The purpose of this quantitative, cross-sectional study was to examine the self-perceived leadership styles and attitudes experienced by chief business officers in public higher education institutions in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States in relation to the organizational changes caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, this study sought to understand how group differences of gender, tenure, and leadership style influenced the attitudes and experiences of chief business officers in public higher education toward organizational change. The methodology for this quantitative, cross-sectional study involved data collection through a researcher-designed survey. The data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical methods. The majority of the chief business officers in this study experienced a high level of organizational change relating to the COVID-19 pandemic, and there was a statistically significant moderate relationship between level of organizational change and feelings of being overwhelmed. The correlation between leadership type, gender, tenure, and attitudes of chief business officers was tested and indicated not to be statistically significant. Future research considerations include exploring additional demographics such as institution type, organizational department, and region. Expanding this study to include qualitative and longitudinal components could also add depth to the findings. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Does psychological capital influence healthcare executive engagement?

This quantitative dissertation study investigated the role of positive psychology in influencing employee engagement among healthcare executives. There is a gap in the literature regarding the applicability of positive psychology among executives in the healthcare industry. The following research question guided this study: Is there a relationship between PsyCap (e.g., hope, self-efficacy, resilience, and optimism), grit, and employee engagement levels among healthcare executives? The study employed the Psychological Capital Questionnaire, Grit-S scale, and The Utrecht Work Engagement Scale to explore this relationship. The primary hypothesis was that psychological capital (including each of the 4 constructs) would predict employee engagement among healthcare executives. The correlational relationship of employee engagement was explored for each of the four psychological capital subscales. Participants were recruited from the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE), targeting a sample size of 160 participants. Due to limited availability of healthcare executives as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, recruitment was challenging and data collection was terminated at 70% of the target sample size, 112 participants total. The study findings supported all hypotheses, showing a significant, positive relationship between grit, psychological capital, and employee engagement among healthcare executives, with PsyCap mediating the relationship between grit and employee engagement. The knowledge developed from this study may help increase the engagement of healthcare executives and prevent burnout through the promotion of psychological capital tools for this critical group of leaders. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

From the CEO

Through this letter, the CEO is briefing his work experience of recent time. He hopes that both Australia and New Zealand will be taking big steps towards a more normal future in the fight against COVID-19, with vaccines starting to play a critical role in protecting the health and wellbeing of our communities. The added protection of effective vaccines and treatments is essential to living full and safe lives. In New Zealand, the College has made submissions in response to the Ministry of Health's COVID-19 Psychosocial and Mental Wellbeing Recovery Plan, the Medical Council of New Zealand's statement on telehealth and Te Pou's Integrated care in primary health discussion paper. The College's efforts to influence these types of processes through submissions, attendance at public hearings and other forms of direct engagement have been ongoing and comprehensive. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Lonely at the top: A study on how CEOs in philanthropy learn to make strategic decisions

This qualitative multiple-case study was designed to explore how CEOs in philanthropy learn to make strategic decisions. The study builds off the following premises: (1) as part of their role, CEOs need to make critical decisions in a complex and rapidly changing environment;(2) due to the role of a CEO there are power dynamics at play, and these may have an impact on how CEOs are able to engage in conversation;and (3) due to the staff reporting to the CEO and the CEO reporting to the board, they are essentially peerless within their respective organization, possibly contributing to a sense of isolation.The research site of this study was across a number of organizations, one for each participant. There were three primary sources of data: semi-structured interviews, data collection of publicly available documents, and critical incident reports. Key findings included that: (1) all participants engaged with staff and/or the Board of directors before making a strategic decision, either to obtain buy-in or get information needed to make the decision;(2) informal learning was the primary way participants learned what activities they needed to partake in, in order to make a critical decision;and (3) having full authority and responsibility helped CEOs in their decision-making, while power and other interpersonal dynamics hindered a CEOs ability to make a critical decision. Two main categories of CEOs emerged during the data collection process, those who were deemed Reflective and those who were Action-Oriented.Although not part of this research study's original design, the data collection took place during the COVID-19 pandemic and also after a resurgence of attention to police brutality against Black people in the United States and other violence towards historically marginalized groups. These themes were prevalent throughout the data gathered for this study and findings and analysis.The overarching recommendation emanating from this research is that succession plans should be put in place in order to best develop potential candidates for the role of CEO. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Strategic plan decision-making during the COVID-19 pandemic: A phenomenological study of college presidents

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore and describe the decision-making experiences of leaders at Midwestern colleges who engaged in strategic planning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Research was conducted using a qualitative phenomenological methodology and research design. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven college presidents. Findings revealed that the COVID-19 pandemic impacted strategic planning components and how leaders led their institution through crisis response and strategic planning. The recommendations set forth in this study include, during crisis: evaluate the need to temporarily pause strategic planning activities, thoughtfully allocate personnel resources, engage in scenario planning, create flexible strategic plans, adopt a directive style of leadership, use guiding principles in decision-making, communicate clearly and openly, and engage in reflection and self-care activities. This study contributes to research surrounding leadership, decision-making, strategic planning, and crisis while also providing practical recommendations for leaders to position their institution's strategic planning activities to both survive an initial crisis event and thrive following. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Examining the relationship between resilience and burnout in healthcare executives in the United States

Studies of resilience and burnout in the U.S. healthcare industry focus mainly on providers, neglecting senior healthcare executives (Director to C-suite levels), contributing to the negative stigma surrounding burnout among healthcare executives, and developing a gap in the extant literature. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between resilience and burnout in senior executives working in the U.S. healthcare industry during the COVID-19 pandemic. This exploratory, cross-sectional study used a random snowball sampling method to distribute a developed survey instrument to approximately 350 executives across the United States. The survey consisted of seven demographic questions, the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (25-item) survey, and the Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey with 160 viable responses to the survey. The results of a Pearson correlation between resilience and burnout scores were significantly correlated with burnout scores (all P<.03) and an overall correlation between the Total Resilience Score and the Total Burnout Score was -0.48 (P< 0.001) which indicated that as resilience decreased, burnout increased. Simple linear regressions and GLEMSELECT Procedure modeling supported the evidence of a relationship between resilience and burnout in senior healthcare executives. To reduce burnout, senior executives should enhance and model resilient behaviors in their organizations. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Leading with COVID-19: Executive leadership practices and risk management strategies

Ineffective leadership practices not crafted to operate with the uncertainties brought by COVID-19 were noticeable (Buehler et al., 2020;Katuwal, 2020). With the significant gap in the literature of global pandemic preparedness, specifically in the context of executive leadership practices that remained largely unaddressed prior to this study, this multiple-case study sought to identify pandemic risk management strategies used by executive healthcare leaders in Colorado. The researcher, through Dedoose Qualitative Analysis, identified and outlined the similarities and differences in leadership practices, the emerging pandemic risk management strategies, and the challenges leaders experience relative to risk management during the COVID-19 crisis. As a unique approach, the results of the study could be considered as a readily available, pioneering repository of knowledge that would be highly essential to supporting and training future leaders in pandemic risk management. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Transformational triage: An analysis of best practice behaviors and competencies in U.S. health care executives during the COVID-19 crisis

After a baptism by fire experienced by some during the novel coronavirus pandemic, a perfect opportunity was presented to study the behaviors, competencies, and characteristics that have best equipped health care executives to be prepared for future crises. The threat of future ongoing concurrent crises presents an opportunity to examine specific behaviors and competencies that have been essential to health care executives and crisis leaders in surmounting the maelstrom of megaproblems encountered during this unprecedented time in history.This study utilizes the Delphi technique to conduct an analysis involving statistical consensus of expert opinions resulting in the eventual convergence of Delphi panelists' input around the most important tasks and competencies of health care leaders and crisis leaders in the midst of the global coronavirus pandemic. Thirty participants for this study with expertise in either health care leadership or crisis management were recruited through LinkedIn with the goal of answering two key research questions. This study resulted in the development of a framework for humanistic crisis leadership centered around purpose, people and endurance. Additionally, the study proposes a three tier crisis competency leadership model which presents twenty competencies perceived by subject matter experts as essential to those leading during crises. The findings suggest it is incumbent upon emerging leaders to competently support the well-being of their teams, uniting them around a common purpose, providing them the psychological safety which enables them to persevere and to be fully productive, even in the midst of ongoing concurrent crises. It is the researcher's intent to offer the findings of this study as a contribution to literature to help organizations reassess the relevancy of their leadership competencies postpandemic specifically as a preventive measure in advance of future crises. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

A qualitative study to explore college presidents' perceptions of Greek social organizations

The purpose of this study was to explore how college and university presidents perceive the Greek social organizations that exist on their campus. Fraternities and sororities, in recent years, have increasingly been placed underneath a microscope. While a variety of research exists in regards to perceptions of Greek social organizations there is a dearth of research analyzing college and university presidents. A phenomenological approach was used in order to allow the participants to share stories, experiences, and perceptions freely and unfiltered. The study focused on the Ohio Valley region of the United States. Sixteen presidents volunteered to participate in the interview which represented 5 states and various institution types. The semi-structured interviews were conducted virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic and allowed for rich conversation, storytelling, and detail descriptions of the phenomenon. Data explication allowed for the finding of three themes across the sixteen participants. These themes were: Financial Impact, Campus Impact, and Desired Evolution. The participants expressed their approval and excitement for the research as it gave them an opportunity to reflect on their experiences and freely share their thoughts. This study is one of the first to investigate the lived experiences of college and university presidents as it related to Greek social organizations. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

A transformational leadership journey during dual pandemics: A case study

The combination of COVID-19 and the racial unrest that collided in the summer of 2020 caused dual pandemics that exposed pre-existing racial and social injustices within the university, college, and community where I serve. By utilizing case study methodology, I captured and analyzed a five-month timeframe of the documents and logistics I created, edited, received, or collaborated using four a priori codes (Survival, Education, Resources, Recruitment/Retention) to determine how my leadership journey unfolded through the lens of transformational leadership using the Chief Diversity Officer framework. To be a transformational leader, there is a pattern of action and reflection that works as a dialogue to impact an organization. As a Black woman in leadership, it's even more critical for self-care as courage, creation, and action can take their toll. For transformative change to happen in an organization, a transformation must happen in you. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved)