Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communication
First Advisor
L.J. McElravy
Date of this Version
7-2021
Citation
Wells, B. (2021). A Quantitative Analysis of Transformative Experiences Leading to Perceived Leader Identity Change [Master's thesis, University of Nebraska-Lincoln]. UNL Digital Commons.
Abstract
Leader identity development happens over a lifespan, and long-term identity change is unusual. The way individual’s view their identity as a leader is built upon and reinforced over time. However, there are events such as crucible moments or transformative experiences that do alter an individual’s leader identity. This study aimed to identify what factors influence the way people describe transformative experiences that lead to perceived leader identity change. The correlational research design employed the data collection of transformative experiences narratives, which were coded into a quantitative content analysis, and four assessments to measure the following concepts: affect, identity processing styles, learning goal orientation, and leader development psychological capital. The study analyzed 93 participants responses to understand the degree of relationship between the four mentioned concepts and the affect, or emotion, participants used to describe a transformative experience. Five out of the ten tested hypotheses were supported to indicate several factors that influence the way people describe transformative experiences that lead to perceived leader identity change. Additional exploratory multiple regression analyses were performed to further understand the role of these influence factors. The results from the present study advance transformative experience and leader identity research and literature through the provided insight gained through the findings.
Advisor: L.J. McElravy
Comments
A THESIS Presented to the Faculty of The Graduate College at the University of Nebraska In Partial Fulfillment of Requirements For the Degree of Master of Science, Major: Leadership Education, Under the Supervision of Professor L.J. McElravy. Lincoln, Nebraska: July, 2021
Copyright © 2021 Brooke Wells