Date of Award

Spring 4-3-2017

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Organizational Leadership

First Advisor

Dr. Keith Larick

Second Advisor

Dr. Cindy Petersen

Third Advisor

Dr. Jim Cox

Abstract

The purpose of this thematic, mixed-method case study was to identify and describe the behaviors that exemplary police chiefs use to create personal and organizational meaning for themselves and their followers through character, vision, relationships, wisdom, and inspiration. Additionally, this study surveyed the followers of these exemplary leaders to evaluate the degree of importance to which these followers believe a leader uses character, vision, relationships, wisdom, and inspiration to create personal and organizational meaning. Police chiefs were interviewed for this study regarding their insight in the use of the behaviors associated with character, vision, relationships, wisdom, and inspiration. There have been studies that have focused on character, vision, relationships, wisdom, and inspiration. However, there has not been a study that has included all five variables in the research that identify and describe behaviors that exemplary leaders use to create personal and organizational meaning. The literature and the findings support use of the five variables in the behaviors that create meaning. The findings of this research show that exemplary leaders use all five variables throughout their leadership. Additionally, exemplary police chiefs agree that all five variables are needed, and one variable does not offset the others. Their followers also concur that the five variables are important exemplary leadership behaviors that help create personal and organizational meaning. Further research is recommended for this area of study by replicating this study in other law enforcement agencies focusing on either elected sheriffs, school district police, or special district police chiefs. In addition, a limited case study is recommended, locating three female police chiefs and looking at their pathways to the chief position. By identifying and describing the behaviors that exemplary police chiefs use to create personal and organizational meaning for themselves and their followers and the degree of importance which followers perceive the behaviors through character, vision, relationships, wisdom, and inspiration, help to create personal and organizational meaning, researchers can provide the necessary strategies and tools for improving these five variables in leaders in order to create successful and meaning leadership.

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