Date of Award

7-2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Organizational Leadership

First Advisor

Cindy Peterson

Second Advisor

Daisy Morales

Third Advisor

George Giokaris

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this explanatory mixed-method study was to identify and describe what exemplary California Community College mid-level leaders do to maintain their physical, emotional, intellectual, social, vocational, and spiritual health based on the six dimensions of Rosen’s healthy leader model.Methodology: This study employed a purposive sampling method to select 15 mid-level leaders from two California community college districts. Data collection involved two instruments: the Stay Grounded Survey, administered to all 15 participants, and semi-structured interviews conducted with a subset of five participants. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics including mean scores, frequency distributions, and standard deviations. Qualitative data were coded and synthesized into 19 emergent themes that revealed the grounded leadership strategies employed by participants.

Findings: Seven key findings emerged from the analysis. Exemplary mid-level leaders maintain groundedness through intentional strategies across all six dimensions of health. Specifically, they cultivate resilience through physical wellness practices, regulate emotions to foster self-awareness and clarity, and sustain relevance through intellectual curiosity and adaptability. These leaders are driven by a vocational sense of service, guided by core values in ethical decision-making, and committed to building authentic, trust-based relationships. A holistic approach to leadership was found to be central to their ability to remain aligned, purpose-driven, and effective in their roles.

Conclusions: The study yielded seven conclusions, including that exemplary leaders (a) develop intellectual agility to lead innovation through uncertainty, (b) lead with purpose to sustain motivation and institutional impact, (c) act on values to build ethical resilience, (d) foster authentic relationships to strengthen organizational culture, (e) maintain holistic wellness for long-term leadership sustainability, (f) apply grounded leadership to navigate institutional challenges, and (g) align leadership with authentic identity for consistency and clarity.

Recommendations: Higher education institutions should embed curiosity, wellness, emotional support, and equity into leadership culture. Recognize invisible labor, create inclusive leadership pipelines, and prioritize reflective, relational growth. Promote grounded leadership through experiential training and role-relevant development. Future studies should assess broader impacts, psychological effects of leadership pressures, wellness barriers, and long-term outcomes of grounded leadership programs to inform sustainable leadership practices in education.

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