Date of Award

2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Organizational Leadership

First Advisor

Cindy Petersen

Second Advisor

Karen Bolton

Third Advisor

Jonathan Greenberg

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to identify and describe strategies used by U.S. Navy command senior enlisted leaders (CSELs) to build an adaptive capacity based on the five key characteristics of adaptive leadership identified by Heifetz et al. (2009).Methodology: This phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of U.S. Navy CSELs. Purposeful, convenience sampling was used to identify 10 participants who met the study’s criteria. The semistructured, open-ended interview protocol was developed by a thematic research team of nine peer researchers and three faculty advisors. Data collected from the interviews and artifacts were analyzed to identify themes related to the study’s research questions.

Findings: In this quantitative phenomenological study, data derived from interviews were evaluated to identify major findings. These major findings were then analyzed to verify alignment with the reviewed literature and then summarized based off Heifetz et al.’s (2009) five key characteristics of adaptive leadership (making naming the elephant in the room the norm, nurturing a shared responsibility for the organization, encouraging independent judgment, developing leadership capacity, and institutionalizing reflection and continuous learning).

Conclusions: This exploratory phenomenological study aimed to identify and describe the strategies used by U.S. Navy CSELs to build an adaptive capacity based on the five key characteristics of adaptive leadership identified by Heifetz et al. (2009). The qualitative analysis of the data collected during interviews and literature review highlighted major findings that aligned with Heifetz et al.’s five key characteristics of making naming the elephant in the room the norm, nurturing a shared responsibility for the organization, encouraging independent judgement, developing leadership capacity and institutionalizing reflection and continuous learning.

Recommendations: Based on the significant findings of the qualitative phenomenological study, five recommendations have been made to expand the current literature and body of knowledge that exist for CSELs and their strategies to build adaptive leadership capacity. The subsequent recommendations have a positive outlook, assisting CSELs in building adaptive capacity within their organization. Personal and professional development for current and prospective CSELs must include tools and strategies for feedback and communication, teach the importance of presence and information sharing to facilitate team collaboration, and guide on fostering empowerment through decision-making and independent judgment. It must consist of training on building trust and respect through servant leadership, and finally, it must cultivate formal leadership training and education to build adaptive capacity.

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