THE PERCEPTION OF DEPARTMENT CHAIRS ON THE VALUE OF TRAINING IN

PREPARATION FOR THEIR ROLE IN LEADERSHIP

A Dissertation

Presented to

The Faculty of the College of Education

Florida Gulf Coast University

In Partial Fulfillment

of the Requirement for the Degree of

Doctor of Education

By

Nickardo Salmon

2022
 APPROVAL SHEET

THE PERCEPTION OF DEPARTMENT CHAIRS ON THE VALUE OF TRAINING IN

PREPARATION FOR THEIR ROLE

This dissertation is submitted in partial fulfillment of

the requirements for the degree of
Doctor of Education

Nickardo Salmon

Approved: November 14, 2022

Dr. Thomas Roberts

Committee Chair

Dr. Hasan Aydin

Methodologist

Dr. Michael Houdyshell

Committee Member

The final copy of this dissertation has been examined by the signatories, and we find that both
the content and the form meet acceptable presentation standards of scholarly work in the above
mentioned discipline.

ii
 ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study is to investigate the lived experiences of department chairs who

participated in leadership training to determine if it added value in preparing them to be effective

in their role. More specifically, the study focused on department chairs who attended the

Department Chair Workshop hosted by the Institute for Academic Leadership (IAL) at Florida

State University (FSU). Despite often being unprepared for the role, department chairs at higher

education institutions are appointed to their positions with little or no leadership training and

support. The problem, therefore, is that these department chairs are not well prepared to carry out

their role. University administrators do not know if the IAL Workshop better prepares

department chairs for their leadership role. An interpretative phenomenology analysis (IPA)

qualitative inquiry was used for the research design as it allows for the data collection of lived

experiences of the department chairs regarding training in preparation for their role. This study

was guided by the following research question: What are the perceptions of department chairs

regarding their lived experiences of the Department Chair Workshop hosted by the IAL at FSU

in preparing them for their leadership role? Multiple sources of data were collected through

interviews, document analysis, and field notes. Five themes were derived from this data:

background experience, skills toolbox, support from colleagues, balancing expectations of the

dean and faculty, and benefits of the Department Chair Training. The findings from the study can

be used to inform postsecondary institution administrators on the lived experiences of the

department chairs who attend training.

iii
Keywords: department chair, leadership, leadership preparedness, leadership effectiveness,

effective department chair, leadership development, organizational socialization

iv
 DEDICATION

I dedicate my dissertation work to my family and many friends. A special feeling of

gratitude to my wife, Andrea whose words of encouragement and push for tenacity still radiate in

me. Special thanks to my children, Jada and Jaiden for understanding when I had to take time

away from them to finish this dissertation. Thanks to my brother, Garnett Salmon who provided

me with guidance throughout the research process.

I also want to dedicate to my close friends and family who constantly encouraged me to

finish this dissertation and provided emotional and mental support needed to pull through. I

could have not done it without you all.

v
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to thank my dissertation chair, Dr. Thomas Roberts for his guidance during this

research. To Dr. Hasan Aydin who was not only my methodologist, but a friend who encouraged

me every time we met and ensured that I had the confidence to complete this dissertation. To Dr.

Michael Houdyshell who always challenged my thinking process with probing questions and

interesting conversations surrounding the dissertation topic. To Dr. Toni Walker for taking time

to review my work and offered suggestions and recommendations. Finally, many thanks to the

participants that took time to participate in this study and contributed this research being

successful.

vi
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Abstract ......................................................................................................................................... iii

Dedication ...................................................................................................................................... v
List of Tables ................................................................................................................................ xi
List of Figures .............................................................................................................................. xii
Chapter I: Introduction ................................................................................................................... 1
Nature and Context of the Educational Issue............................................................................. 3
Topics Covered in the IAL Department Chair Workshop ......................................................... 5
Participant Selection for the Department Chair Workshop ....................................................... 7
Problem Statement ..................................................................................................................... 8
Significance of the Study ......................................................................................................... 10
Purpose of the Study ................................................................................................................ 10
Research Question ................................................................................................................... 11
Delimitations and Limitations ................................................................................................. 11
Overview of the Conceptual Framework ................................................................................. 11
Organizational Socialization ............................................................................................... 11
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs ............................................................................................. 12
Definitions of Key Terms ........................................................................................................ 14
Chapter Summary .................................................................................................................... 16
Chapter Ii: Review of the Literature ............................................................................................ 17
Who is a Department Chair? .................................................................................................... 18
Roles and Responsibilities of the Department Chair ........................................................... 20
Selecting a Department Chair .............................................................................................. 21
Leadership Effectiveness ......................................................................................................... 23
Measuring Leadership Effectiveness ................................................................................... 24
Measuring Specific Outcomes ......................................................................................... 24
Subordinate Leader Effectiveness Evaluations ................................................................ 24
Preparedness .................................................................................................................... 24

vii
 Existing Training Programs ..................................................................................................... 26
Department Chairs Seminar ................................................................................................ 27
Department and Division Chair Workshops ........................................................................ 28
Department Chair Workshop ............................................................................................... 29
ACE Leadership Academy for Department Chairs ............................................................. 30
Leadership Development Workshops for Chairs/Heads, Council of Colleges of Arts &
Sciences ............................................................................................................................... 30

Department Chair Summit (SAIL Department Chair Resource Center) ............................. 31

Leading and Influencing as a Department Chair ................................................................. 32
Theoretical Framework ............................................................................................................ 33
Organizational Socialization ............................................................................................... 33
Organizational Commitment ............................................................................................... 36
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs .............................................................................................. 36
Psychological Needs ........................................................................................................ 37
Safety Needs .................................................................................................................... 38
Social Belonging Needs ................................................................................................... 38
Esteem Needs ................................................................................................................... 39
Self-Actualization ............................................................................................................ 40
Chapter Summary .................................................................................................................... 42
Chapter III: Methodology ............................................................................................................ 43
Research Question ................................................................................................................... 44
Research Design ...................................................................................................................... 45
Research Design Process ..................................................................................................... 47
Setting and Procedures ............................................................................................................. 48
Study Target Population ...................................................................................................... 49
Sampling .............................................................................................................................. 50
Participants .......................................................................................................................... 51
Data Collection ........................................................................................................................ 52
Interviews ............................................................................................................................ 53

viii
 Field Notes ........................................................................................................................... 54
Document Analysis ............................................................................................................. 55
Ethical Considerations ............................................................................................................. 56
Data Analysis ........................................................................................................................... 56
Evaluation of Research Methods ............................................................................................. 58
Triangulation ....................................................................................................................... 58
Trustworthiness ................................................................................................................... 59
Member Checking ............................................................................................................ 59
Thick, Rich Description ................................................................................................... 60
Peer Review ..................................................................................................................... 60
Reflexivity ........................................................................................................................ 61
The Role of the Researcher ................................................................................................. 61
Limitations of the Study ...................................................................................................... 62
Chapter Summary .................................................................................................................... 63
Chapter IV: Findings .................................................................................................................... 65
Participants Overview .............................................................................................................. 65
Study Data: Procedure and Results .......................................................................................... 67
Theme 1: Background and Experience ................................................................................ 67
Theme 2: Skills Toolbox ..................................................................................................... 74
Communication ................................................................................................................ 75
Organizational Leadership ............................................................................................... 78
Theme 3: Support from Colleagues ..................................................................................... 80
Theme 4: Balancing Expectations of Dean and Faculty ..................................................... 83
Theme 5: Benefits of Department Chair Training ............................................................... 87
Chapter Summary .................................................................................................................... 93
Chapter V: Discussion and Conclusions ...................................................................................... 95
Implications of the Findings .................................................................................................... 95
Discussion of Theme 1, Background and Experience ......................................................... 97
Discussion of Theme 2, Skills Toolbox .............................................................................. 98

ix
 Discussion of Theme 3, Support from Colleagues ............................................................ 100
Discussion of Theme 4, Balancing Expectations of the Dean and Faculty ....................... 101
Discussion of Theme 5, Benefits of Department Chair Training ...................................... 102
Implications and Recommendations ...................................................................................... 104
Implications and Recommendations for Department Chairs and Policy Makers .............. 104
Implications and Recommendations for Deans and Colleagues ....................................... 105
Implications and Recommendations for the Institute of Academic Leadership ................ 106
Recommendations for Future Research ................................................................................. 107
Reflections ............................................................................................................................. 108
References .................................................................................................................................. 110
Apendix A: Letter Of Invitation For Department Chair Participation ....................................... 133
Appendix B: Consent Form ....................................................................................................... 135
Appendix C: Qualitative Interview Protocol and Questions ...................................................... 137

x
 LIST OF TABLES

Table 1.1 Research Literature Citations That Underpin Preparation of Department Chairs for
Their Role and Their Value of Training ......................................................................................144

Table 2.1 List of Leadership Training Programs for Department Chairs and the Organizations
That Host Them .............................................................................................................................27

Table 2.2 The Different Conference Pass Packages Along With Features and Package Cost for
Leading and Influencing as a Department Chair Conference ........................................................33

Table 4.1 Demographic Information for Interview Participants ....................................................66

xi
 LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 2.1 Organizational Socialization Process from the Anticipation to Withdrawal Phase .....35

Figure 2.2 Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs Pyramid ........................................................................41

Figure 3.1 Steps in the Research Design Process ..........................................................................48

xii
 1

CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION

Department chairs generally assume their position without a clear understanding of their

role (Gmelch & Miskin, 2004). It is common for newly hired department chairs to take this

position with little or no prior training (Aziz et al., 2005) and no professional development to

prepare them for their role (Hecht, 2004). This often results in high turnover and a lack of

commitment (Aina & Verma, 2017). There is a global deficiency in leadership preparation for

department chairs in higher education (Gonaim, 2016). Department chairs have a large influence

on institutional policies and procedures (Tucker, 1984). Their work demands a set of skills that

include leadership, communication, conflict-resolution, problem-solving, coaching, and cultural

management (Bowman, 2002). The number of department chairs who receive training in

preparation for their role is 3% as noted by Gmelch and Miskin (2010). This is important to

address because department chairs experience a mismatch between their expectations of the

position and the actual reality of being responsible for 80% of administrative decisions on their

campuses (Carroll & Wolverton, 2004). Lucas (2000) indicates that only 40% of 4,800

department chairs surveyed felt they were prepared to handle the demands of the position.

Bowman (2002) indicates that over 50 discrete roles and leadership responsibilities were

identified regarding department chair duties by faculty during a brainstorming session. This

further supports the magnitude of their responsibilities. It is important to know what kind of

leadership training is available and what areas they cover. Conducting empirical studies on

department chairs' lived experiences regarding the available training programs can provide

insights in preparing them for their positions. Department chairs play a significant role in the

success of their departments and institutions, yet very little emphasis is placed on leadership
 2

practices before hiring to prepare them to become effective leaders (Bryman, 2007). Leadership

practices can achieve important objectives such as encouraging staff to work together to create a

climate of mutual respect and trust. In an investigation of effective department chairs, Trocchia

and Andrus (2003) indicate that the ability to cultivate a collegial department was a common trait

among effective department chairs. Lack of collegiality was identified as a contributory factor in

the satisfaction or dissatisfaction of the academic staff in a US university (Ambrose et al., 2005).

It is understood that department chairs should have the ability to build and lead teams that are

effective in fulfilling the objectives of the department and the institution (Gmelch, 2000). The

department chair takes on the roles of leader, faculty, developer, manager, and scholar (Gmelch

& Miskin, 2004), and it is important to recognize that each of those roles requires a specific set

of skills (Wolverton et al., 2005). The lack of training to develop the needed skills can lead to

department chairs having an unclear understanding of how to be effective in their role.

According to Gmelch and Burns (1994), the department chair role has high ambiguity,

meaning that department chairs are often uncertain regarding what is required for them to

successfully fulfill their roles. Department chairs play a critical role in the success and

effectiveness of their department, yet they are among the least prepared for their position in

higher education as university officials provide little to no formal preparation opportunities for

them (Czech & Forward, 2010; Gillett-Karam et al., 1999; Gmelch et al., 2017; Leaming, 1998;

Wilson, 2001).

What is unknown is the lived experiences of department chairs regarding training in

preparing them to be effective in their roles. The purpose of this study was to investigate the

lived experiences of the department chairs who attended the Department Chair Workshop hosted
 3

by the IAL at Florida State University and, thereby, to determine if after the workshop they felt

better prepared for their role.

The remainder of this chapter is structured to provide the context in support of

department chair training programs, as well as an overview of strategies that have been effective

in preparing department chairs for their leadership role. This is followed by a clear statement of

the problem I intend to investigate, as well as why the study is important to the field of

educational leadership. Also included is the research question, an overview of the theoretical

framework that underpins the study, a brief discussion of factors that may limit the scope of the

study or have an impact on the generalizability of the results, and definitions of terms that are

essential to understanding the problem and the study.

Nature and Context of the Educational Issue

Leadership effectiveness is a key concept that department chairs and those who appoint

them to their positions should aim to achieve, as it helps them to steer their followers towards

meeting organizational outcomes (Madanchian et al., 2017). Traditionally, department chairs are

appointed based on their research, teaching, and service success, but due to their lack of

leadership training, most do not have a clear understanding of their role (Aziz et al., 2005;

Carroll & Wolverton, 2004; Gmelch & Burns, 1993; Gonaim, 2016). Their role requires them to

have critical skills such as effective communication, being able to build trust and respect, and

being able to convey the vision of the department and the institution (Gonaim, 2016). Due to the

nature of the department chair position, it is advised that department heads should pay a

considerable amount of attention to context rather than applying general leadership theories

(Gibbs et al., 2008).

 4

Despite their importance to their institutions, it is estimated that only 3% of department

chairs receive leadership training for their role (Gmelch & Miskin, 2010). Reputable training is

offered throughout the United States that is intended to help department chairs be prepared for

their position. These training programs include, for example:

 Department Chair Seminar hosted by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools

of Business.

 Department and Division Chair Workshops hosted by The Council of Independent

Chairs.

 Department Chair Workshop hosted by the Institute for Academic Leadership at

Florida State University.

 Leadership Academy for Department Chairs hosted by The American Council on

Education.

 Leadership Development Workshops for Chairs/Heads hosted by the Council of

Colleges of Arts & Sciences.

 Department Chair Summit hosted by The SAIL Department Chair Resource Center.

 Leading and Influencing as a Department Chair hosted by Academic Impressions.

These training programs are open to department chairs in higher education and will be

discussed in detail in the “Existing Training Programs” section in Chapter II.

This study will specifically explore the interactive Department Chair Workshop hosted

by the IAL at FSU within the State University System of Florida (SUS). The workshop was

aimed at supporting the development of department chairs as academic leaders in higher

education (Florida State University, n.d.). The goal of the workshop is to prepare department
 5

chairs to effectively serve in their leadership role. Since the launch of the workshop in 2009, over

1,506 department chairs have attended.

Topics Covered in the IAL Department Chair Workshop

Topics covered in the workshops include collective bargaining, faculty evaluation and

performance counseling, assigning faculty activities, five practices of exemplary leadership,

delegating and using committees, time management, and dealing with deans.

The “Collective Bargaining Agreement” (CBA) presentation covers background legal

structure in the public and private sectors along with state versus federal laws as it relates to

collective bargaining. The workshop allows department chairs to gain a better understanding of

unions, the subject of bargaining, and CBA versus policies (Fuller, 2019). This training is

important as department chairs were normally excluded from the bargaining unit as they were

considered to be in management positions and not academic leaders (Boyko & Jones, 2010).

Department chairs are often caught in political currents between faculty members, senior

administration, and unions, all of whom have their perspective of the importance of the role of

the chair (Armstrong & Woloshyn, 2017). Having a better understanding of how a CBA work

can help department chairs navigate through related challenges.

In the “Faculty Evaluation & Performance Counseling” topical area, the presenter

provides information on faculty evaluations and skills relating to identifying weaknesses to

improve performance to meet organizational goals and objectives (Singleton, 2019). This is

considered an important area as department chairs might find themselves in situations where they

must provide input, evaluate faculty, and make recommendations for new candidates (Boyko &
 6

Jones, 2010). Department chairs along with their deans should clearly define the areas that will

be used in evaluating faculty for reappointment, promotions, and tenure (Lakin, 2016).

In the “Assigning Faculty Activities” topical area, department chairs are exposed to

methods that they can use to determine if a change is needed in their department, and how to

assign responsibilities to execute the changes (Abele, 2019). Since department chairs are

sometimes first in line to implement change, they must understand how to rely on and work with

colleagues (Schauer et al., 2005). Department chairs are also responsible for assigning faculty

responsibilities that will be used in their evaluations (Lakin, 2016).

In the “Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership” topical area, department chairs are

introduced to the basics of “exemplary leadership” developed by Kouzes and Posner (2003) and

how to incorporate them as needs arise (Anderson, 2019). Even though this model is known for

measuring student leadership, it can be applied to other leadership positions to identify specific

behavior and actions when individuals are at their personal best (Posner, 2012). The model

assesses five key dimensions for people to lead at their personal best (Posner, 2012). This

approach is a transformational leadership behavior that assesses how leaders model the way,

inspire a shared vision, challenge the process, enable others to act, and encourage the heart (Díaz

et al., 2019). In the ‘Delegating and Using Committees’ topical area, department chairs are

presented with ways to maximize effectiveness through delegating responsibilities.

In delegating responsibilities, the department chair should know the interests and

capabilities of the individuals selected (Cunningham, 2019). This presentation supports the

“assigning faculty activities” topical area and vice versa.

 7

The “Time Management” topical area focuses on being able to manage time and raise

awareness of the changing relationships that affect one’s ability to manage his/her time. This

includes changed relationships with peers, staff, upper administration, students, and the

community (Gray, 2019). Department chairs are required to engage with a wide range of

stakeholders while managing multiple responsibilities and as a result, they face the burden of

adhering to quick turnaround times from requests that are time-consuming (Hilton, 2017). As a

result, it can be extremely challenging for chairs to carry out their roles associated with their

department’s initiatives while maintaining mental bandwidth for leading complex long-term

tasks.

The “Dealing with Deans” topical area facilitates discussion about the complicated

relationship between department chairs and their deans. The presenter covers tips for building

effective relationships with deans and illustrates how the dean depends on the success of the

department chair. Department chairs should work closely with their deans to establish goals and

other criteria that are used in faculty and staff evaluation tenure (Lakin, 2016).

Participant Selection for the Department Chair Workshop

The participants who attend the Department Chair Workshop are nominated by their

provosts or deans and are a mix of primarily new and experienced chairs. The SUS funds the

Department Chair Workshop and does not charge attendees to participate. Being state-funded

and state-supported is an indication that the development of department chairs is important to

administrators and faculty within the SUS. The fall Department Chair Workshop held in October

focuses on these topics:

 8

 faculty evaluation and performance counseling

 academic maps

 legal issues facing chairs

 delegating and using committees

 faculty assignments (Florida State University, n.d.)

The spring Department Chair Workshop is held in June and focuses on these:

 chair as leader

 conflict resolution and management

 departmental budgeting

 teaching effectiveness (Florida State University, n.d.)

The areas covered in each training session are used to familiarize department chairs with

situations and challenges they are expected to face while serving in their role. This leadership

training is intended to enable participants to develop the skills they need to do their jobs

effectively (Gmelch & Miskin, 2004). According to (Gonaim, 2016), leadership training prepares

department chairs to effectively perform their duties.

Problem Statement

According to DeLander (2017), department chairs are not trained to handle complex

human resource concerns. For the training provided, there is very limited empirical research to

determine if they are effective in preparing department chairs for their role. Higher education

officials continue to fill department chair positions with an emphasis on individuals with strong

teaching and research skills but rarely request that new applicants demonstrate their skills in

managing conflict, strategic marketing effectiveness, and other leadership qualities (Hecht et al.,
 9

1999). The problem is that most individuals who assume the position of department chairs are

not prepared to carry out their leadership roles effectively due to lack of leadership training (Aziz

et al., 2005; Gmelch & Miskin, 2004). Considering the multitude of responsibilities and lack of

leadership training in preparation for their role as department chair, it is alarming that very few

institutions offer discipline-based leadership training programs aimed at preparing department

chairs for their positions (Palmer et al., 2015; Wolverton et al., 2005). In Florida, public

universities such as the University of Central Florida offer department chair training, but

participation is limited to department chairs within their respective institutions (University of

Central Florida, n.d.). Florida State University is currently the only public university within the

SUS that offers a department chair training workshop open to department chairs within the entire

SUS. Department chairs indicate that they would feel more competent in their role if they had

leadership training (Gmelch et al., 2017).

According to Gmelch and Miskin (2011), one in five department chairs will leave their

positions annually due to low job satisfaction. Research indicates that only about 3% of higher

education institutions invest in developing academic leaders such as department chairs (Gmelch

& Miskin, 2010). Cipriano and Riccardi (2016) also discovered that only 3.3% of department

chairs had formal training related to preparing them for leadership roles. Performing as faculty

and administrator makes it challenging for department chairs to lead especially since they are

among the least prepared among managers in higher education (Brown, 2001; Czech & Forward,

2010; Stanton-Spicer & Spicer, 1987). Nearly 60% of department chairs eventually revert to

faculty status after their term ends (Gmelch, 2000).

 10

Significance of the Study

Without the necessary support and access to leadership development opportunities,

department chairs may experience a lack of commitment (Aina & Verma, 2017), burnout, change

career roles, or simply remain ineffective (Morris & Laipple, 2015). This study focuses on the

Department Chair Workshop hosted by the IAL at FSU. There is limited research regarding the

lived experiences of department chairs who attend this training. The only feedback collected

from the participants relates to the quality and interest of the presenters and presentations. This

information is used as a guide in planning for the next session. Currently, there is no publicly

available data regarding the lived experiences of the department chairs who attend the training.

The results from this study can help to fill the gap in research, add to the existing research

literature, and help to determine if the department chairs' lived experiences regarding the

Department Chair Workshop prepared them for their role. Additionally, the study could assist in

helping administrators determine whether the benefits of the training are worth the cost. If the

lived experiences of the department chairs indicate that the training prepared them for their role,

it could boost participation in the workshop and justify the cost.

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of this study is to investigate the lived experiences of department chairs who

participated in leadership training to determine if it added value in preparing them to be effective

in their role as department chairs. Since most department chairs take on their position without

leadership training (Gonaim, 2016), investigating current training will help to determine if

department chairs find value in it. The IAL was selected because it covers challenges that chairs

experience frequently, is inclusive of all department chairs within the SUS, and is built with a
 11

focus on core aspects of leadership such as managing change, decision-making, budgeting, and

legal implications of being a chair, all of which are qualities of effective leadership training

programs (Weaver et al., 2019).

Research Question

Before the research question is introduced, it is important to clarify the specific focus of

this investigation. The results will help to determine if department chairs who attended the

training perceive it to be beneficial in preparing them for their leadership role. The following

research question will guide this inquiry.

1. What are the perceptions of department chairs regarding their lived experiences of the

Department Chair Workshop hosted by the IAL at FSU in preparing them for their

leadership role?

Delimitations and Limitations

Delimitations narrow the range of a research study preventing the results from being

generalized (Creswell, 2014). This study is delimited to department chairs within the SUS of

Florida who participated in the IAL Department Chair training. This study is limited since it is

assumed that participants will respond honestly. Furthermore, the accuracy and currency of

records obtained through the IAL cannot be controlled.

Overview of the Conceptual Framework

Organizational Socialization

In this study, organizational socialization is also referred to as the socialization process

and the process of socialization. According to the organizational socialization theory, the

newcomer acquires the knowledge and skills that are necessary to effectively perform in the new
 12

organizational environment (Ellis et al., 2017). The socialization process has four main stages,

anticipation, encounter, adaptation, and withdrawal. This process serves as a means of helping

newly appointed individuals to transition to their position while learning about the culture,

norms, and values of the institution (Merton, 1957). This helps the new employee to engage in

proactive behaviors and look for different ways to adjust in their new position, which in turn

sends signals of commitment level to their leader (Ellis et al., 2017). The socialization process

could be instrumental in helping newly appointed department chairs transition into their position

and steer them toward effective leadership practices. This will be discussed in detail in the

theoretical framework section of chapter two.

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs addresses five areas that are important for human

development and are represented in a pyramid format (Osemeke & Adegboyega, 2017). The five

areas are psychological needs, safety needs, social belonging needs, esteem needs, and self-

actualization needs. The hierarchy provides an abstract view of the needs and as they are

satisfied, the need to satisfy the others arises (De Vito et al., 2018). Maslow’s hierarchy of needs

made its way into management in the 1950s by management consultants (Lussier, 2019) and was

used to justify providing salary compensation packages to motivate them (Bridgman et al.,

2019). The salary compensation had a positive effect as individuals could use the money to buy

things that satisfied needs on the hierarchy (Milbourn, 1980).

Psychological needs include the basic needs for human survival such as food, shelter, and

other bodily needs (Osemeke & Adegboyega, 2017). In the workplace, the salary can be

considered a component of psychological needs. Safety needs involve being protected from harm
 13

and can manifest in the form of having a sense of security and well-being (Osemeke &

Adegboyega, 2017). In the workplace, a safe environment and job security are factors that satisfy

safety needs. Social belonging needs include the need to be accepted by a group and feeling a

sense of belongingness (Osemeke & Adegboyega, 2017). This includes building collegial

relationships that are meaningful and provide constructive feedback continuously (Gmelch &

Miskin, 2004). Social belonging needs include belongingness and acceptance to a group

(Osemeke & Adegboyega, 2017). From a work perspective, this need can be satisfied by

providing an efficient and positive work environment with supporting employees and co-workers

(De Vito et al., 2018). Esteem needs include the need for recognition and attention (Osemeke &

Adegboyega, 2017). Human beings need to feel accepted and valued by others and will make

contributions to a goal to achieve this. In the workplace, these needs can be met by promotion

and recognition for their hard work (De Vito et al., 2018). Self-actualization is said to be difficult

to satisfy as it requires individuals to focus on a higher goal (Garcia-Romeu, 2012) and shift their

focus from self-interest to selflessness (D'Souza & Gurin, 2016). This can manifest in the form

of mentoring others and as one self-actualization need is met, another will arise. Table 1.1 lists

the research literature citations that underpin the preparation for department chairs for their role.
 14

Table 1.1

Research Literature Citations that Underpin the Preparation of Department Chairs for their
Role and their Value of Training

MAJOR THEMES AND CONCEPTS LITERATURE CITATION

Training Aziz et al., 2005; Czech & Forward, 2010; Gillett-

Karam et al., 1999; Gmelch & Miskin, 2004;
Gmelch & Miskin, 2010; Gmelch et al., 2017;
Leaming, 1998; Peterson et al., 1995; Prentice &
Guillaume, 2020; Wilson, 2001
Commitment Aina & Verma, 2017; Clinebell et al., 2013;
Hargrove, 2003; Meyer & Maltin, 2010; Smith &
Stewart, 1999; Tucker, 1984
Preparedness Bowman, 2002; Cipriano & Riccardi, 2016;
Czech & Forward, 2010; DeLander, 2017;
Gmelch et al., 2017; Gonaim, 2016; Hecht et al.,
1999; Lucas, 2000; Tucker, 1984; Wilson, 2001;
Wisniewski, 2019
Leadership Effectiveness Bryman, 2007; Dhar & Mishra, 2001 Gmelch,
2000; Hecht et al., 1999; Lindholm, 1999;
Madanchian et al., 2017; Morris & Laipple, 2015;
Riley & Russell 2013; VanVelsor & McCauley,
2004; Vroom & Jago, 2007; Wolverton &
Ackerman, 2006
Organizational Socialization Getzels et al., 1968; Merton,1957; Morton, 1993;
Rusaw, 1995; Saks & Gruman, 2011; Smith &
Stewart, 1999; Werkema, 2009
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Ben-Zur, 2018; Bridgman et al., 2019; De Vito et
al., 2018; D'Souza & Gurin, 2016; Garcia-Romeu,
2012; Gmelch & Miskin, 2004; Gonaim, 2016;
Hagerty & Patusky, 1995; Jones & George, 2011;
Lussier 2019; Maslow, 1943, 1954; Osemeke &
Adegboyega, 2017; Siddaiah-Subramanya et al.,
2017; Stewart et al., 2018; Swann, 1990; Weaver
et al., 2019; Yan et al., 2016

Definitions of Key Terms

Certain terms and phrases that can have multiple meanings and applications; therefore,

the following definitions have been provided so that the reader can interpret and understand the

terms in the way the author intends for this study:

 15

 Leadership Development: “The expansion of the organization's capacity to enact the

basic leadership tasks needed for collective work: setting direction, creating

alignment, and maintaining commitment" (VanVelsor & McCauley, 2004, p. 18).

 Leadership Effectiveness: the result of a leader’s impact on a group in such a way

where they perform their roles with positive organizational outcomes (Madanchian et

al., 2017).

 Leadership: “process of motivating people to work together collaboratively to

accomplish great things” (Vroom & Jago, 2007).

 Department Chair: leaders who “establish departmental goals and objectives and

represent their faculties to the rest of the institution, selected professional

organizations, and client groups outside the college or university” (Carroll &

Wolverton, 2004).

 Mastery: “refers to the extent to which a person perceives having control over his/her

life events (Pearlin & Schooler, 1978).

 Organizational Socialization: “a series of stages that an individual undergoes in

making the transition from one position to another within an organization, as well as

when making the transition into an organization from the outside” (Getzels & Guba,

1957; Morton, 1993; Rusaw, 1995).

 Preparedness: the degree to which an individual is equipped with the skills and

knowledge to perform effectively in his/her role as department chair (Hecht et al.,

1999).
 16

 Training: “giving leaders the skills needed to get the best out of the people they work

with” (HR Training Center, n.d.).

Chapter Summary

Considering the complexity of performing as faculty and as an administrator, department

chairs are still among the least prepared for their roles compared to other academic leaders in

higher education (Morris & Laipple, 2015). The purpose of this study is to investigate the lived

experiences of department chairs who participated in leadership training to determine if it added

value in preparing them to be effective in their role as department chairs. Chapter I served as a

basis for the study by highlighting the nature and context of the educational issue, the problem

statement, research question, significance of the study, limitations, delimitations, an overview of

the conceptual framework, and the definition of key terms.

 17

CHAPTER II: REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

I begin the review of literature by conducting a broad search of research articles relating

to department chairs in higher education institutions and their preparedness for their role. An

annotated bibliography was used to organize articles by theme, design, and relevance to the

topic. I conducted an extensive review of leadership training specifically targeted to department

chairs that led to the discovery of a conceptual framework that has been used and proven

effective through empirical research.

I utilized the available online resources to locate numerous books and articles from

journals as well as Google Scholar. Peer-reviewed articles were collected from the following

databases: ERIC, SAGE journals, ProQuest Educational Journals, Taylor & Francis Online,

ProQuest Dissertations & Theses, and EBSCOhost. Search terms used included the following:

department chair, leadership, leadership preparedness, department chair preparedness, leadership

training, leadership effectiveness, effective department chair, department chair competencies,

and leadership development. The information in this literature review covers these topics:

 department chairs and what they do

 the roles and responsibilities of a department chair

 the traditional practices of appointing department chairs

 a conceptual framework designed to prepare department chairs to be effective

educational leaders

 leadership effectiveness and preparedness

 existing leadership training programs

 a theoretical and conceptual framework that will be applied to the study.

 18

This review begins with a discussion of who is a department chair and responsibilities

associated with the role. This is followed by the criterion for selecting department chairs,

leadership effectiveness, preparedness, existing training programs for department chairs, the

theoretical framework used in this study, and the chapter summary.

Who is a Department Chair?

This section presents a discussion about department chairs and their role as faculty and

administrator. Department chairs occupy a central position in higher education and serve as a

link between administration, students, and faculty (Wolverton et al., 2005). Even with this

knowledge, most higher education institution officials do little regarding preparing department

chairs for their role (Aziz et al., 2005; Hecht et al., 1999). The nature of the department chair

position allows influence on faculty, administration, and students, so providing professional

training for them should be a top priority y (Riley & Russell, 2013).

Department chairs are instrumental in influencing policies and procedures (Tucker, 1984)

and are responsible for establishing the goals of their departments (Carroll & Wolverton, 2004).

Bowman (2002) indicated that the real work of department chairs requires a diverse set of skills

that include the following:

 Communication skills to help their teams to understand goals, their role in achieving

the goals, and the method to be used.

 Coaching skills to get subordinates to buy into the goals that are set.

 Problem-solving skills to provoke questions and provide opportunities for colleagues

to engage in strategic solutions.

 19

 Cultural management skills to understand the variety of cultures that they may

encounter.

 Conflict-resolution skills to provide room for constructive conflict which provides

vital insights for organizational learning.

 Transition-management skills to help individuals prepare for changes within their

organizations or projects.

When unaware of skills that are crucial to being an effective leader, department chairs

tend to focus more on personal research agendas (Gmelch & Carroll, 1994; Smart &

McLaughlin, 1985). Gmelch and Burns (1994) indicated that out of 800 department chairs, 60%

identified with being faculty, 23% identified with administration, and the remaining 17% saw

themselves as serving in both roles. According to Carroll and Wolverton (2004), over 40% of

department chairs based on their professional identities on that of faculty and not as an

administrator. Gmelch (2013) found that 96% of department chairs indicated that to maintain

their scholarly identity, they identify as faculty.

When department chairs are appointed with the expectation of implementing the beliefs

and goals of the organization without the necessary training, they have a slim chance of being

successful in their role (Peterson et al., 1995). Even though underprepared department chairs run

the risk of damaging departmental and institutional effectiveness (Wolverton & Ackerman,

2006), it is common for individuals with no leadership training to be appointed to the role (Hecht

et al., 1999). Only an estimated 3% of department chairs reported that they received leadership

training to prepare them for their role before being appointed (Gmelch & Miskin, 2010).

According to Gmelch et al. (2017), two-thirds of department chairs received no training before
 20

assuming their positions. This study also found that 72% of chairs who received training only

completed 10 hours or less.

Roles and Responsibilities of the Department Chair

The role of department chair tends to flow between senior members of an academic

department for a defined period, while they serve as gatekeepers for curriculum-related changes,

hiring decisions, promoting processes, and budgeting decisions (Bedrow, 2010). Some chairs

make faculty recruitment, selection, and performance review as some of their top duties

(Hancock, 2007). Throughout the years, higher education officials have attempted to reduce the

workload and responsibility of the department chair and make them more of a mediator rather

than a decision-maker (Green, 1994). According to Rowley (1997), this would provide room for

department chairs to play the role of the coach through training team members and serving as a

main point of contact.

Some view the role of the department chair as an actor and an agent. The actor brings

his/her skills, experiences, knowledge, and expectations of the job. Adner and Helfat (2003)

developed a concept that has proven useful in viewing the department chair as an actor. This

concept has three components:

 managerial human capital—the skills, training, and knowledge brought to the role by

the new individual.

 managerial social capital—the social relationships and networks that can help in

carrying out the job duties of the department chair.

 managerial cognition—focusing on how well the individual can do his/her job based

on his/her beliefs.
 21

As an actor, the department chair must play the roles of team captain and quarterback to

manage unavoidable goal conflicts (Hickson & Stacks, 1992). The department chair is viewed as

an agent within the context of the institution where there is an interrelatedness of the individual

and his/her environment (Meyer, 1988). This includes the social network, cultural forces, and

physical space that makes up the person/s environment.

Selecting a Department Chair

Most higher education institutions have rigorous steps for faculty to achieve promotion

and tenure, yet the merit of professional development when it relates to department chair

leadership is often ignored because of the assumption that a good faculty member is bound to

make a good department chair (Wolverton et al., 2005). New department chairs are often in a

position where they need immediate training and new skillset that was not used in their previous

role as faculty (Weaver et al., 2019). Selecting department chairs with a large emphasis on their

research accomplishments can be questioned, as they tend to lack leadership training and the

preparation needed to perform effectively (Aziz et al., 2005; Gonaim, 2016; Wolverton et al.,

2005). This practice is common as hiring officials pay more attention to the academic success of

the faculty without taking the leadership skills and knowledge needed by the department chair

(Gmelch & Miskin, 2004; Wolverton et al., 2005). Hecht et al. (1999) reported that in talking

with several hundred department chairs each year, it was revealed that they were unprepared for

the shift in their role from faculty to chair as they did not receive the proper leadership training.

When asked about their expectations of being a chair, responders indicated that there was a

mismatch between their initial expectations and the reality of the position (Schwinghammer et

al., 2012). The unpreparedness blinds department chairs from fully understanding the vastness of
 22

their position and can ultimately lead to a negative impact on their department, faculty members,

and result in missed opportunities and ineffectiveness (Peterson et al., 1995; Schwinghammer et

al., 2012). Bennett (1988)suggested that there are three major transitions experienced by

department chairs:

 The shift from specialist to generalist. Faculty members tend to focus on specific

areas where chairs focus on a broader spectrum of the offerings of the department.

 The shift from individual to collective. Where faculty can work independently and

even set their office hours, department chairs bear the burden of orchestrating those

who work independently.

 The shift from discipline to institutional loyalty. The chair is expected to look out for

the best interest of the institution and might require sacrificing a department

preference

One of the major challenges new department chairs face is being able to balance the

responsibilities of management and leadership (Gmelch & Burns, 1994). This is a challenge

because department chairs may lack the leadership and managerial skills that are critical in

sustaining their roles (Grigsby et al., 2004), skills such as communication, coaching, problem-

solving, cultural management, conflict-resolution, and transition-management (Bowman, 2002).

Department chairs hold a unique management position as they must continue their journey as

faculty while serving as an administrator, meaning that they take their previous job into their new

position (Gmelch, 2013).

To summarize, the role of the department chair is to serve as both an actor in the sense of

manager, and an agent in the sense of leader. Both roles are important to the institution. As an
 23

actor, the department chair serves as gatekeeper for curriculum-related changes, hiring decisions,

promoting processes, and budgeting decisions. As an agent, the department chair must be able to

connect his/her social network on the job, understand the cultural forces within the organization,

understand the make-up of his/her physical space, and be able to connect all three elements.

Leadership Effectiveness

Although leadership models describe leadership effectiveness differently (Mammadova,

2019), a common view in higher education is that department chairs can influence a group to

meet organizational goals (Dhar & Mishra, 2001). Effective leadership at the level of the

department chair is considered critically important due to the discontinuous nature of change

(Lindholm, 1999). While learning through trial and error can sometimes be effective, there is not

enough time for department chairs to make every misstep (DeLander, 2017). For a department

chair to be a truly effective leader, they need to possess skills and commitment that are necessary

to serve others as well as being determined to understand the shift from a discipline expert to an

academic leader and manager (Hargrove, 2003). The skillset required of department chairs

differs based on the need of their department and the overall structure and goals. Professional

development is key in preparing and developing department chairs with the knowledge and skills

that they need to be effective leaders (Riley & Russell 2013). The lack of professional

development can lead to missed opportunities, damaged relationships, harmful mistakes, and

ineffectiveness. Professional development can create effective department chairs by helping

them to understand their leadership style and come up with the best ways to serve their

departments.
 24

Measuring Leadership Effectiveness

Measuring leadership effectiveness can vary across higher education institutions, but the

most common is examining the consequence of the action of a department chair (Bennis, 1985;

Dhar & Mishra, 2001). If a department chair can influence subordinates of the organization to

the point where positive outcomes are realized, then he/she can be considered an effective leader.

One of the department chair’s main responsibilities is to help other colleagues to be successful

(DeLander, 2017).

Measuring Specific Outcomes

Specific outcomes of success can include the goals of the entire department. According to

Dhar and Mishra (2001), the most commonly used measurement of leadership effectiveness in

higher education is assessing the performance of the group (department) to determine if the set

objectives are met. Also, to the lack of preparation and support, not many higher education

officials implement a thorough measurement of effectiveness for their department chairs (Morris

& Laipple, 2018).

Subordinate Leader Effectiveness Evaluations

Subordinate evaluations of leadership effectiveness give insight on the performance of

the chair’s department, how effective the chair is as a leader, the follower’s satisfaction and

commitment, and leadership effectiveness based on the abilities of department chairs in the same

industry (Dhar & Mishra, 2001).

Preparedness

Considering that two-thirds of department chairs assume their position with little or no

leadership training (Gmelch et al., 2017), it is important to get some perspectives from
 25

department chairs who have received leadership training specific to preparing them for their role.

Due to the many duties and challenges, Tucker (1984) found that department chairs can be very

influential regarding institutional policies and procedures and in recommending existing faculty

for promotion and tenure. Regardless of their strong influence, they are still considered the least-

prepared of all personnel at their level as they accept the position without leadership training,

lack of vision, and lack of understanding of their role (Czech & Forward, 2010). Wilson (2001)

asserted that more attention must be directed to the role of the department chair as it is one of the

most important yet one of the least respected in higher education.

The nature of the role of the department chair is known to contribute to high levels of

burnout, especially for those who are not properly prepared to handle the demands of the position

(Gillett-Karam et al., 1999). It is understood that it might take years for faculty members to

qualify for tenure and promotion to the associate professor level, yet it is expected that if they are

good at teaching and research, you are bound to be a great department chair with no preparation

(Gmelch et al., 1999, p.15). According to Wolverton (1999), chairs indicated that they needed

more leadership training to perform effectively since they are often expected to provide

leadership without leadership experience or training. Department Chairs can increase their

effectiveness if they are prepared for their position before they occupy it as preparation will help

them overcome challenges (Gonaim, 2016). The lack of preparation can cause minor challenges

to be magnified (Weaver et al., 2019).

Since the department chair serves as an academic leader, being unprepared could lead to

poor leadership while slowing down the progress of the department and the institution (Morris &

Laipple, 2015). Even though department chairs are expected to take on the challenges faced by
 26

the most gifted leaders, they are not provided with extensive leadership preparation for them to

do so successfully (Riley & Russell, 2013). This highlights the importance of training which plays

an important role in equipping department chairs with the knowledge and tools they need to be

successful leaders (Weaver et al., 2019).

Existing Training Programs

Only 3% of department chairs receive training (Gmelch & Miskin, 2010) that prepared

and helped them to maintain their leadership skills as department chairs (Gmelch & Burns,

1993). Individuals coming from faculty positions must receive the training needed to develop

their administrative skills (Prentice & Guillaume, 2020). There is an abundance of leadership

training designed specifically for deans, presidents, and vice presidents to help prepare them for

their roles, but very little training is available for department chairs even though they outnumber

all university administrators combined (Hecht et al., 1999; Weaver et al., 2019). The lack of

training can harm higher education institutions as their department chairs are required to respond

to internal and external challenges without a clear understanding of how to respond (Prentice &

Guillaume, 2020). Factors such as cost, the skill level of chairs, and a training curriculum with

specific outcomes are responsible for the lack of training (Wisniewski, 2019). Few higher

education institutions offer on-campus training geared at preparing department chairs to be

effective leaders (Gunsalas, 2006). In cases where on-campus training is available, they are

sometimes informal and inadequate (Cullen & Harris, 2008). The need for leadership training to

prepare department chairs for their role has created an opportunity for different companies and

institutions to develop on-site and off-site leadership training for department chairs. Department

chair training is available but in small numbers compared to the availability of leadership
 27

training for other university leaders. Table 2.1 lists seven main department chair training

programs that are open to department chairs from colleges and universities in the United States.

Table 2.1

List of Leadership Training Programs for Department Chairs and the Organizations That Host
Them

NAME OF ORGANIZATION NAME OF TRAINING

Association to Advance Collegiate Schools
of Business
The Council of Independent Colleges
Institute for Academic Leadership (IAL),
Florida State University
The American Council on Education
Council of Colleges of Arts & Sciences
The SAIL Department Chair Resource Center
Academic Impressions
Department Chairs Seminar
Department and Division Chair Workshops
Department Chair Workshop
ACE Leadership Academy for Department
Chairs
Leadership Development Workshops for
Chairs/Heads
Department Chair Summit
Leading and Influencing as a Department
Chair

Department Chairs Seminar

The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) hosts an annual

Department Chair Seminar in Tampa, Florida. The Department Chair Seminar focuses on the

roles and responsibilities of department chairs, how they can take advantage of opportunities,

and develop performance plans that help hire, and evaluations (Association to Advance

Collegiate Schools of Business, n.d.) Case studies are used as demonstrations for common

scenarios that department chairs can expect to encounter. Following this, is a brainstorming

session that is used to help develop communication skills and navigate challenges to come up
 28

with solutions promptly. The Department Chair Seminar is open to current department chairs in

higher education and focuses on the following learning outcomes:

 Explore the roles and responsibilities of a department chair

 Acquire best practices for workflow and time management

 Understand the factors that are involved in the hiring and evaluation of faculty

 Develop practical strategies for promoting teamwork and motivating faculty

 Build the necessary skills for effective communication, conflict resolution, and

decision making (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, n.d.).

Registration before the priority deadline is $745 and registration after the priority

deadline is $845. For non-members, the registration fee before the priority deadline is $895, and

registration after the priority deadline is $995. The training is held semi-annually and hosts

between 32 and 37 participants per training session.

Department and Division Chair Workshops

The Department and Division Chair Workshop is hosted by The Council of Independent

Colleges and is open to department chairs nationally. The goal of the workshop is to help

strengthen leadership at the department level (Council of Independent Colleges, n.d.). The

workshop serves experienced and new chairs to help them in supporting change and build

relationships among institutional chairs. There are four workshops each year in four different

states. The workshops are held in different states each year and the next Florida workshop will

be in Jacksonville in May of 2021. The workshop covers topics such as serving as department or

division chair, department budget, using data efficiently, hiring practices, faculty performance

evaluations, and becoming a leader on campus. The data regarding the number of participants for
 29

this workshop is not available to the public but the workshop is limited to 100 participants per

year.

Department Chair Workshop

The Department Chair Workshop is hosted by the Institute for Academic Leadership at

Florida State University. The workshop is held twice annually and is open to department chairs

within the State University System of Florida (Florida State University, n.d.). The sessions cover

different topics and are formatted to include presentations on topics that are relevant to academic

leadership and management. There are also small group discussions to encourage interaction and

for experienced chairs to share valuable input. The workshop is state-funded and covers topics

such as power and authority of a chair, procedures for recruiting, employing, and retaining

faculty, legal implications of being a department chair, professional growth and faculty

development, decision making, being about change, maintaining morale, curriculum planning;

and departmental budgeting (Florida State University, n.d.).

This study will focus on the Institute for Academic Leadership Department Chair

Workshop since participation is inclusive of all department chairs within the SUS. Department

chairs within the SUS can participate in the workshop at no cost, and it is anticipated participants

from several institutions within the SUS will offer a broader perspective than focusing on only

participants from one institution. Since the beginning of the training in 2009, 1506 department

chairs from within the SUS have participated in the workshop (Florida State University, n.d.). In

terms of convenience, information regarding participating schools and the number of participants

is publicly available.
 30

ACE Leadership Academy for Department Chairs

The American Council on Education hosts the National Leadership Academy for

Department Chairs training. This face-to-face two-day workshop aims at helping department

chairs prepare for their roles so they can improve programs and contribute to the mission and

vision of their colleges and universities (The American Council on Education, n.d.). The training

is led by experienced leaders from different colleges and universities with an emphasis on best

practices for leading departments. The format includes peer-to-peer sharing, leadership issue

simulations, case studies, and tabletop discussions. The American Council on Education does not

provide information regarding the past number of participants according to one of its

representatives.

Leadership Development Workshops for Chairs/Heads, Council of Colleges of Arts &

Sciences

This national leadership training held by the Council of Colleges of Arts & Sciences, is

held three times annually and targets new and experienced department chairs. The purpose of the

program is to provide leadership development for department chairs by using a team-centered

approach to enhance their skills and confidence while focusing on the following topics:

 The chair as academic leader

 Managing people and conflict

 Faculty evaluation

 Recruitment, retention & development of faculty

 Resource management

 Working with the dean (Council of Colleges of Arts & Sciences, n.d.).
 31

The cost for this workshop is currently $3,000 and the curriculum is tailored to fit

circumstances that might exist in different colleges and universities. Over 250 department chairs

are trained through this workshop per year across 500 institutions.

Department Chair Summit (SAIL Department Chair Resource Center)

The Department Chair Summit is a 2.5-day workshop that offers opportunities and

resources to department chairs to help them develop confidence and knowledge through

leadership concepts, case studies, reflection, discussion, and developing goals and objectives.

(SAIL Department Chair Resource Center, n.d.). The average age of four-year university

department chair attendees for this workshop is 55 with 43% being females. The workshop is

open to SUNY and non-SUNY colleges and universities and provides an enriching experience

geared at preparing department chairs to be effective leaders. The SAIL Institute offers the

workshop each May and offers the participants an:

 An immersive experience that can be used to advance skills

 Opportunity to learn from others across other campuses, disciplines, and experiences

 Distraction-free environment

 Crucial conversations training (The SAIL Department Chair Resource Center, n.d.)

The workshop offers three rates:

 SUNY CPD Member rate—$80

 SUNY rate/non-CPD member—$875

 Non-SUNY rate—$950.
 32

Participants are responsible for their registration, accommodations, and travel expenses.

This event is limited to 36 seats and is held in May each year. The Department Chair Summit is

always at capacity and held its third year in 2020.

Leading and Influencing as a Department Chair

This conference is hosted by Academic Impressions, a company focused on providing

leadership and professional development training opportunities to faculty and staff in higher

education. The conference helps department chairs in developing the necessary skills that they

need to lead and serve their departments. The attendees have an opportunity to learn from experts

in the field who simulate scenarios based on actual events to prepare the department chairs for

challenges they are likely to experience. The conference has two separate, but optional

workshops that department chars can benefit from:

 A pre-conference workshop to help department chairs identify their leadership

tendencies and embrace other leadership modes and skills.

 A post-conference workshop that helps department chairs to develop skills to improve

civility regarding campus issues.

There are three tiers of registration for this conference. Table 2.2 indicates the different

conference pass packages and that is included (Academic Impressions, n.d.). The data for the

number of participants is not available to the public.

 33

Table 2.2

Conference Pass Packages Along—Features and Package Cost for the Leading and Influencing
as a Department Chair Conference

Features Conference Pass Plus Pass Premium Pass

All Presentation Resources   

Main Conference   

Breakfast & Lunch   

Networking Reception   

Pre-Conference Workshop  

Post-Conference Workshop  

3 Follow Up Success 

Cost $1,495 $2,095 $2,695

Theoretical Framework

Two theoretical bases were used in this research: the literature on organizational

socialization and that on the well-known’s hierarchy of needs framework developed by Maslow

(1943, 1954). These are now considered in greater detail.

Organizational Socialization

To better understand the theoretical framework process of socialization, A. B. Smith and

Stewart (1999) suggested the theoretical framework process of socialization of new department

chairs to meet their professional development needs. They argued that in transitioning from

faculty to department chair, individuals must be aware of factors that can hinder them from a

proper transition. These factors include skills and knowledge brought from previous roles; the
 34

impact of unexpected elements in the new role; and the individual’s approach regarding learning

the demands of the new role. The socialization process includes four main stages:

1. Anticipation—In this stage, the individual is appointed to the position of the

department chair, is dependent on the skills and knowledge learned from his/her

previous positions and is open to discover new learning efforts and work experience.

During this stage, the individual’s expectations of the role are weighed against the

new work experience (Werkema, 2009).

2. Encounter—In this stage, the individual assumes the role of department chair and

make attempts to learn more about the new role through personal research or formal

training.

3. Adaptation—This stage is also known as assimilation and involves how the newly

appointed department chair transition into the new role. Some officials in

organizations order formal orientation activities while others implement a ‘learn as

you go’ approach through observation.

4. Withdrawal—This stage focuses on how the department chair transitions out of the

role. This can be formal through which a department chair served a set term, or

informal where the individual steps down from the position. For those who stay in the

role of the department chair, this stage does not apply to them.

Figure 2.1 depicts the organizational socialization process from the anticipation to

withdrawal.
 35

Figure 2.1

Stages of Organizational Socialization for Department Chairs

1 2 3 4
Anticipation Encounter Adaptation Withdrawal

Because the focus of this study is department chairs and the value of training in preparing

them for their position, only Stages 1 to 3 of the socialization process are pertinent. The

withdrawal stage will be omitted because it focuses on individuals leaving their recent position to

move on to something different (Werkema, 2009). This study will focus on department chairs

and potential participants who have participated in the workshop. The socialization process is a

means of getting the new department chair settled into the position while learning about the

values, norms, and culture of the department and institution (Merton, 1957). The socialization

process is believed to be more important due to individuals changing positions so frequently

(Saks & Gruman, 2011). Individuals can either accept, reject, or modify the new experience

provided by the socialization process (Werkema, 2009).

Officials involved in reforming the department chair position have identified the need for

leadership training as critical, especially to the socialization process while learning about their

roles and responsibilities (Walvoord et al., 2000). According to O’Leary et al., (2014), the

socialization process did not influence individuals until they experienced training for their

positions. The socialization process is said to be continuous by some (Chao et al., 1994), and

those who view learning as life-long consider their career as one long socialization process

(Schein, 1971).
 36

Organizational Commitment

The socialization process is very instrumental in securing the commitment of employees

even after they have settled into the organization as the attitudes displayed by other employees

can have an impact on the newcomer (Clinebell et al., 2013). The socialization process is crucial

to organizational commitment which is evident when staff is more accountable, loyal, and

productive (Meyer & Maltin, 2010). According to Yahaya and Ebrahim (2016), organizational

commitment has three dimensions:

 Affective commitment which refers to the follower’s emotional attachment and

identification with the organization.

 Continuance commitment refers to the follower’s perspective on whether the cost of

leaving the organization is greater than staying.

 Normative commitment which is referred to new employee’s feelings of obligation to

the organization.

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

Maslow’s (1943, 1954) theory of needs is one of the most well-known theories of

motivation which is portrayed by a pyramid with stages of needs (Osemeke & Adegboyega,

2017). Maslow hypothesized a hierarchy of the following five needs that exist within every

individual (given in order from lowest to highest needs:

1. psychological needs

2. safety needs

3. social belonging needs

4. esteem needs
 37

5. self-actualization.

These needs are believed to be important to human development and essential to human

existence (Yan et al., 2016). According to Osemeke and Adegboyega (2017), Maslow’s theory of

makes the following assumptions:

 Unsatisfied needs can act as motivators to influence individuals’ behavior.

 These needs are arranged in a hierarchy form from psychological to self-actualization.

 Higher-level needs emerge when lower needs are satisfied.

It is believed that people will seek to satisfy their basic needs before moving towards the

more developed needs (De Vito et al., 2018). The needs hierarchy provides an abstract view of

the needs of employees and how motivation is achieved as they progress throughout their careers

(Jones & George, 2011). Maslow believed that as employees rise through the hierarchy, they will

desire to rise through their organizations to continue their development (De Vito et al., 2018).

The following subsections briefly consider each needs level.

Psychological Needs

Psychological needs represent the physical needs required for human survival (Osemeke

& Adegboyega, 2017). This can include factors such as hunger, thirst, shelter, and other bodily

needs. From a work perspective, this need can be translated to a decent salary to support oneself

(De Vito et al., 2018), company culture, and how management is performed (Stewart et al.,

2018). If these conditions are not met, an individual’s body can fail to function or fail to perform.

Psychological needs are crucial and are believed to be met first (O’Leary et al., 2014).
 38

Safety Needs

Safety needs involve protection from physical and emotional harm (Osemeke &

Adegboyega, 2017). Once the psychological needs are met, safety takes precedence in the form

of personal security, financial security, and health and well-being. From a work perspective,

safety involves having a safe work environment (De Vito et al., 2018) and job security with

defined structure and responsibilities (Stewart et al., 2018).

Social Belonging Needs

Social belonging needs include the need for acceptance, belongingness, and friendship

(Osemeke & Adegboyega, 2017). Not meeting these needs can affect an individual’s ability to

form and maintain relationships and friendships. Maslow 1943 noted that humans need to feel

accepted to different groups. From a work perspective, individuals need an efficient working

environment with employees and co-workers who are supportive (De Vito et al., 2018). Positive

work culture and positive rapport with each other is an important aspect of the social belonging

needs (Stewart et al., 2018).

For individuals to believe they play a role in an integral part of a system, they need to feel

a sense of belonging (Hagerty & Patusky, 1995). A sense of belonging can impact an

individual’s intrapersonal relationship as well as the relationships with his/her external

environment (Winter-Collins & McDaniel, 2000). According to Gmelch and Miskin (2004), a

well-defined leadership training program is most effective when there is an ongoing relationship

that encompasses constructive feedback continuously. As for building relationships, department

chairs indicated that strong collegial relationships in their departments led to more

interdepartmental networking and contributed to an increase of mentoring from previous chairs

 39

(Weaver et al., 2019). A sense of belonging can also be viewed as a basic human need that

individuals are motivated to satisfy (Sánchez et al., 2005).

Esteem Needs

Esteem needs include self-respect, autonomy, and other external attributes such as

recognition, attention, and status (Osemeke & Adegboyega, 2017). The idea behind esteem needs

is that human beings desire acceptance and value from others through their contribution. Maslow

(1954) noted that there are lower and upper versions of esteem needs. The lower version includes

the need to be recognized, respect from others, status, eminence, prestige, and attention from

others. The upper version focuses on inner capabilities that can be established by knowledge and

takes precedence over lower esteem needs. If these are not met, they can potentially lead to

weakness, helplessness, and an inferior complex (Maslow, 1954). From a work perspective,

individuals need to receive promotions or forms of recognition for their hard work (De Vito et

al., 2018). Leaders can also strengthen these needs through positive management relationships

with their employees to make them feel capable and trusted in their jobs (Stewart et al., 2018).

As for department chairs, they need the training and professional development

opportunities to foster an environment of collegiality (Gonaim, 2016) and to nurture the talents

of everyone in their departments while raising their self-esteem (Cooper & Pagotto, 2003).

According to Ellemers et al. (2004), “People are relatively willing to identify with groups who

seem to contribute to a positive sense of self” (p. 463. Since many department chairs are coming

from a faculty line, they see themselves as strong researchers. As a result, they often identify

with their academic self because their scholarly success helps to project self-esteem and self-
 40

worth (Swann, 1990). Effective department chairs can fulfill esteem needs by creating a climate

of trust and mutual respect (Gonaim, 2016).

Department chairs can approach training from a master learning perspective which states

that repeated practice and assessment of skills can enable improvement of that skill and allow the

individual to achieve mastery and competency (Siddaiah-Subramanya et al., 2017). Mastery is

important and useful in dealing with life circumstances such as self-esteem and self-efficacy

(Ben-Zur, 2018). Mastery is said to be negatively correlated with loneliness because with

attempting to achieve mastery, and the individual finds ways to cope with a situation through

behavior changes. According to Ben-Zur (2018), high levels of mastery are beneficial in dealing

with stressful encounters.

Self-Actualization

Garcia-Romeu (2012) stated that self-actualization is achieved by giving oneself to a

higher goal. Self-actualization needs can be difficult to satisfy as leaders are tasked with actively

engaging and motivating employees with tasks that meet their potential (Stewart et al., 2018).

This can be achieved by promoting employees to a more challenging position so they can give

back by sharing knowledge with others through mentoring or other innovative ways (De Vito et

al., 2018). As individuals pass up the hierarchy, their attention shifts from self-interest to

selflessness where they begin to dedicate more time to others (D'Souza & Gurin, 2016). Maslow

(1973) noted that the drive towards self-actualization could potentially benefit society as it would

help in problem-solving, compassion, and solidarity. Maslow (1943) suggested that the self-

actualization need encourages people to aim to desire to be more than what they are and seek

fulfillment in the world. Self-actualization needs are ever-changing as one self-actualization need
 41

is met, another one arises. Although Maslow’s introduced the hierarchy of needs in a 1943

article, the concept did not make its way into management until in the 1950s by management

consultants (Lussier, 2019). This was then represented in the form of a pyramid in an article

published in 1960 in the Business Horizon Journal (Bridgman et al., 2019). Charles McDermaid

was a consultant who encouraged managers to use Maslow’s hierarchy of needs to provide

compensation packages for employees. It was evident that salary compensation could meet

different needs including esteem needs. Money could be used to purchase something that could

be used to satisfy a different need (Milbourn, 1980). Figure 2.2 is a representation of Maslow’s

Hierarchy of Needs and how those needs align with job characteristics.

Figure 2.2

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Pyramid

Note. The hierarchy pyramid is accompanied by Maslow’s general components (on the right) and
how those components align with job characteristics. From “Of Maslow, motives, and managers:
The hierarchy of needs in American business 1960–1985,” by Kira Lussier, 2019, Journal of the
History of the Behavioral Sciences, 2019(55), p. 319–341.
 42

Chapter Summary

This chapter synthesized the literature regarding department chairs and their preparedness

for their leadership role. First, an overview of who is a department chair, and the lack of

preparation for their leadership role was discussed. Department chairs are very instrumental in

implementing policies and procedures (Tucker, 1984), and are expected to apply communication,

coaching, problem-solving, cultural management, and transition-management skills (Bowman,

2002). The roles and responsibilities of a department chair are quite complex and view the

department chair as an actor where he/she is required to play multiple roles, and as an agent

where he/she there is an interrelatedness of his/her role and the work environment (Meyer,

1988).

Chairs are normally appointed to their position with little or no training, and after their

appointment, most chairs do not receive an opportunity to participate in leadership development.

For those who receive this opportunity, it is normally over a short period with little to no support

to maintain what was learned. Traditionally, department chairs are hired solely based on their

academic achievements with the assumption that such individuals will be effective leaders (Aziz

et al., 2005). Leadership effectiveness at the department chair level was also discussed along

with preparedness for the position and the available leadership training aimed at preparing

department chairs for their roles. The theoretical framework of organizational socialization

involves a four-step process, three of which aim to prepare department chairs to transition into

their role (A. B. Smith & Stewart, 1999). Having a formal or informal socialization process can

lead to organizational commitment especially when the newly appointed employee is aware of

his/her leadership styles (Barnett, 2019).

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CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY

The purpose of this study is to investigate the lived experiences of department chairs who

participated in leadership training to determine if it added value in preparing them to be effective

in their role as department chairs. In this chapter, I discuss the research design and methodology

used in the study. The chapter will begin with an overview of the problem being investigated, the

significance of the study, and the rationale of the IPA approach. Following this, the sampling

plan, data collection tools, and instruments are described. I have included the procedures with the

necessary ethical considerations and data collection methods. Finally, the chapter describes the

methods of analysis, result reports, an evaluation of research methods, and the chapter summary.

It is recognized in the literature that department chairs in higher education lack leadership

preparation (Gonaim, 2016). This could be a result of the practice of department chairs assuming

their positions with little or no training (Aziz et al., 2005) along with very little understanding of

their role (Gmelch & Miskin, 2004). According to Gmelch and Miskin (2010), an estimated 3%

of department chairs receive training in preparation for their role. In an additional study, Lucas

(2000) asserts that only 40% of 4,800 department chairs indicated that they were somewhat

prepared to handle the demands of the position. The high ambiguity of the role expectations

leaves room for uncertainty where successfully fulfilling their roles are concerned (Gmelch &

Burns, 1994). The current practice of appointing department chairs places emphasis on one’s

research, teaching ability, and service success while disregarding other key areas such as

leadership and a basic understanding of the role (Aziz et al., 2005; Carroll & Wolverton, 2004;

Gmelch & Burns, 1993; Gonaim, 2016). Department chairs are most effective when they possess

the critical skills that can enable one to build relationships with colleagues that espouse trust and
 44

respect, provide lines of communication, and convey the vision and mission of their department

and the university (Gonaim, 2016).

Researchers contend that the lack of effective leadership training can derail the system

and hinder department chairs from effectively handling complex issues, including human

resource concerns (DeLander, 2017). This becomes problematic as department chairs are not

prepared to carry out their roles effectively (Aziz et al., 2005; Gmelch & Miskin, 2004). It is

alarming that very few institutions offer leadership training specifically for department chairs

considering the magnitude of responsibilities department chairs are tasked with (Palmer et al.,

2015; Wolverton et al., 2005).

The focus in this research was on the lived experiences of department chairs within the

SUS who attended the IAL leadership training. Researchers have previously found that

approximately two-thirds of department chairs received no leadership training, and for those who

received training, they only completed ten hours or less (Gmelch et al., 2017). This study

explored the impact of leadership training on department chairs and provided insights into the

importance of leadership training. The results from this study can help to fill the gap in the

literature regarding the lived experiences of department chairs who attend leadership training

along with helping administrators determine if leadership training for department chairs is worth

the cost.

Research Question

The research question investigated the lived experiences of department chairs who

attended leadership training, specifically the IAL leadership training. The following question

guided the study: What are the perceptions of department chairs regarding their lived experiences
 45

of the Department Chair Workshop hosted by the IAL at FSU in preparing them for their

leadership role?

Research Design

An IPA (J.A. Smith, 2008) qualitative research design was selected for this study for data

collection and to answer the research question of the perceptions of department chairs regarding

their lived experiences of leadership training, specifically the Department Chair Workshop

hosted by the IAL. The IPA method was developed by J. A. Smith (2008) and has become well

established in qualitative studies. IPA is effective towards uncovering what a lived experience

means to the participants by a process involving reflective inquiry (Peat et al., 2019). The IPA

gained interest due to the practical and accessible guidelines in conducting research using the

approach (J. A. Smith et al., 1999). In terms of theoretical position, Smith (2008) noted that IPA

aims at exploring the lived experience of the participants in detail to make sense of their personal

experience (Peat et al., 2019; J. A. Smith, 2008). Having an account that accurately reflects the

perspectives of the participants adds to the value of the research through trustworthiness (Lincoln

& Guba, 1985). In contrast to other methods, IPA takes the researcher’s engagement with the

participants into consideration (Potter, 1996). This helps in validating the theory of interpretation

—hermeneutics (Biggerstaff & Thompson, 2008)—and allows the researcher to explore how the

participants ascribe meaning to their experiences with their environment (Biggerstaff &

Thompson, 2008; Patton, 2020).

In qualitative research, the researcher is involved in an intensive experience with the

participants (Creswell & Creswell, 2018). Doing so allows the researcher to answer probing

questions about human experiences (Magilvy & Thomas, 2009) and help in better understanding
 46

the human condition of the participants in different contexts concerning the perceived situation

(Bengtsson, 2016). Qualitative research involves inquiry in the natural setting of the participants

and is an exploratory study of their everyday life (Magilvy & Thomas, 2009).

One of the main goals of a qualitative study is to “to produce a rich description and in-

depth understanding of the phenomenon of interest, the cultural or lived experience of people in

natural settings” (Magilvy, 2003, p. 123). The researcher becomes the instrument of the research

and generates data by asking questions in personal interviews, observations, recording notes, and

even participating in the event (Magilvy & Thomas, 2009). Aligned with the theoretical

framework of this study, a qualitative approach supports organizational socialization, as it allows

for a greater description and explanation of the department chairs’ experiences from the time

they are appointed to the position (Gardner, 2008). Qualitative research is suitable when

conducting exploratory studies as it highlights any unanticipated phenomena and influences

(Maxwell, 1996).

For this study, a qualitative interpretive phenomenological approach was used to describe

the common meaning (Moustakas, 1994) among several department chairs of their lived

experiences regarding leadership training in preparation for their role. In phenomenological

studies, the researcher places focus on the participants’ experience and transform it into

consciousness (Bengtsson, 2016). This helps in capturing the essence of the phenomenon.

According to van Manen (2017), in a phenomenological study, the researcher asks, “What is this

or that kind of experience like?” to understand the experience as lived (Peoples, 2020). The

phenomenological researcher will seek to understand and describe the phenomenon accurately as

it appeared in the participant’s consciousness (Phillipson, 1972).

 47

Using IPA, the researcher can examine how individuals make sense of a phenomenon (J.

A. Smith & Shinebourne, 2012). With IPA, a two-staged interpretation is required where the

participants try to make sense of the phenomenon, and where the researcher tries to make sense

of the participants trying to make sense of their world. In other words, the researcher tries to

understand the participants’ point of view and take their side according to the purpose of IPA.

According to J. A. Smith and Shinebourne (2012), IPA studies can be conducted in small sample

sizes as the aim of the study is about the understanding of the group rather than making general

claims. For this study, the researcher explored the lived experiences of department chairs who

attended the IAL Department Chair leadership training. Research is limited regarding the lived

experiences of department chairs who attend training for in preparation for their role.

Research Design Process

The research design for this study is a qualitative interpretive phenomenological analysis.

Participants who have attended the IAL Department Chair Workshop were selected for this study

and participated in in-depth interviews. In addition to the interviews, the researcher used field

notes and document analysis. Figure 3.1 represents the research design process used in this

study.
 48

Figure 3.1

Steps in the Research Design Process

Selection of Data
participants Collection:
Identify the Data analysis
who Interviews,
phenomenon and
experienced field notes,
of interest interpretation
the & Document
phenomenon Analysis

Note. Overview of the research design process. Adapted from Qualitative Inquiry & Research
Design: Choosing among five approaches (2nd ed.) by J. Creswell, 2007, p. 78. Copyright 2017
by SAGE

In summary, an IPA qualitative research design was used for this study. A

phenomenological approach was suitable as it allowed the researcher to gain a better

understanding of the lived experiences of the department chairs who attended the IAL

Department Chair Workshop. The use of IPA allowed the researcher to gain an in-depth

understanding of the participant’s lived experiences and how they make sense of the

phenomenon being studied (J. A. Smith & Shinebourne, 2012). The data collected was used to

gain insights on the lived experiences of the department chairs who attended the IAL Department

Chair Workshop.

Setting and Procedures

Since the participant size in IPA is usually homogeneous, researchers generally use

purposive sampling to select a more defined group of participants (J. A. Smith & Shinebourne,

2012) In this section, I will describe and justify the population, discuss the sampling procedures

that will be used, and provide the rationale for why the participants are willing to participate in
 49

the study. In IPA, the goal is to discover the detailed experiences and perspectives of the

participants rather than generalizing to a larger population (J. A. Smith et al., 2009).

The interviews were conducted remotely via Zoom, at a time convenient for the

researcher and the participants. Interviews were recorded (audio and video) with the consent of

the participants. I contacted the organizers of the Department Chair Workshop at the IAL to get a

list of participants who were later recruited via email. Since the interviewer and the participants

were not obligated to be in the same room for the interviews, both parties selected a location that

is discreet and private for the interviews to be conducted without interruption. Before beginning

the interviews, the participants were guided through the informed consent process and

encouraged to ask questions as they arose. The interview questions followed an open-ended

format giving the participants opportunities to elaborate on their responses. I further emphasized

that the data collected would be kept confidential and contact information will not be tied to the

data. Efforts were made to ensure the participants do not feel “used” for the information they

provided, as recommended by Creswell and Creswell (2018).

Study Target Population

The target population for this study are department chairs from universities and colleges

within the SUS. The researcher included a question in the invitation letter that allowed the

participants to indicate if they have attended the IAL department chair workshop. The population

was narrowed to department chairs who have received leadership training through the IAL in

preparation for their role. This study focused on department chairs who received training to gain

insights on whether training was effective in preparing them for their role. The researcher chose
 50

this population because the IAL Department Chair Workshop is a recognized leadership training

that is available to department chairs within the SUS and is completely free for the participants.

Sampling

One distinctive feature of IPA is that it can validly be done using a small sample of

around five to 10 (Creswell & Creswell, 2018). The participants in the study were carefully

selected and had to have experienced the same phenomenon being studied (Creswell, 2007).

Purposive sampling was appropriate for this study as it allowed for a more defined group of

participants (J. A. Smith & Shinebourne, 2012) and participation was based on a shared

phenomenon (Speziale & Carpenter, 2007). Purposive sampling is helpful for understanding the

participants’ experience to develop theories and concepts (Devers & Frankel, 2000). I used

criterion sampling to purposefully include only individuals who fit one or more criteria (Collins

et al., 2007). According to Miles and Huberman (1994), criterion sampling is used to achieve

quality assurance. Criterion sampling is known to work well in studies where the participants

experience the same phenomenon (Creswell, 2007).

For this study, only department chairs that fit the criteria of having over one-year

experience and have received leadership training through the IAL in preparation for their role

were selected. Individuals outside of these criteria were excluded from this study. Since the

sample size is often small in IPA, it allows for a high commitment to achieving a detailed

interpretive account of the participants’ experiences (J. A. Smith et al., 2009). This allows the

researcher to engage with each participant in-depth and facilitates a detailed examination of the

similarities and differences of each case. Due to the large amount of in-depth data that can be

collected using IPA, a large sample size could potentially become overwhelming.
 51

The shared phenomenon in this study is department chairs within the SUS who have

received leadership training through the IAL Department Chair Workshop. Participants were

selected from SUS universities and colleges classifying as one of the following:

 Doctoral Universities with very high research activity

 Doctoral Universities with high research activity

 Doctoral/Professional Universities

 Master’s Colleges and Universities with small to larger programs, (

 Baccalaureate /Associate’s Colleges: Mixed Baccalaureate/Associate’s.

This classification is based on the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher

Education which is a leading framework in the United States for recognizing and describing

institutional diversity (The Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, n.d.).

According to J.A. Smith et al. (2009), a small sample size is favorable to IPA as it allows for in-

depth comparison among experiences. Before data collection began and as recommended by

Mapp (2008), I received informed consent, ensured confidentiality, obtained permission to

record the interview, and received permission from the participants to publish the results

Participants

For participants to be included in this study, they had to be a department chair at a state

college or university in the SUS with a minimum of one-year experience as department chair and

have attended the IAL Department Chair Workshop. These individuals were expected to

participate in the study to give a better idea of the lived experiences of department chairs who

receive leadership training in preparation for their role. The results from the study could

potentially provide insights on whether leadership training has had an impact on how prepared
 52

department chairs are for their role. The researcher populated a list of department chairs from

within the SUS and contacted them via email with an invitation to participate in the study.

Because the participating SUS institutions are listed on the IAL’s website, the researcher used

that as a guide to determine which department chairs to contact for the study. The purpose and

benefits of the study was shared with the participants to encourage them to take part in the study.

The results of the study can assist them in making decisions regarding future leadership training

opportunities that could be beneficial to them and other department chairs within their

institutions.

In summary, the population comprises department chairs from state colleges and

universities within the SUS and the target sample for this study was 11 department chairs within

the SUS who have attended the IAL Department Chair Workshop. Utilizing a purposive

sampling criterion allowed the researcher to collect information that was rich, accurately

reflected the lived experiences, and emphasized the similarities among the participants (J. A.

Smith & Shinebourne, 2012). The participants were willing to share their lived experiences

regarding the phenomenon being studied.

Data Collection

In this section, a detailed description of the data collection tools that were used in this

study is provided. These tools included semi-structured interviews, field notes, and document

analysis. The questions asked during the interview helped in gathering the department chairs’

perceptions regarding their experiences with carrying out their role based on their training. Field

notes and document analysis were used to link evidence of what department chairs described in

the interviews to help provide a rich context for data analysis. The data collection process began
 53

in early spring 2021 through Zoom video conference software. Each participant who met the

criteria for the study received a request to participate (Appendix A) via email. The data collected

was stored according to the IRB guidelines and procedures.

Participants were provided with an informed consent agreement for the interview phase

(see Appendix B). The interviews were conducted individually without access by outsiders. I

was the only one that could match the identity of the participants with the data collected from the

study. An interview protocol was used that focused on the department chairs’ leadership training

to determine if it helped in preparing them for their leadership role. Respones to the interview

questions were used to gain a better understanding of the lived experiences and how those

experiences impacted the department chairs in preparing for their role.

Interviews

For researchers to collect and analyze in detail how participants make sense of what is

happening to them, one of the best data collection methods for IPA is semi-structured interviews

(J. A. Smith & Shinebourne, 2012). Semi-structured interviews allow for flexibility whereby

initial questions can be modified based on the participants’ responses when important areas arise.

With semi-structured interviews, the researcher can use a set of questions as a guide or schedule

rather than being dictated by it (J. A. Smith et al., 2009). Interviews help the interviewee to draw

a vivid picture of the experience which in turn helps the researcher to better understand the

phenomenon (Sorrell & Redmond, 1995). The length of an interview varies and is guided by the

process of saturation where the narrative becomes so repetitive that no new information is

revealed (Mapp, 2008). For this study, the interview questions were open-ended and in-depth to

capture the essence of the lived experiences of the department chairs who attended the IAL
 54

Department Chair Workshop. The interviews lasted between 12 and 41 minutes. It is strongly

recommended that after the interviews are finished, the researcher should make notes as

participants are known to provide rich data at the end of the interview (Mapp, 2008). The

interview schedule used in the study served as a basis for a conversation so as to not limit the

expressed interests of the participants, as recommended by Biggerstaff and Thompson (2008).

The interview questions were developed through information gathered from the literature

based on the nature of the research question (Mapp, 2008). The researcher also formed the

interview questions based on information gathered through reading other dissertation on similar

topics (Harris, 2004; Werkema, 2009). The questions were formed with the intent of

understanding the perspectives of the participants’ world (Roberts, 2020). Interviews were

recorded with the consent of the participants and transcribed using Microsoft Word36.

Field Notes

Field notes are considered an essential component in qualitative research that enhances

data and provides a rich context for analysis (Phillippi & Lauderdale, 2018). Field notes serve

many functions including aiding in constructing thick and rich descriptions of the study and

document valuable contextual data (Phillippi & Lauderdale, 2018). When field notes are

combined with other data in a study, they allow the full depth of the study context to be

transmitted. Phillippi and Lauderdale (2018) recommended that researchers obtain institutional

review board approval before collection, use, dissemination, and archiving field notes as this

information can sometimes identify the participants. Using field notes can help to provide a

better perspective on the lives of the participants when the data is used for examining perceptions

across time (Hinds et al., 1997). Field notes were made during and after the interviews. Using
 55

short notes helped my recollection of important aspects of the interview. Collecting field notes

during the interviews can help contextualize the study to help provide perspective on the lives of

the participants (Phillippi & Lauderdale, 2018). I did not let the field notes collection process

interrupt the flow of the interview or distract the participant. This was accomplished using short

notes to prevent missing useful information that participant could reveal during the interview as

recommended by Phillippi and Lauderdale (2018).

Document Analysis

Document analysis is useful as it helps in reviewing or evaluating printed and electronic

documents and does not require that data be examined or interpreted to gain an understanding

(Bowen, 2009). Researchers use document analysis as a means of triangulation where the study

draws upon multiple sources of evidence to support the study. For this study, copies were

acquired of the training materials and agendas from the IAL that department chairs had received

during the training. The IAL’s website provided free downloads of the training materials for all

their training sessions. Examining data collected through different sources allows researchers to

verify the data and reduce potential bias. The document analysis was used in combination with

the field notes and interviews as a means of triangulation to develop the credibility of the study

and answer the research question (Bowen, 2009). The information contained in the documents

helped in probing questions that might not be included in the interviews. Document analysis can

also help in generating new interview questions to gain greater insight into the phenomenon

(Goldstein & Reiboldt, 2004).

 56

Ethical Considerations

Ethical issues that can surface throughout the study should be addressed by the researcher

(Creswell, 2007). It has been recommended that the researcher obtain permission from the

Institutional Review Board (IRB) regardless of the inquiry method. I treated all participants

according to the guidelines of the IRB and protect their identities. As suggested by Arifin (2018),

in obtaining consent from the participants, I communicated the purpose of the study to the

participants, made sure they were competent to consent, and that they were properly informed

about the research so they could make an educated decision to participate or decline. Special

attention was placed on guaranteeing the anonymity and confidentiality of the participants to

protect their names and identity during the collection, analysis, and reporting in the study. Once

the data was transcribed and saved electronically, it was encrypted and password-protected to

prevent unauthorized access to a cloud service (Dropbox). A USB flash drive containing the data

was locked in a file cabinet to which only I had access to. The data will remain stored and

password-protected for five years after the study has been published. After, the data will be

discarded in accordance with the IRB protocols.

Data Analysis

In this section, I will discuss the research question and how it will be analyzed. The

interview questions (see Appendix C) used in this study were formed from the information

gathered for this study. The data collection process (interviews, field notes, and document

analysis) are used to answer the research question.

Data were collected from the interviews in the form of audio/video recordings. The use of

a semi-structured interview allowed the interview to follow an open-ended format and minimize
 57

preconceived ideas the participants and researcher might have (Spradley, 1979). After the

participants responded to each question and at the end of the interviews, I made field notes. The

interviews were transcribed verbatim in a private room using earphones to prevent anyone

potentially within close range from hearing the recordings. The identities of the participants were

removed during this process and pseudonym names were used in verbatim quotes.

The interview transcripts were printed using wide margins to allow me to make notes and

comments in the left-hand margins as recommended by J. A. Smith et al. (2009). Taking field

notes is essential as they allow for rich context analysis and help in constructing thick and rich

descriptions of the data collected (Phillippi & Lauderdale, 2018). The interviews were

transcribed and stored and organized for coding and identifying emerging themes (Miles &

Huberman, 1994). I read the transcripts closely to identify new insights as suggested by J. A.

Smith and Shinebourne (2012).

Interview transcripts were sent out to each participant to confirm that the transcripts were

accurate and matched their perspectives. Following the individual analysis, I identified common

patterns, ideas, and themes that emerged from the data as recommended by Patton (1990). After

the common themes have been identified, researchers can then make connections between the

themes (Smith et al., 2009). The themes were noted and organized using the NVivo software.

The number of themes that emerge can signify the richness of a passage in the transcript (J. A.

Smith & Shinebourne, 2012). The themes were inserted into a table to provide idiographic

evidence as recommended by J. A. Smith and Shinebourne (2012). The data were used to

determine and prioritize which themes to focus on for this study; less applicable themes were

dropped (J. A. Smith & Shinebourne, 2012).

 58

A conventional content analysis was used to enhance the understanding of the data

collected (Elo & Kyngas, 2008; Hsieh & Shannon, 2005). This type of content analysis is

generally used in studies that aim to describe a phenomenon that has limited literature. When

using conventional content analysis, the coding categories derive directly from the text data

(Hsieh & Shannon, 2005). This is convenient as the researcher can create categories from the

flow of the data rather than using preconceived categories (Kondracki & Wellman, 2002). The

main advantage of conventional content analysis is that the information is collected directly from

the participants without any preconceived perspectives.

Evaluation of Research Methods

Before presenting and discussing research results (Chapters 4 and 5), it is important

evaluate the research results and the methods used in the process (Dane, 2011). This involves

noting the negative and positives and the indifferent and irrelevant. Evaluating the research

methods allow for validity and reliability which can lead to meaningful interpretations of the data

collected (Creswell, 2014). This is essential as it checks the trustworthiness of the researcher to

make sure that the interpretations made are not biased (Barker & Pistrang, 2005).

Triangulation

Triangulation is important in research as it helps in reducing the effect of researcher bias

(Shenton, 2004). This involves using different methods helps to compensate for individual

limitations (Creswell, 2014; Guba, 1981; Miles & Huberman, 1994). These methods include

interviews, observations, field notes, and document analysis (Creswell, 2014). It is recommended

that where possible, select participants from several organizations to reduce the effect of local
 59

factors at one institution (Shenton, 2004). For this study, triangulation was accomplished by

comparing the analysis of the interviews, field notes, and document analysis.

Trustworthiness

Guba (1981) proposed four criteria that he believed qualitative researchers should

consider to achieve a trustworthy study:

1. Credibility, which tests the internal validity to make sure the study measures what it

is intended to measure (Polit & Beck, 2012).

2. Transferability, which deals with external validity and focuses on how the study can

be applied to other situations (Houghton et al., 2013).

3. Dependability, which addresses reliability to see if the study would produce the same

result if it were repeated in the same context (Tobin & Begley, 2004).

4. Confirmability, which addresses the researcher’s concern for objectivity where care is

taken in making sure the findings are the results of the participants and not the

preferences of the researcher (Polit & Beck, 2012; Tobin & Begley, 2004).

For this study, I strived for trustworthiness through triangulation and member checking,

thick and rich description, and peer review as a means of ensuring the validity and reliability of

the research process. The peers included doctoral students and external reviewers.

Member Checking

Member checking is considered the single most important mechanism that determines the

credibility of a study (Lincoln & Guba, 1985). Member checking is a process where the research

data are brought back to the participants for their confirmation (Charmaz, 2006). Researchers can

use member checking to gain the participants’ views on the accuracy of the information gathered
 60

(Richards, 2003). The transcribed interviews were sent to the participants for review to ensure

accuracy as recommended by Morse (2015). This provided the participants with an opportunity

to check the transcripts to make sure their responses have been interpreted the way they were

originally intended.

Thick, Rich Description

In establishing credibility, I provided a detailed description of the setting, the

participants, and themes relevant to the study (Shenton, 2004). A thick, rich description is

necessary to make sure the findings of the study are transferable between the researcher and the

participants (Creswell, 2007). This allows the reader to feel the same experience as the

participants in the study which helps in establishing credibility from the perspective of the reader

(Creswell & Miller, 2000). Thick, rich description bring the lived experiences of the participants

alive to the reader in such a way where the reader can make connections between his-her own

experiences and that of the participants (FitzPatrick, 2019).

Peer Review

Shenton (2004) noted that peer reviews for research studies should be welcomed as they

provide a fresh perspective and challenging assumptions that may otherwise be missed by the

researcher. The peer reviewer takes on the role of “devil’s advocate” aiming to keep the

researcher honest regarding the study (Lincoln & Guba, 1985). It has also been recommended

that the researcher keep a written account of the peer-review sessions. These sessions are also

known as “peer debriefing” sessions which is aimed at reducing researcher bias through

discussing the method of analysis to strengthen trustworthiness (FitzPatrick, 2019). The peer

reviewer and I appraised the data and keep a written record of the process including clarification
 61

and questioning as suggested by Lincoln and Guba (1985). To provide feedback on the analysis,

the peer reviewer became familiar with the phenomenon being studied to ensure accuracy as

recommended by Roller and Lavrakas (2015). The peer reviewers for this study were experts in

the field who have published studies about the research topic.

Reflexivity

In reflexivity, the researcher’s personal experiences with the research problem or even

with the participants are taken into consideration to help the reader understand the connection

between the researcher and the study (Creswell & Creswell, 2018). Also, part of reflexivity is

accounting for the researcher’s past experiences and how these can potentially affect the shape or

interpretations of the study. Reflexivity can be viewed as prospective, where the researcher has

an influence on the study, or retrospective where the study influences the researcher (Anita &

Edge, 2017). For this study, I wrote reflective notes during the research process, reflected on my

own experiences, and then considered how those experiences could shape the interpretation of

the results (Creswell & Creswell, 2018).

The Role of the Researcher

It is important to point out potential researcher bias so that the reader understands the

researcher’s position and how their biases might impact the results of the study (Creswell &

Creswell, 2018). Other aspects to consider are the connections between the researcher,

participants, and the research sites that could potentially influence the interpretations of the

study.

I am an administrator in a higher education institution within the SUS and recognize that

my experiences as an administrator exposed me to situations where it appeared that department

 62

chairs were not prepared to carry out their role. My focus stems from a passion for leadership

practices that address appointing department chairs without a plan for formal training, significant

prior experience, a clear understanding of the ambiguity and complexity of their roles, and

preparation to balance their professional and personal lives (Gmelch & Buller, 2015).

There is potential for bias due to my personal experiences as an administrator in a higher

education institution. My advocacy for leadership preparation was also considered throughout

the research process. To maintain the validity of the study, focus was on the perceptions and

lived experiences of the participants, not mine, to prevent the interference of personal

perceptions or bias (Shenton, 2004). Approaching the research this way potentially increases

reliability so that if the procedures were repeated in a similar context with similar methods and

participants, the results would be comparable. The triangulation of the interviews, field notes,

and document analysis should also have helped in reducing researcher bias to ensure reliability

and validity.

Limitations of the Study

The purpose of this study was to investigate the lived experiences of department chairs

who participated in leadership training to determine if that added value in preparing them to be

effective in their role as department chairs. The study specifically investigated the lived

experiences of department chairs within the SUS. Department chairs outside the SUS and within

private universities and colleges are not included in this study.

While institutional leaders can gain beneficial information for improving leadership

effectiveness of department chairs, this study does not advocate for any specific type of training

that is available to department chairs. Since the researcher is also dependent on the
 63

interpretations of the department chairs, this could limit the generalizability of the results and

question the objective “truth” of conclusions drawn (Ziakas & Boukas, 2014). It is also possible

that my experience and perspective as an administrator could have influenced the interpretations

of the data collected from the small number department chairs. Since this study is limited to

department chairs who received leadership training, one cannot assume that only department

chairs who received leadership training can be effective leaders.

Chapter Summary

In this chapter, I discussed the methodology used for this study. The study focused on

department chairs and the preparation for their role. In exploring the research question, the

researcher used a qualitative method known as IPA. This approach is appropriate for this study

because I am seeking to learn how the participants make meaning of their experiences regarding

the phenomenon and provide a rich description of those lived experiences (Creswell & Creswell,

2018; J. A. Smith & Shinebourne, 2012) I focused on leadership training for department chairs,

specifically through the IAL and data was collected through semi-structured interviews, field

notes, and document analysis. This helped in gaining an in-depth understanding of the

participants’ experiences. Purposeful sampling was used in selecting the individuals who

participated in this study as this allowed the researcher to focus on similarities among them.

The interview questions were aligned with the research question, transcribed, interpreted,

and coded into applicable themes as recommended by Creswell and Creswell (2018).

Conventional content analysis was used because it is effective in studies that aim to describe a

phenomenon (Hsieh & Shannon, 2005). The data from the interviews, field notes, and document

analysis was reviewed and represented by themes that align with the research question for this
 64

study. To ensure validity and reliability, multiple sources of data were used for triangulation and

to engage in the process of prospective reflexivity. Chapter IV discusses the findings from the

data collection. Organizing the findings by themes that align with the research question helps in

reporting findings that are clear and comprehendible.

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CHAPTER IV: FINDINGS

The purpose of this study was to investigate the lived experiences of college level

department chairs who participated in an academic leadership training designed to add value to

them as leaders and to prepare them for their role as a department chairperson. Specifically, I

sought to understand the perception of the study participants who attended the Department Chair

Workshop hosted by the Institute of Academic Leadership (IAL) at FSU and how the leadership

training prepared them for their role as department chairpersons. The data from this study were

collected and analyzed through a reiterative process of reading, coding, writing, and reflecting.

This chapter includes the participant data and the results for the following research question:

RQ1. What are the perceptions of department chairs regarding their lived experiences of

the Department Chair Workshop hosted by the IAL at FSU in preparing them for their

leadership role?

Participants Overview

There were 11 participants in this study, four females and seven males. Each participant

is a faculty member in one of seven state universities in Florida comprising the SUS. Each has

been in a leadership position between one year and four years and their experience and

assignments span 10 different disciplines. To maintain confidentiality, the participants were

provided with a pseudonym name and identified by the information presented in Table 4.1.
 66

Table 4.1

Demographic Information for Interview Participants

Name Gender Years Served Discipline Carnegie Classification

Michelle Female 4 Years Psychology Doctoral Universities: Very

High Research Activity

Ben Male 2 years World Languages Doctoral Universities: Very

High Research Activity

Robert Male 4 years Management Doctoral Universities: Very

High Research Activity

Mark Male 2 years Modern Language Doctoral Universities: Very

and Linguistics High Research Activity

Andrea Female 3 years Management Master's Colleges &

Universities: Larger Programs

Rebecca Female 2 years Games and Doctoral Universities: Very

Interactive Media High Research Activity

Dan Male 2 years Earth and Doctoral Universities: Very

Environment High Research Activity

Francine Female 2 years Teaching and Doctoral Universities: Very

Learning High Research Activity

Stephen Male 2 years Physics Master's Colleges &

Universities: Larger Programs

Avery Male 1 year Art Education Doctoral Universities: Very

High Research Activity

Charles Male 2 years Music and the Arts Master's Colleges &
Universities: Larger Programs

Note. Names are pseudonyms.

 67

Study Data: Procedure and Results

The participants received a copy of the interview transcripts to confirm the information

was correct and their responses were recorded accurately. The themes identified by participants

aligned with those of the researcher. The data was also reviewed by a peer who identified themes

that coincided with themes identified by the researcher. The selected themes were identified by

participants, peer review, and the researcher as most prominent and applicable for this study.

Upon analysis of the interview transcripts, document analysis, and field notes, member-checking,

and peer review.

The following five major themes emerged through a coding process:

Theme 1. Background and experience

Theme 2. Skills toolbox

Theme 3. Support from colleagues

Theme 4. Balancing expectations of the dean and faculty

Theme 5. Benefits of department chair training.

In addition to the major themes, two sub-themes (communication and organizational

leadership) emerged from Theme 2, the “skills toolbox” theme.

Theme 1: Background and Experience

Theme 1, Background and Experience, emerged from the data and was confirmed

through peer review and member-checking. The participants were asked to describe past work

experiences played a role in preparing them for their responsibilities as department chairs. This

included experiences inside and outside higher education. Higher education experience and

preparation are reflected in “Assigning faculty activities” presentation of the department chair
 68

workshop. This section of the workshop explores the idea that department chairs are managers of

resources (including human resources) and can take an active role in doing so while

incorporating past experiences. The participants have been in several positions collectively

including department directors, program directors, program coordinators, university

administration, and faculty. All the participants indicated that their prior work experiences

influenced their roles as department chairs. Michelle, a White female department chair of three

years indicated that being a graduate program coordinator provided her with significant and

relevant experience that aids her in her current role.

I think any position that you know gave you some form of preparation for the Department

chair. I did a postdoctoral position for a year, but then I moved to a Policy Research

center. I initiated a graduate training program at the Center and served as the graduate

coordinator, and then I also served as the associate director of the Center.

This provided her with the experience of running the day-to-day operations of a center.

Michelle also served as a director for nine years and then an associate chair for six years. She

stated:

The Associate Chair position was really useful around the budget issues. Mainly because

universities have sort of unique different types of funding, and so even though like I had

experienced as a PI on a grant and knew about kind of managing budgets for projects and

things like that, there are sort of different pots of money that a department chair manages.

Mark, a department chair of the Department of Modern Languages and Linguistics was

previously an undergraduate advisor and stated that his experience provided some preparation in

helping him to see things from a chair’s perspective in terms of running different areas within his
 69

department. He was also an associate chair overseeing several graduate programs, managing

admissions, facilitating funding decisions, and addressing academic and curriculum issues. Mark

stated:

This position of associate chair is really preparing you in a good way because it sorts of

forces you to see your own department from the chair’s perspective, at least when it

comes to these issues of graduate studies and graduate student funding. So that was

definitely good preparation.

Rebecca, a White female chair is currently the director of graduate programs for the

College of Arts and Humanities at her university. She held previous positions such as Program

Coordinator and Director of Graduate Studies at a smaller university. She did not think her

previous experiences had a great impact on her experience as department chair. Rebecca stated:

“I was also a department chair and never actually had that title because it was during such a

weird transition period for the University. Everything was in crisis mode, so I was only in

leadership in crisis mode.”

Charles, a former assistant director for eight years and former director of Graduate

Studies, indicated that his past roles contributed to his success as a department chair. His

experiences have opened doors, increased his skillset and knowledge base, and been instrumental

in adding to his leadership abilities in his current role as department chair. Charles stated:

It's such an overwhelming amount of information that's coming at us from all directions

as administrators and department chairs. All of that helps tremendously and of course,

none of us are fully prepared for, what's coming at us at any given time, but it is that

combination of actual professional skills or often referred to as the hard skills, and you
 70

know the soft skills are what I prefer to call the human skills because you know great

leadership truly comes down to just good human skills.

Andrea was an administrator before becoming a department chair. She indicated that her

experiences contributed to preparing her for her role as department chair. One of her major

points was that she was an assistant professor prior to becoming a department chair. Andrea

stated: “My experience becoming a department chair was very interesting because I guess earlier

in my career that most people would be when they step into that role, which is really not that

normal anywhere.”

Andrea went on to discuss how her past experiences helped in scheduling, dealing with

faculty and students:

I was a little bit more prepared when it comes to understanding the terminology and stuff.

Other reports that we need to be doing, putting together the schedule wasn't as big of a

problem, but I think when you really find out you know you get into the role.

Ben, an associate professor teaching Ancient Greek and Latin is serving in his second

year as department chair. He was also the chair of the tenure and promotion committee. This

prepared him to the point where he was familiar with the entire faculty. Ben observed: “When

you have to read the annual reports of every single faculty in your department and what they did

during that year, inevitably you know them quite well, right?”

Ben listed faculty evaluation and promotions among the duties he performed as chair of

the promotion committee which he now does differently as department chair:

You have assistant professors who become associated, instructors pull from level 1

become level two, become Level 3, so you have to be part of the process and in a way.
 71

That helped me a lot because basically being the chair of the Department I'm just the

person immediately above the chair of the STP committee that is basically in a way I

have done. I'm doing many of my duties which I was doing before as the chair of the

Committee.

Avery was director of arts management before becoming a department chair. His

responsibilities made room for him to experience hiring and managing faculty, fundraising,

extracurricular programming, and curriculum and development. These responsibilities are what

encouraged him to take on the role of department chair and played a great part in his success in

assuming this role. Avery stated:

The situations were similar. As a director of the MA program, I hired faculty that I

wanted to hire and work with, and I was able to do that as a Department Chair. I saw

similarities between the two positions and manage them similarly but differently.

Stephen is a White male department chair in the Physics Department. Before becoming a

department chair, he was in the middle of a 10-year process of getting promoted to associate

professor and held a second post-doctoral research position. Stephen indicated that his

experience did not have a great impact on preparing him for his role as a department chair as

most of his previous responsibilities were not applicable. Stephen stated:

I was assigned service duties that were somewhat preparatory. I did a lot of the

scheduling for the Department, and I handled decisions on determining course

equivalencies when students were transferring in. So, I got to see some of the things that

are you know part of the responsibilities of the chair here, but most of the training is not

for an admin-type job.

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Stephen noted that his previous role was more faculty-driven which led to him not having

much administrative experience to apply to his department chair position. Stephen noted:

The workload for a faculty member is very heavy on the teaching side and the service

side with some research responsibilities, so the amount of experience that a faculty

member comes is geared towards the part of the job that you have the least amount of

time.

Robert is a White male department chair with an extensive background in mergers and

acquisitions. He was externally recruited to become a department chair at his current university

over four years ago. This was his first time in academia but his previous role in military

procurement prepared him for the financial part of his role as department chair. Robert

explained:

Most of my academic experience wasn't really related, although I was involved with the

faculty senate. So, I was exposed to some of the shared governance and the concerns that

the college and University had. The ability to manage budgets was one of those I mean,

so to be able to forecast expenditures and then track those to be able to manage that.

Robert mentioned that the previous department chair ran a deficit budget, and he was

hired as a department chair specifically to fix this challenge. He stated: “The Dean was really not

happy anyway, so he asked me to make sure that we tracked and followed our budget, so that

was something I had a lot of training in.”

Francine is a White female chair in her second term in the College of Education at her

university. Before that, she was a program coordinator, faculty senate, and chair of the faculty
 73

council. Learning about admissions and coordinating schedules were some of the major

experiences Francine was able to bring into her role as department chair. Francine stated:

Admissions process and maintaining communication with current and prospective

students and helping students matriculate but also working with faculty to coordinate

schedules and work through. Academic issues that may have come up with students or

even help or work with faculty around issues that are just faculty-related issues related to

who's gonna teach what.

She further stated that in her role as the faculty senate, she learned a lot about policies.

She mentioned: “Sort of policy roles I learned a lot about the institution and so I got a sense of

some of the flow and how information flowed learned a lot about policy.” Francine also

commented that the group discussions were very helpful as they helped her to have an idea of

what to do and what not to do as well as improve her communication strategies.

Dan is serving his second of a fourth-year term as a department chair in the Department

of Earth and Environment at his home university and has previously held positions such as

director and associate director of research, professor, and associate professor. Dan indicated that

his experience allowed him to exercise organizational management. He stated: “Organization and

management, I think is really important now. I had about 6 full-time people working right

directly for me, and but 40 affiliated faculty.” Dan was heavily involved in managing resources

for his departments and bringing in institutional grants. Dan stated: “That was more of managing

resources. Physical resources, you know, setting up labs, maintaining a community lab, and

bringing in institutional grants at the center level.”

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Reflecting on previous experiences created a sense of familiarity with processes and

challenges that occurred. Hancock (2007) indicated that three out of four department chairs felt

their previous leadership experience somewhat prepared them for their department chair role

They were also selected for the role of department chair because of their initial background

experience and the need of their current department. It is common in higher education to appoint

department chairs without the necessary skills and experiences that are associated with

management and leadership (Sirkis, 2011). In this study, the background of the participants

spread across several areas and each participant previously worked in an area that helped them to

develop skills they found useful in leading their department directly.

Two of the skills identified by participants were communication and organizational

management. These will be expanded upon in the next section of this chapter. There was one

participant who had a significant experience in purchasing but not in a higher education setting.

Other participants had experiences in areas such as overseeing graduate programs, faculty

experience, research, mergers and acquisitions, director, and organizational leadership. For

example, the participant who had experience overseeing graduate programs were able to use that

background in managing the different programs within her department once she took on the

responsibility as department chair. management.

Theme 2: Skills Toolbox

The Skills Toolbox theme emerged from the data through member-checking and peer

review. The participants were asked to speak about their lived experiences and perceptions

regarding the most important skills that department chairs need to have to be effective in their

role. In the department chair workshop, skills are addressed under the “Assigning Faculty”
 75

session. This session explored the skills needed for department chairs to be successful leaders,

especially when assigning faculty duties. The presenter at the Department Chair Workshop

discussed issues surrounding the importance of certain skills that are necessary to have when

leading a department. Breakout groups had an opportunity to discuss case studies and share their

experiences regarding the importance of effective communication.

Communication

When asked about their lived experiences regarding what skills they perceived as being

most important in helping them successfully lead their department, the participants voiced

similar responses. Communication emerged as one of the primary skills necessary for department

chairs to be effective in their role. Communication includes written communication, verbal

communication, and listening skills. For example, Michelle, a White female department chair

serving in her fourth year, commented: “It is very important to be able to effectively

communicate with the people you work with.” In addition, she stated that to be an effective

communicator, you need to clearly explain information to people and listen to other people’s

inputs and concerns as those are critically important in the communication process. Moreover,

Robert, a White male department chair for two years concurred that there is a need for effective

communication skills: “To be able to find out what the priorities are from the Dean and also

provide him status and what's going on the in the organization, and the concerns that people have

and then communicate everything I'm doing.”

Robert further indicated that communication is a two-way activity and as department

chair, one should be able to listen to their faculty, dean, and administrative staff. This allows for

an opportunity to be familiar with everyone’s needs. Gonaim (2016) stated that communication
 76

skills emerged as one of the main skills recognized for department chairs to be effective in their

role. Robert indicated that communication is key when dealing with finite resources such as

budget, and almost unlimited demands for those resources within the organization and then

stated: “Communicating who gets access to the resources can be challenging.”

This is a key concern that emerged from the data as there are more people than available

resources. Steven mentioned that connecting with individuals to understand their priorities and

getting them to understand the distribution of the resources is not an easy task especially if it is

not in their favor. He stated:

Communication and connecting with others are probably the most important skills. If you

can't connect with the faculty in the Department and understand what their priorities are,

you can't lead them towards reaching goals because each person will have their own

individual teaching goals, their own individual research goals, and what the Department's

larger mission is, what they're trying to achieve and what they're being asked to achieve.

If you can't figure out how to get everyone on the same page to deal with what the Dean’s

requests are [and what] the provost’s requests are, you're not gonna be able to do much.

Avery segregated communication skills into interpersonal and intrapersonal skills. He

stated: “Interpersonal and intrapersonal skills are really critical in the role.” This is important to

him in helping his department to move in the direction he wanted it to move in. He sometimes

uses consensus voting whenever there are conflicts with no acceptable resolutions from those

involved in the decision-making process. This requires appreciable listening skills, which Mark

indicated are essential to have as a department chair: “You really need to be looking and be able
 77

to look at all sides, even though you may not always agree with all sides or with old people

coming in from different sides.”

Dan, a White male chair, mentioned that, unlike his previous academic roles, managing

resources requires him to communicate effectively as he must work with different people from

different departments regularly. He stated: “Being the chair of the academic department is a lot

more interpersonal communications and issues, which I almost didn't have to deal with as

much.”

Andrea spoke about the importance of being able to actively listen to find a common

ground on ongoing issues:

I really think it's important to listen to your faculty and you would be surprised that just

doesn't happen as often as it needs to, probably at least. Just in my experience, you know

with different universities and stuff, it seems like that's always kind of a complaint on the

faculty and is that there's a disconnect between administration and their needs.

Andrea also believes that communication between all parties is beneficial for the overall

organization. She said: “You know they should be communicating on both ends and trying to

kind of help to mediate or find a good common ground and make sure everybody is on the same

page.”

Andrea’s goal is to have open lines of communication between faculty and the dean’s

office so that she can pass on information to either side to ensure that everyone is included in the

decision-making process.
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Organizational Leadership

Another skill that was common among the participants was organizational leadership.

The reading materials from the training indicated that chairs who manage inadequately can

become liabilities to their departments. Leadership skills play a key role in department chairs

effectively leading their departments (Gmelch & Schuh, 2004; Lucas, 2000). Each participant

stressed the value of knowing how to make decisions for the department, delegating

responsibilities, and leading the department towards a shared vision. The training session

highlighted the importance of having good judgment when managing human resources as this

plays a crucial role in the overall success of the department. For example, an unsatisfactory

performance by faculty could reflect the chair’s leadership abilities.

Andrea added that she finds value in having one-to-one meetings with her staff and

faculty to see how they are doing. This gives her a better understanding of their needs and gets

them involved in decision-making. This is beneficial as the participants must be open to changes

and suggestions made by the administrative staff and faculty. Charles stated that “The better your

organization skills, the greater the chances for success.” Francine believed that organizational

skills should be one of the top skills for department chairs to model. She further explained that

having good organizational skills helps one set realistic goals and prioritize them within the

organizational structure to ensure the most important tasks are completed first. Stephen noted

that increasing one’s organizational skills will keep everyone on the same page and guide

individuals toward the department’s goals and mission. Leadership development is crucial and

can be accomplished through training (Gmelch, 2004). Also, a department chair who lacks

managerial and core leadership skills can be a liability to his/her department (Sirkis, 2011).
 79

Charles concurred with other participants. He deemed organizational skills as

exceedingly important to leaders and referred to them as “human skills.” His lived experience

has led him to understand that it is important to have human skills because if the people he

oversees are OK, then the organization will be OK. Charles commented:

It is that combination of actual professional skills or often referred to as the hard skills

and you know the soft skills or what I prefer to call the human skills because you know

great leadership truly comes down to just good human skills. The better the organization

skills, the greater the chances for success. As the organization organizational skills are

absolutely critical and I think you know successful administrators really have to possess

very strong interpersonal skills and human skills.

Ben also indicated that organizational leadership is one of the top skills needed by

department chairs. His view is that department chairs should have a clear understanding of how

their department works, what the needs are, what the barriers are, and how to set and achieve

organizational goals:

You have to have some kind of understanding of how your department works, What the

possibilities of the department are, and what kind of goals you want to set. But goals that

are actually realistic. I mean, you may have the most grandiose plans for the Department,

but I'm telling you that those plans would end at the door of your dean.

Rebecca, a White female chair in her fourth year also stated that organizational leadership

is a key skill department chairs should have. She emphasized the importance of being flexible

and responsive to changes with people and with the organization:

 80

I on the sense that I think a lot of us who enter these jobs have a vision for kind of how

kind of curriculum should be organized, how we can better impact, kind of

responsibilities and structure, and often that vision requires significant rework on the

ground and you in this role find out the competing interests and get exposed to

Challenges of policy logistics and budget that often faculty are not aware of. So, working

flexibly, particularly during times like this where everyone is constantly pivoting is

essential.

Theme 3: Support From Colleagues

The theme of Support From Colleagues emerged from the data as participants discussed

the importance of support in their position. This was confirmed through member-checking and

peer review. Support is covered in the “Dealing with Deans” section of the Department Chair

Workshop through discussion and case studies. The participants were asked about the support

system within their organization and the role support plays in helping them to do their job as

department chairs. The primary support mentioned by the participants was from deans and

administrative staff, and the faculty. The participants believed it was necessary to have the

support to communicate the vision of the dean as well as effectively articulate key information to

the faculty. Rebecca discussed the importance of having key personnel on the administrative

staff that could be trusted and provide needed support. She noted:

I would be nowhere without her because just the number of day-to-day problems when

forms and processing, especially now we're getting people ready for graduation, would be

completely overwhelming. It would be impossible to respond to everybody without that

help.
 81

She added that it would be impossible for her to respond to all the inquiries relating to

getting students ready for graduation without the help of her administrative staff. Over the years

she formed relationships with other colleagues to whom she reaches out for support. This allows

her to have support in different areas. For example, she formed tight relationships with

individuals in the registration and budgeting departments as these are areas in which she needs

support.

Ben stated that in meeting faculty concerns, he is grateful that his dean always finds a

way to provide support where possible. He networks with other deans regarding issues and

solutions that he has never encountered in hopes of finding a resolution: “My right hand is my

associate chair, who happens to be also the director of Undergraduate Studies for the

department.”

Support from other chairs is very important as it is common for newly appointed chairs to

call upon each other for guidance on similar experiences (Wolverton & Ackerman, 2006). Other

participants indicated gratitude toward their deans for having an open-door policy, knowing

where to direct the department chairs for answers, and being readily available to them whenever

they needed help or advice. Although support from the administrative staff and dean was

common among the participants, Andrea indicated that she did not want to accept the position of

department chair without knowing she had the support of her faculty. This is important as

department chairs should consider sharing some authority to acquire faculty support due to the

demand of the position (Gonaim, 2016). Andrea stressed the importance of having the support of

the dean’s office:

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Having support from the Dean and the Associate Deans is hugely important. So, you'll

have you know a person in the Dean’s office who is in charge of the budget for the

college and you gotta be able to work with that person and figure out some creativity.

Sometimes you also have a person that's in charge of scheduling. I work with her very

closely, several times a year, and so having support from the Dean’s office is extremely

important.

To Andrea, having the full support of the faculty, administrative staff, and the dean meant

getting to know them on a personal level so that she could genuinely appreciate them. She hosts

birthday celebrations for her faculty and staff and allows them to take lead in projects.

Mark had a similar perspective, stating that he receives a lot of support from former

department chairs:

They have a lot of experience, they come from different kinds of departments, so you can

always talk to different people. When it comes to thinking through difficult decisions,

they can really help you with that and when you need to be able to confide about certain

information that you cannot confide in your staff or your colleagues, that's very helpful to

have these people.

Mark’s lived experiences allowed him to put his trust in the support of former department

chairs as their experiences allow them to be very confident and they help him think things

through to make better decisions.

Francine stated that her administrative staff provides the most valuable support to her.

She expressed the difference in perspective on how she viewed the administrative assistant when

she was in a faculty role compared to her role as a department chair: “I don't think when I was a
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faculty member, I knew how essential staff was in leadership, but I depend on our staff so much

for the day-to-day operations of the department.” The administrative staff support by aiding with

day-to-day operations within the department. Francine shows her appreciation by praising and

investing in them and warding off any criticism directed toward them.

Michelle mentioned that the support she received from her staff might be a result of her

investing in and supporting everyone as best as she can. She creates a leadership structure that

allows her staff to openly offer input ask questions and receive timely feedback. She stated:

“Managing staff and also helping support them and help them develop their skills has been, you

know, really important for the department's function.” She has two main administrative staff who

play a key role in her support system. One manages human resources and the other manages

fiscal responsibilities.

Mark noted that having the support of his staff allows him to focus more on his chair

studies. Another participant mentioned that in addition to getting support from her dean and

administrative staff, she looks to other department chairs for support. She indicated that other

more experienced department chairs have a different skillset and can help in areas that she

perceives as challenging or growth opportunities. She noted that they can provide guidance, give

advice, and/or offer possible solutions.

Theme 4: Balancing Expectations of Dean and Faculty

The participants were asked about how they balance the expectations of their dean and

faculty. Balancing expectations is covered in the “Assigning Faculty Activities” and “Dealing

with Deans’ sections of the Department Chair Workshop through a presentation and case studies.

The participants had similar perspectives on the importance and what they have done to balance
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the expectations of their deans and faculty. One challenge that was common among the

participants is that sometimes they had to walk a thin line in the middle to lead the department.

Robert indicated that in balancing expectations, his goal is to try and keep a balance as much as

he can by staying in the middle course. He stated:

Depending on which group you're doing it carefully and the other group probably thinks

you're doing it poorly. Have the Department annoyed with me and have the Deans office

equally annoyed with me. Just the walk straight down the center of the Interstate, you

know?

In doing this, he indicated that he is representing the interest of both sides and providing

an environment for them to compromise different positions and find a common ground. Robert

further explained that common ground doesn’t always exist, so it is important to be able to come

up with a solution that people are willing to accept. In many cases, the faculty are the ones who

must accept the solution when there is no common ground. Robert stated:

In those situations, it's the faculty that are asked to give that. I've never gotten the Dean’s

office to accept something they don't want, but I've gotten them to change their position

on things, which I mean, that's one of the more challenging aspects of the job.

Sometimes common ground exists and sometimes, it does not. Department chairs have

the responsibility of managing and balancing the pressure coming from the faculty and the dean.

Charles noted: “The faculty push from underneath and the upper administration pushes from

above and we're caught right in the middle.” The demands from his dean coupled with the

demands from faculty created a struggle to balance responsibilities, much as described by

Gmelch and Miskin (2004).

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Andrea indicated that as a department chair, she is expected to perform based on how her

boss wants her to, but the faculty might not agree. She stated:

It feels like it’s a little bit of dance sometimes. You can't be afraid to stand up for what

your department needs, and I think that's one thing that's an advantage to being a

professional chair and I see my job to be an advocate for the Management Department.

For Andrea, it is important to communicate to her department and to try to find a

common ground for both faculty and the dean. This helps in reassuring each party that their

interests have been carefully considered whether the final decision goes in their favor. According

to Gonaim (2016), chairs can acquire the support of their faculty through sharing authority. On

this, Andrea continued:

So, if you say you have someone's back, you really need to have it. You can't just kind of,

you know. This kind of comes down to having integrity, so you don't want to have

conversations with faculty members saying, oh well, I'll take this to the Dean, and we'll

fix it. I made that mistake before. You just learn you have to be very careful about the

words that you use.

Mark expressed his understanding that there are times when the dean and faculty might

have contrasting expectations. He believes that it is important to have a clear understanding of

what both sides need. When this occurs, Mark suggested:

Have that discussion with all parties, it is extremely important that you can talk to talk for

both sides and that you really understand both sides. There is an issue where one is going

this way and the other one is 180 degrees. From there, all you can do is really explain

constantly, talk for both sides because you're gonna end up in the middle, just that that's
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just the reality of how things work, but you want to end up in the middle without too

much damage to either side.

Furthermore, Dan contended that listening to both sides with a common goal of

preserving a working relationship is essential in balancing the expectations of the faculty and the

dean. He stated: “Don't make enemies out of each other. Know how to be political, but you know

what you can villainize everybody that doesn't agree with you, but maybe has a different

opinion.” Dan further explained that if either side has an idea, carefully examining it and having

a discussion can be good for the department rather than one person making all the decisions and

thinking for everyone. He affirmed: “Nobody argues with a good idea. Deans know a good idea

when they hear one. In fact, you get to be a Ph.D. because you know a good idea when you hear

one.”

Michelle expressed that she has not had many conflicts in balancing the expectations of

the faculty and her dean:

I certainly think there are times when faculty wanted things, but there wasn't anything

that Dean's office could do. I know what the things are that the Dean’s Office sort of

needs the department to do and for the most part, the faculty have been on board with

those things, and we've been in a good position because it's a very productive

Department.

She compared this to situations with her previous dean who mostly focused on the

numbers and productivity of the department: “The prior dean who is not like this really kind of

looks at the numbers and Help makes decisions about faculty positions and based on you know

that kind of history of productivity and the needs of the Department.”

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Francine indicated that for her, balancing the expectations of the faculty and her dean is

the toughest part of the job because the faculty has limited knowledge of what she does as a

chair. She recounted:

They think you work for them. You really don't. You work for the Dean. But you have to

act like you work for them, ‘cause you're the go-between and you want to keep them

happy because who wants to work with a bunch of faculty who are not happy with you?

Michelle’s strategy is to be candid. She communicates the information in a kind and

respectful manner even if it does not align with the desired outcomes of the faculty. For example,

she has remarked: “‘Sorry, we don't have any more money to pay for graduate assistants.’ Or ‘I

know we don't have enough faculty to go to teach all these courses but we're not gonna get

anybody anytime soon.’” Michelle tries to do some fair and short-term thinking to come up with

solutions and put things in perspective to let the faculty know that she is working on their behalf.

Finding the balance between the interests of the faculty and upper administrators can be

the most difficult challenge for a department chair (Griffith, 2006). Open communication is

crucial in balancing the expectations of deans and faculty. This allows the department chair to

better understand the demands from both sides to act in the best interest of the department,

especially when there are competing interests. Francine stated that having regularly scheduled

meetings can also provide opportunities to update deans and faculty on various things happening

within their department.

Theme 5: Benefits of Department Chair Training

The theme of Benefits of Department Chair Training emerged from the data as the

participants highlighted the importance of training for preparation of their role. This was
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confirmed through member-checking and peer review. The participants were asked about their

perception regarding the value of the training and if they would recommend it to upcoming and

existing department chairs. Gonaim (2016) stated that department chairs need leadership training

and knowledge to effectively perform their duties. All participants indicated that the Department

Chair Workshop had a positive influence in preparing them for their roles. The participants

discussed how comforting it was to be among other department chairs who were experiencing

similar challenges and success. This is important as the participants were able to hear from others

about how they handled common situations. Ben stated that he found the entire training

beneficial in helping prepare for his department chair role. However, he felt that most of the

training was geared towards larger departments. He was from a smaller department and as a

result, some of the training was not applicable or relevant in his view. He stated:

The workshop over there was addressed to chairs of larger departments, so many of the

things they were talking about did not have truly practical significance on my part. Let's

say I remember a session on how to save time for yourself from faculty who always step

into your office to ask you this and that. I never had that. My door is always open, and I

never felt desperate like, oh my goodness, those people are wasting my time.

Ben expressed that some of the training seemed geared towards bigger departments than

the one he was currently leading. However, he learned a lot from the training. Ben stated: “But

do not misunderstand me, I thought it was very useful. We had lawyers who talked to us about

all those little slippery things. I mean, there are many things that can go wrong.”

Rebecca attended the Department Chair Workshop for the first time during her first year

as department chair and has been to two training sessions at the time of this study. She considers
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the Department Chair Workshop to be valuable as she was able to network and share experiences

with other chairs. Rebecca stated: “I think the most valuable was that networking and having

conversations and kind of hearing how some of these processes were being handled in other

universities and being able to talk to experienced chairs.” Rebecca further explained that there

was tremendous value hearing other department chairs giving their input because no one had any

stakes in the politics of her home university. She also indicated that she would recommend this

training to current and upcoming department chairs.

Avery found the Department Chair Workshop to be very valuable as he could

immediately make a connection between what he was learning to the challenges he faced in his

department. He stated: “The case studies that the reflection and interpersonal reflection on it,

‘cause I was immediately making the connection between my department and how this content

or how these case studies match with my department.”

Avery also mentioned the value of having discussions with other department chairs to get

an idea of how they handled similar challenges and how he could apply their approaches to his

situations. Avery indicated:

Hearing about how other people or other people in the role in different University

contexts dealt with those issues, but also giving me the opportunity to think about

specific things before they became issues and also having a contingency plan in the case

that it goes wrong.

Robert attended the last Department Chair Workshop up to the time of this study in 2019.

The networking was one of the biggest take-aways for Robert as that reassured him that the

challenges he was facing were not unique to just him. He stated:

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To be able to meet other Department chairs and people across the Florida universities to

just kind of realize that you know what I was doing, wasn't I wasn't going through it

alone since the network networking and then the exposure to what the different offices

were and what resources were available was the most useful.

Having an opportunity to share notes and experiences with other department chairs

brought comfort to Robert. He explained:

It was nice to know I wasn't alone essentially and then I was able to meet people there

that I've maintained contact with. But you know we're happy to see each other as

acquaintances and we can compare notes about what's happened and stuff.

Francine indicated that one of her biggest takeaways was the session regarding collective

bargaining. This was important as her home institution is built on collective bargaining policies

and provides guidance on how a department chair should operate.

I think the thing I the biggest take-away from me was the importance of really, reading

our collective bargaining agreement closely and kind of going back to our policies.

Because those at the end of the day are kind of what the whole structure is based on.

For her, it is important as a department chair to be aware of any collective bargaining

agreements that exist within your institution.

Michelle indicated she found the Department Chair Workshop very valuable as it was

focused on the SUS and how it is structured. She commented:

I don't think most people know, you know, as a faculty member at one of these

institutions. I think that was valuable and it also brought together people from those

institutions. You really did learn more about how they function, and you could see some
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of the things that are similar across several different institutions, but things that are

clearly very different.

Michelle pointed out that she enjoyed the group sessions as she had the opportunity there

to discuss topics that are critical with people from different institutions and get their

perspectives. Mark similarly expressed that the approach of having chairs from similar

institutions in groups was a very constructive approach to the workshop.

It's a very accurate or sort of a very constructive approach they have. First of all, to just

be with a bunch of people that are in the same position as you, that's really important,

because just especially when you're just starting, you sort of need to have. You need to

kind of gain confidence.

Mark also expressed that it gave him confidence to know that the challenges he was

facing were normal to department chairs and, so, he no longer felt alone. Another part of the

workshop Mark found useful was the case studies.

They used case studies to bring people together from different kinds of departments all

over the state from different disciplines. they figured out all of these different case studies

that you could potentially have in every single one of these departments.

This was very helpful to Mark as he could exchange opinions and discuss the cases in

breakout groups.

All the participants expressed that it was a relief to know that they were not alone in the

challenges faced by department chairs. This allowed for easy networking at the training and

helped the participants to gain confidence through hearing from other department chairs and

participating in case studies with them. The case studies gave the department chairs opportunities
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to share their perspectives on how they would handle the situations presented. The participants

were also placed in diverse groups from different types of institutions (high research activity,

larger programs, etc.) according to the Carnegie Classification (The Carnegie Classification of

Institutions of Higher Education, n.d.). The groups are also diversified by their experience as

department chairs. Rarely were individuals from the same university placed in the same groups.

Andrea mentioned that this kind of networking is a valuable opportunity for individuals in

similar positions. All the participants recommended the Department Chair Training to current

and upcoming department chairs based on their experience at the workshop.

At the end of the interviews, the participants were asked if there was anything else they

would like to add. One major comment was that they believed it would be beneficial for their

departments to have a program like the Department Chair Workshop at their home institutions.

Since the workshop is only held twice every year, having a similar workshop at the institutional

level would allow participants to pass on what they learned and even invite some of the

presenters from the department chair workshop. Rebecca mentioned that having an online

community for the department chairs who attended the workshop could be beneficial. This would

allow them to have an established line of communication and support. Since the break between

the spring and fall workshops is lengthy, Rebecca indicated that she misses that sense of a group

and that having a sustained online community would help in preserving the networking between

the attendees. The participants also indicated that they are looking forward to attending future

workshops.
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Chapter Summary

The purpose of Chapter IV was to present the findings of the study. The participants of

the study had similar perspectives regarding the preparation for their roles and the department

chair workshop. They described their experiences as department chairs and the challenges they

routinely face. Several participants voiced concerns about a lack of understanding about

expectations and in how to address the plethora of challenges that present themselves daily.

Participants noted that much of the angst was due to a lack of leadership training and preparation

needed for the position. There was a consensus that many of the challenges faced were due to

academic leaders receiving most of their training in their academic areas rather than in

leadership, causing them to be unprepared for the demands of their positions (Gillet-Karam et al.,

1999; Gmelch, 2004). Most of the participants worked in the higher education field before taking

on the position of department chair and were able to apply previous work experience to their

current position as department chair. The participants revealed they believed department chairs

need to have a specific set of skills to lead their department effectively. The most common skills

mentioned by all the participants are communication and organizational leadership.

As for the need for support, participants indicated that they depended on support from

their colleagues to perform their duty as department chairs as there are day-to-day processes and

tasks that they are unable to keep up with without that help and support. Most participants noted

that having the support helps them in balancing the expectations of the dean and faculty, a key

element needed to effectively lead a department according to several of the participants. Gmelch

(2004) stated that it is important for department chairs to be developed, balanced, and supported.

One participant described this as “walking a thin line” while another described it as having both
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sides (dean and faculty) equally annoyed at him! Maintaining a balance is important for the

participants as they are considered the middle-man between their faculty and the deans. All the

participants indicated balancing the expectations of their dean and faculty is a challenging

process and the Department Chair Workshop provided the necessary tools to meet the challenge.

The Department Chair Workshop provided the participants interviewed for this study

with resources and opportunities that equip and enable them to lead their departments effectively

and efficiently. The training included presentations, group case study activities, and networking

sessions. This helped department chairs build a community that enables them to empower others

(Gillett-Karam et al, 1999; Gmelch, 2004). The participants indicated that having an online

community, and the ability to network with other department chairs who attended the training

can be beneficial as it would provide ongoing support between when the workshops are held.

Chapter V will provide an interpretation of the findings and conclusions, organized by the

research question. Implications of the study for various stakeholders and recommendations for

future research are included.

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CHAPTER V: DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

The purpose of this study was to investigate the lived experiences of department chairs

who participated in leadership training to determine if it added value in preparing them to be

effective in their role as department chairs. I used a qualitative phenomenological approach as

recommended by (Moustakas, 1994) for similar studies. This approach enabled participants to

describe in detail their lived experiences regarding the preparation for their role as a department

chair and the commonalities they shared. It also depicted the value they placed on the training

and their perception of how it added value to their skillset and knowledge base in preparing them

for their leadership role. Chapter V includes a discussion of the findings and conclusions

organized by the research question, which was as follows:

RQ1. What are the perceptions of department chairs regarding their lived experiences of

the Department Chair Workshop hosted by the IAL at FSU in preparing them for their

leadership role?

This chapter also identifies and includes a discussion of the major themes that emerged

from the data as well. Chapter V concludes by considering the implications and the validity of

the training as perceived by the participants as well as applications for future stakeholders,

recommendations for future research, and an overall chapter summary.

Implications of the Findings

The findings of this study mirrored some of the findings in the literature review in

supporting the complexity of the role of the department chair. The rich detailed experience of the

participants offers valuable insights into the role of department chairs considering the small

sample size. This study is aligned with previous literature supporting the idea that there is a
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global deficiency in leadership preparation for department chairs in the higher education field

(Bowman, 2002; Gmelch, 2004; Gonaim, 2016). Furthermore, department chairs indicated that

there was a mismatch between their initial expectations and the reality of the job expectations

(Schwinghammer et al., 2012). There was further indication of their unpreparedness that blinded

them from fully understanding the vastness of their position (Peterson et al., 1995).

The participants indicated that having support from their deans and other staff members

is crucial in performing their roles effectively. This finding is in alignment with

recommendations from the psychological needs section of Maslow’s (1943, 1954) hierarchy of

needs where the need is satisfied by providing a positive work environment with supporting

employees and co-workers (De Vito et al., 2018). There were commonalities and unique

experiences among the department chair participants regarding their perception of the value of

training in preparing for their role.

The themes that were identified in this study were as follows:

Theme 1. Background experience

Theme 2. Skills toolbox

Theme 3. Support from colleagues

Theme 4. Balancing expectations of the dean and faculty

Theme 5. Benefits of the Department Chair Training.

As in all studies, limitations can affect trustworthiness which can have an impact on

credibility, transferability, dependability, and confirmability, all of which are linked to reliability

and validity (Guba & Lincoln, 2013). In this study, the limitations were that the research was

confined to a small group of department chairs from institutions within the Florida State
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University System who also attended the Department Chair Workshop hosted by the IAL at

FSU. The following is a discussion of the specific findings and conclusions in relation to the five

themes, as well as recommendations for future and current practice.

Discussion of Theme 1: Background and Experience

The findings associated with the first theme, Background and Experience, indicate that

having a form of higher education experience would help prepare participants to some extent for

their role as department chairs. The data highlights the importance of having some amount of

knowledge and understanding of how higher education institutions operate, especially for those

who transitioned from faculty to department chair. Since most of the participants had experience

in higher education, they were able to bring their skills and knowledge to their department chair

positions where applicable previous experience in higher education helped make a smoother

transition through the induction and socialization process. This enabled the newly appointed

department chairs to apply their previous experiences to the duties of the new role and make the

adaptations necessary for a successful transition (Werkema, 2009). This background and

experience assisted the participants in assimilating into the department chair role which connects

with the ‘adaptation’ stage of the Organizational Socialization theoretical framework.

For this study, all but one of the participants had experience in higher education. The one

participant who did not have such experience had 20 years of procurement experience and was

hired as chair with a heavy focus on purchasing for his department. However, all participants

indicated that they took on the role of department chair with minimal knowledge of what the

expectations were for a department chair. This finding is supported by Gmelch et al. (2017) who

noted that department chairs assumed their position without clear understanding. Results
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indicated that there was a need to provide a professional development plan to equip current and

newly appointed department chairs for their new assignment. The training was necessary to

ensure that newly appointed department chairs who did not have a leadership background, or

who had not previously participated in leadership training, could effectively perform their duties

(Gonaim, 2016). This is necessary due to department chairs are coming from a teaching role into

a management and leadership role (Weaver et al., 2019).

Discussion of Theme 2: Skills Toolbox

Most of the participants were formally faculty so their experience is from the perspective

of a faculty member. They assumed the new position with a completely different skillset. This

finding is consistent with Weaver et al. (2019) who noted that the skillset that former faculty

bring to their new positions as department chairs are more geared to an independent scholarly

lifestyle and not to leadership and management. While these skills added value to their position,

the skills needed to perform the duties of the department chair were much more in depth and

aligned with leadership skills (Weaver et al., 2019). The findings revealed this second theme in

which specific skills associated with organizational leadership were perceived by the participants

to be necessary to fulfill their role as department chairs and successfully lead their departments.

The participants recognized communication as a primary skill necessary to successfully

fulfill their position. This finding is consistent with the idea that the role of the department chair

requires critical skills such as communication and being able to convey the vision of the

department (Gonaim, 2016). The participants indicated that being able to communicate with their

deans, faculty, and staff was critical to their leadership success. Since department chairs are

responsible for communicating the vision of the department from the dean to the faculty and as
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noted by Gonaim (2019), a clear communication style is necessary for effective leadership. In

addition to communication, the participants also identified additional skills such as management,

leadership, organization, flexibility, and responsiveness as necessary to successfully meet the

expectations for the position. Weaver et al. (2019) also noted that department chairs should seek

to develop expert communication skills as this can enhance their leadership capabilities.

The findings implied that communication was a critical factor in leadership and an

essential skill for an effective leader. Effective leadership demands the acquisition of skills that

enable the leader to communicate effectively, always practice ethical behaviors, model self-

confidence and collaboration while also demonstrating confidence and appreciation toward staff.

This is consistent with findings by Boyko and Jones (2010) who concluded that department

chairs serve as a communication channel between their deans, faculty, and students. The role of

department chair further requires an ability to provide clarity about one’s personal leadership

philosophy as well as the ability to support and defend the vision and mission of the school and

department (Gonaim, 2016). The participants acknowledged that having a grasp on these skills

helped in finding creative solutions to challenging situations as noted by the Self Actualization

section of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Pyramid.

In addition to the above skills, management skills were also identified by participants as

a much-needed skill for success as a department chair. Ambrose et al., (2005) noted that

department cohesiveness can be jeopardized if the department chair lacks management skills.

Management also includes the ability to motivate their teams. Hecht (2006) suggested that

motivating faculty to increase productivity is a top skill to have as a department chair.

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Discussion of Theme 3: Support from Colleagues

In this study, a third theme was identified as a critical training component, Support from

Colleagues. The data indicated that participants depended on their administrative staff and deans

for much of their support and assistance to effectively lead their departments. The strong support

from the administrative staff and dean helped in satisfying the department chairs’ social

belonging needs. This concurs with De Vito et al. (2018) who suggested that one’s desire for

social belonging can be satisfied when the work environment is positive with supporting

employees and co-workers. The study participants here indicated that the support of faculty and

staff was crucial for them to effectively meet the demands of their position and lead their

department effectively (Gonaim, 2016).

Some of the participants stated that they would not be able to fulfill their responsibilities

without the support of their colleagues. However, when they began in their roles, they found it

challenging to identify where they would need the most support due to the uncertainty of their

responsibilities. The participants indicated that having a smaller scale training at the university

level could help the department understand the roles of the department chair as well as sharpen

their skills. Rayburn et al. (2016) similarly stated that having the support of the dean allows for

enhanced leadership opportunities.

The participants indicated that to gain maximum support from their colleagues, they had

to include those colleagues in decision-making so that everyone felt they had input. This is

consistent with Gonaim (2016) suggesting that department chairs should consider sharing

authority to gain maximum support. This ties in with the Social Needs section of Maslow’s

Hierarchy of Needs as the participants gain the liking and respect from colleagues.
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Discussion of Theme 4: Balancing Expectations of the Dean and Faculty

The fourth theme, Balancing Expectations of the Dean and Faculty, demonstrated the

importance of understanding the balance of expectations between the dean and faculty. The data

confirmed that balancing expectations was a challenge and that it had to become a priority within

the role of the department chair. The participants noted that being the “middle-man” requires a

department chair to be able to communicate the dean’s vision to the faculty while simultaneously

communicating faculty concerns to the dean. Being the middle-man can be viewed at times as

being on both sides as colleagues will try to influence department chairs to be on their side to

tend to their requests (Hecht, 2006). The participants further acknowledged the importance of

finding common ground that would benefit both parties and the university. This is supported by

Bennett (1988) who stated that the department chair is expected to look out for the best interest

of the institution. Bolman and Deal (1997) also stated that faculty had an expectation of their

leaders and if that expectation is met, performance in the institution would be productive. This

expectation includes honest communication and involving the faculty in decision-making

process, particularly those decisions they find meaningful and impactful in the work

environment. Most of the participants were in a faculty role prior to assuming the role of

department chair. This enabled leaders to understand the needs of faculty members and work to

advocate for those needs.

Participants agreed that open, clear, and concise communication was a determining factor

in their ability to balance the expectations of both parties. This finding was significant and

supported by Weaver et al. (2019) who found only 16% of the participants reported that they

received clear written expectations from their deans. In contrast, 25% of the participants stated
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that they received verbal expectations. While the latter group felt the verbal expectations were

clear, much of the decision-making and problem-solving was left to the individual. Paape (2021)

supported the idea that those who are expected to lead their departments must have a clear

understanding of the expectations and engage in the leadership training necessary on order to

accomplish the task. Paape concluded that department chairs who took part in leadership training

better understood the expectations of their faculty and deans and were able to balance the

expectations of both parties.

In balancing the expectations of faculty, the participants saw the importance of practicing

democratic leadership where they included faculty in the decision-making process. This

encouraged faculty buy-in and afforded all the opportunity to have a stake in the decisions that

influenced and impacted their expectations. This is consistent with findings by McArthur (2002)

who suggested that it was important to involve faculty in decision-making rather than making

decisions without their input or consultation. Involving faculty in the decision-making process

enables them to take ownership of their ideas. Balancing the expectations of faculty and deans

ties in with Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs where the there is a need to find creative solutions to

everyday challenges (Self Actualization), effectively managing the responsibilities of the

department chair role (Self-Esteem Needs) and gaining the respect and approval from colleagues

(Social Needs).

Discussion of Theme 5: Benefits of Department Chair Training

The fifth theme, Benefits of Department Chair Training, concerned the department

chairs’ perception of training in preparation for their role. The data indicated that the department

chairs were not fully prepared when they assumed their position. The participants confirmed that
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having access to leadership training could help them address the challenges associated with their

position while helping them lead their departments more efficiently and more effectively. This is

consistent with Boyko and Jones (2010) indicating that institutions are now increasingly

providing department chairs with specialized leadership training opportunities due to the needs

of their departments. Department chairs who had not received leadership training tended to be

less prepared to carry out their leadership responsibilities effectively (Aziz et al., 2005; Gmelch

& Miskin, 2004). Gmelch and Miskin (2010) contended that department chairs who were

unprepared to take on their leadership role would experience less success within their

departments than those who had participated in formal leadership training. The researchers

determined that only 3% of department chairs received formal training which added to

participants feeling ill-prepared in their role as department chair. The participants in this research

further indicated that the information gleaned from the training enabled them to better serve their

departments. They noted that the training was relevant and applicable.

The break-out sessions and case studies were seen as extremely valuable and provided

participants opportunities to brainstorm and problem-solve. The sessions further enabled

participants to network with other department chairs and learn through collaboration and

cooperative study. There was consensus with the group that having the opportunity to learn from

one another was exceedingly helpful. This concurs with the results found by Weaver et al.,

(2019) who noted that 41% of the department chairs who participated in leadership training felt

competent by their ninth month in their role, 40% felt competent at the end of their first year, and

19% took more than a year to feel competent in their role. This is an indication that department

chairs need leadership training to perform well.

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A lack of training can result in increased stress levels and a feeling of incompetency

(Weaver et al., 2019). The participants in this study indicated the need for ongoing professional

development training as they are often faced with challenges that require them to have specific

knowledge or skillset to problem-solve. Consistent with this finding, Weaver et al. (2019)

recommended leadership and management training for all department chairs so that they could

better serve their faculty as well as the organization. The participants expressed their need for job

security through being competent in their role through leadership training. This can be linked to

the Safety Needs section of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.

Implications and Recommendations

This section includes implications of the study and recommendations for the stakeholders

involved. My research and that of others indicates that even though higher education officials

know that department chairs have a high influence on faculty, students, and policies, they do

little in preparing department chairs for their role (Aziz et al., 2005; Hecht et al., 1999). Based on

the theoretical framework for this study, organizational socialization means that department

chairs go through the transition from faculty to department chair without skipping any of the

steps in the process (Werkema, 2009). The theoretical framework and research highlighted in

this study should be utilized by all stakeholders to promote training and proper preparation for

department chairs to lead their departments. Department chairs should be equipped to face the

challenges that coincide with their position and feel prepared and supported by their colleagues.

Implications and Recommendations for Department Chairs and Policy Makers

Since department chairs are instrumental in influencing policies and procedures at their

institutions (Tucker, 1984), they must seek out professional development opportunities to help
 105

them develop the skills necessary to lead their departments effectively and efficiently. These

opportunities can provide them with the background knowledge and skillset required for their

position. This training can assist in creating strategic plans to support the vision and mission of

the organization and carry out the goals of their departments and the institution. This is crucial as

department chairs who are unaware of the skills needed for their role tend to focus more on their

own agendas, rather than on the needs within their departments (Gmelch & Carroll, 1994; Smart

& McLaughlin, 1985). When this happens, department chairs often continue to identify more as

faculty than administrators and, as a result, fail to meet expectations (Gmelch & Burns, 1994). It

is imperative that department chairs have access to training that will support their position,

departments, and institutions. The findings in this study demonstrated that participants felt more

confident in their leadership role after completing some level of training. Department chairs who

received training tended to stay in their position for longer period (Weaver et al., 2019).

Implications and Recommendations for Deans and Colleagues

Deans and colleagues have an opportunity to help department chairs become more

successful in their role as leaders by providing support. A support system is crucial as it ties in

with the social belonging needs of the organizational socialization theory where individuals need

an efficient working environment where their co-workers are supportive (De Vito et al., 2018).

This support can be in the form of authentic, timely, and consistent feedback where trusting

relationships are developed and can blossom thereby encouraging a sense of belonging (Sánchez

et al., 2005). Since department chairs play the role of middle-man between the faculty and the

dean they need to take the time to understand the concerns of both parties to best bring resolution

and create unity within the organization (Gonaim, 2016).

 106

Department chairs indicated in this study that they felt supported when their deans had an

open-door policy that enabled them to share concerns and discuss challenges they were

experiencing. Likewise, it was also important for deans and colleagues to set realistic

expectations and show support to for the department chair.

Findings within this study suggest the value of designing a systematic process which, at

the management level, would aid and support department chairs and help them lead more

effectively. Building an online community that facilitated discussions would allow department

chairs to help each other through collaboration and sharing of experiences. This could be

accomplished in an institution or within a region.

Implications and Recommendations for the Institute of Academic Leadership

There are many professional development training programs for deans, presidents, and

other administrators but not many for department chairs (Hecht et al., 1999). Although the skills

required by department chairs might differ based on the needs of their departments, professional

development plays a key role in preparing department chairs to be effective leaders (Riley &

Russell, 2013). Since department chairs indicated that they would feel more competent in their

role with leadership training (Gmelch et al., 2017), higher education officials can use this as an

opportunity to seek out the available training programs and determine which is suitable for their

department chairs. This study can serve as a valuable feedback tool for the facilitators of the IAL

by providing a detailed report on the perspectives of the department chairs who attended the

training.

Research supports the notion that department chairs who do not have the necessary

support or access to leadership development opportunities experience a greater chance for

 107

burnout, (Aina & Verma, 2017), undue stress, health related issues, and overall ineffectiveness

(Morris & Laipple, 2015). Aina and Verma (2017) further contended that insufficient training

can result in discontentment and lack of commitment toward their role as a department chair.

Some of the participants in this study indicated that the Department Chair Workshop hosted by

the IAL was effective and applicable. Participants concurred that they would like to see a similar

workshop at their institutions. The ongoing professional development would potentially enable

more department chairs to grow in their leadership abilities. Since the Department Chair

Workshop is held biannually, having similar workshops at their home institutions could provide

an ongoing opportunity for department chairs to improve their skillset and grow professionally.

Recommendations for Future Research

This study contributed to the knowledge base of department chairs’ perspectives on

preparation for their role and the importance of training. Considering the importance of the topic,

several recommendations for future research are now raised. Addressing these recommendations

could increase scholarly research on the topic to confirm existing studies, thus strengthening the

emphasis on training and preparing department chairs for their position.

The focus of an IPA is to give full appreciation to the accounts of the participants

(Pietkiewicz & Smith, 2014). As a result, IPA samples tend to be small. Although a small

number of participants is appropriate for an IPA study, scholars could potentially replicate this

study with a higher number of participants to reveal a broader understanding of preparing

department chairs for their roles. Researchers could potentially conduct multiple IPA studies on

the issue and make comparisons to uncover universal patterns or behaviors to provide more data

as recommended by Pietkiewicz and Smith (2014). Another recommendation is researchers can

 108

conduct a quantitative or mixed-methods study with larger sample size, perhaps a national or an

international study.

Researchers can seek to obtain a more diverse participant sample based on race, gender,

and age to determine the variations of experiences and perceptions between the different groups.

Researchers within the SUS could replicate this study to get a better understanding of the need to

prepare department chairs for their position along with the needed support for them to lead their

department in a more effective manner. This could provide university officials with more data on

the competency of their department chairs and how to equip them with the knowledge and skills

needed to be successful in their roles.

The participants represented only two of the 33 Carnegie Classification of University and

Colleges. Even though department chairs from other universities/colleges in other classifications

were invited to be a part of the study, only individuals from ‘Doctoral Universities with very

high research activity and ‘Master's Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs’ accepted the

invitations. Interviewing department chairs from the other classification could help strengthen

the current data or bring different perspectives to the current study.

Reflections

The research question that guided this qualitative study was: “What are the perceptions of

department chairs regarding their lived experiences of the Department Chair Workshop hosted

by the IAL at FSU in preparing them for their leadership role?” In response to this question, five

major themes emerged from the data gathered through the interviews with study participants:

Background Experience, Skills Toolbox, Support from Colleagues, Balancing Expectations of

Faculty and Dean, and Benefits of the Department Chair Training.

 109

The findings of the study revealed that due to the heavy responsibilities placed on

department chairs, having previous higher education experience was beneficial in preparing them

for their role. This proved true as almost all the participants acknowledged that previous higher

education experience aided in their ability to lead and address difficult challenges. One of the

participants had no prior higher education experience but his role as a department chair was

heavily dedicated to a specific area (purchasing and procurement) in which he had several years’

experience.

The study noted that department chairs depended heavily on the support of their deans

and administrative staff to effectively meet job expectations. The participants considered their

administrative staff a key part of their support system as they played a significant role in the day-

to-day operations of the department. This is important as it allowed the participants to focus on

other areas that might demand their attention. Likewise, all the participants indicated that they

depended on their deans for support. Their explanation for relying on the support of their deans

and administrative staff is that they must get clearance from the deans for certain decisions, and

they need the help of their administrative staff to help execute those decisions.

The participants also indicated that there was a need for clarity to effectively balance the

expectations of the faculty and dean and meet the needs of both parties. To do this, the

participants stated that there were specific skills such as communication and management are

necessary to have as a department chair. These skills can be obtained through the professional

development training designed for and made available to department chairs. Through

participation in and implementation of leadership training, department chairs are better equipped

to effectively meet the expectations for performance in their leadership roles.

 110

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APPENDIX A: LETTER OF INVITATION FOR DEPARTMENT CHAIR PARTICIPATION

Letter of Invitation for Department Chair Participation

Dear ________

My name is Nickardo Salmon, a doctoral candidate at Florida Gulf Coast University. I am

working on my dissertation entitled, “The Perception of Department Chairs on The Value of
Training in Preparation for Their Role”. My dissertation committee and Institutional Review
Board for the Protection of Human Subjects in Research (IRB) recently approved my dissertation
proposal and study. I am contacting you in the hope that you would be willing to participate in
my study.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the lived experiences of department chairs who
participated in leadership training to determine if it added value in preparing them to be effective
in their role as department chairs. The following themes will be studied:

• Experiences prior to assuming the department chair position.

• The transition process of becoming a department chair.

• Relationships that provide support for department chairs.

• Strategies and training resources that help facilitate department chair work.

• The effect of years of department chair experience on role/responsibility

This study will employ qualitative research methods to help in understanding and describing
how individuals learn to function as department chairs. Participating in this study will provide
you with an opportunity to reflect on your own experience with IAL training and your role as a
department chair.

Should you agree to participate in this study, I would engage semi-structured interview with you
anticipated to take 30–50 minutes to complete. Such an interview would be via a Zoom video
conference at a time that is convenient for you. All information collected will be kept
confidential and only the researcher will know that you participated.

I would be grateful if you accepted this invitation to participate. Should you be willing to
participate, please indicate so by responding directly to me. Thank you in advance for your
consideration and please do not hesitate to contact me should you have any questions.
 134

Thank you,

Nickardo Salmon, Doctoral Candidate

Florida Gulf Coast University

Dr. Thomas J. Roberts, Dissertation

Committee Chair
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APPENDIX B: CONSENT FORM

Consent Form (Electronic)

Study Title: The Perception of Department Chairs on The Value of Training in Preparation for
Their Role

Principal Investigator: Nickardo Salmon

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Thomas Roberts

My name is Nickardo Salmon and I am inviting you to participate in a research study conducted
through Florida Gulf Coast University. This research is being conducted to fulfill the
requirements for a doctoral degree from Florida Gulf Coast University. I am the Principal
Investigator (PI) for this study and my dissertation chair is Dr. t. Roberts. To participate in this
study, the University requires that I obtain your signed consent.

Your participation in the study is completely voluntary and NO compensation is provided. If you
decide to participate now, you may change your mind and stop at any time, for any reason,
without penalty or loss of any future services you may be eligible to receive from the University.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the lived experiences of department chairs regarding
the value of the Institute of Academic Leadership (IAL) training in preparing them for their
leadership role. I am asking you to take part in the study because you are a practicing department
chair at a higher education institution in the State University System (SUS) who attended the
IAL department chair training. If you agree to be part of the research study, you will be asked to
complete an interview regarding your lived experience of the value of the IAL department chair
training. I expect the interview will take about 30–50 minutes to complete.

The interview will be conducted via Zoom and both audio and video will be recorded. There is
no penalty if you choose to stop the interview at any point. I am hoping to conduct the interview
in January 2021. If that does not work for you, we can pick a later time in February 2021 that is
more convenient. Your participation will be kept anonymous. However, working with email or
the internet has the risk of compromising privacy, confidentiality, and/or anonymity. Despite this
possibility, the risks to your physical, emotional, social, professional, or financial well-being are
'less than minimal’ by completing the interview. Although your participation in this research
may not benefit you personally, it will help us understand the lived experience of department
chairs regarding the value of leadership training.

If you join the study, we will make every effort keep your information confidential and
secure by taking the following steps: (a) the identities of all participants will be protected to the
fullest extent possible, (b) participant names will not be shared, (c) access to the data will be
 136

limited to the researcher and dissertation committee, (d) identities of participants will not be
published.

However, despite these safeguards, there is the possibility of hacking or other security
breaches that could compromise the confidentiality of the information you provide. Thus, it is
important to remember that you are free to decline to answer any question that makes you
uncomfortable for any reason.

We will not release information about you unless you authorize us to do so or unless we
are required to do so by law. If results of this study are published or presented at a professional
meeting, no information will be included that would make it possible to identify you as a study
participant. Any reports or publications based on this research will use only group data and will
not include any information that would identify you or any individual as being affiliated with this
project. You will not be paid to take part in this study.

If you have any questions about this study, you may contact Dr. Thomas Roberts,
Dissertation Chair at 239-590-7806. If you have any questions about your rights as a
subject/participant in this research, or if you feel you have been placed at risk, you can contact
the Office of Research and Graduate Studies, at 239-590-7522.

Statement: I have read the preceding information describing this study. All my questions
have been answered to my satisfaction and I and freely consent to participate in the study. My
decision to participate or to decline participating in this study is completely voluntary. I
understand that I am free to withdraw from the study at any time.

I understand that it is not possible to identify all potential risks I believe that reasonable steps
have been taken to minimize both the known and potential but unknown risks. If you would like
a copy of the consent form, print a copy before continuing.

Thank you for your time.

Nickardo Salmon
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APPENDIX C: QUALITATIVE INTERVIEW PROTOCOL AND QUESTIONS

Study: The Perception of Department Chairs on the Value of Training in Preparation for Their

Role

Interview Length: 30–50 minutes

Demographics

• Interview Date:
• Interviewer:
• Interviewee (Pseudonym):
• Gender:
• Age:
• Ethnicities:
• Marital Status:
• Rank:
• Years of teaching (higher ed):
• Discipline:
• Length of service as department chair and when they engaged in the IAL:
• Years of service as department chair:
The purpose of this study is to investigate the lived experiences of department chairs regarding

the value of leadership training in preparation for their role. Your input will be collected via

interview skype. As a department chair, your input will provide insights on the lived experiences

of department chairs as it relates to leadership training hosted by the IAL. Throughout and after

the completion of the study, your identity will be protected and will remain confidential. You

will be assigned a code (or pseudonym name) to be referenced in the interview. Only the

researcher will know your identity, and all interview recordings and transcripts will remain

secure and solely in the possession of the researchers. This interview will take approximately 30

- 50 minutes of your time.

Interviewee will read and sign the consent form.

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Begin and test voice-recording device.

Interview Questions

1. What types of positions have you held prior to becoming a department chair?
a. What were your roles and responsibilities in each of these positions?
b. Do you think these experiences adequately prepared you for the chair position?
(Y/N) If so, how? If not, why?
2. Were there other experiences that were valuable in preparing you to be a department
chair besides the IAL leadership training? (Y/N) If so, what were they? How were they
helpful to you?
3. What do you believe are the most important attributes and skills necessary to effectively
lead a department?
4. Who are the primary individuals that provide support for you in completing your work?
a. How do they support you?
5. In your role as department chair, have you ever had a situation arise whereby you didn’t
know what to do? If so, what did you do?
6. How do you balance the expectations of subordinates and your supervisor?
7. When did you engage in the IAL?
8. How long have you been a department chair?
9. Did you find the IAL training valuable in doing your job as department chair? If so, what
specifically was valuable?
10. Would it be difficult to serve as chair if you did not attend the IAL leadership training?
a. Why/Why not?
11. Would you recommend IAL training for any current or new department chair?
12. Is there anything else you would like to share?