D.B.A. Baker College (Michigan), 2022.
Subject: Business administration
Importance of leadership development for the midlevel manager in a public health organization
174 pages. UMI #: 29326050
Citation, Abstract & Full text in ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Database
According to The Public Health Workforce Interests and Needs Survey (PH WINS) 2017 data, one third of managers and executives employed in state public health agency central offices are expected to retire by 2023. The organizations may face challenges with a competent workforce to step into these vacant positions, as a problem has been identified in public health organization where mid-level managers do not participate in ongoing leadership development to prepare them to be effective leaders. The purpose of this study was to explore the leadership development experiences of the mid-level managers and to establish a baseline training needs assessment in a public health organization. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and Vroom’s expectancy theory were selected as a theoretical framework for this study. The research questions were developed to gain insight into the impact of leadership development on the mid-level managers in a public health organization, and to identify potential organizational strategies to encourage participation in leadership development. A qualitative method with a research design of phenomenology was used to explore the lived experiences of mid-level-managers in a public health organization. The target population included 42 midlevel managers at a Local Health Department in the State of Maryland as of September 2021. Senior leadership positions of The Acting Health Officer, and the Deputy Health Officer were not included in the target population. The research population included 32 mid-level managers with at least 1 year of leadership experience and who supervised at least two subordinates. A sample of 10 volunteer participants was drawn according to the sampling criteria. Three subject matter experts were asked to review the interview questions prior to the start of the data collection. The data were collected using an interview protocol, which included individual interviews via videoconferencing. The data analysis was completed by identifying common themes from participant responses to the interview questions. Four themes emerged from the data analysis to help answer the research questions. Two themes emerged to help understand the impact of leadership development on a mid-level manager in a public health organization. First, the leadership development should be focused on supervisory and management skills. Second, participation in leadership development improves management skills. Two additional themes emerged to identify effective strategies of how to encourage mid-level managers to participate in leadership development. First, there are variations among individuals and different bureaus in perceptions for support and encouragement for leadership development. Second, improvement in leadership skills was an incentive for the mid-level manager to participate in leadership development. The predicted benefits of the study included strategies to motivate the mid-level managers to participate in ongoing leadership development opportunities. The findings may also assist leaders in the organization to develop leadership competencies for the mid-level managers.