Sherrill Dissertation Summary
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The dissertation by Robynne Sherrill, PhD, investigates the relationship between courageous followership and transformational leadership in law enforcement leaders in Ohio. The study finds statistically significant relationships between various dimensions of followership and leadership, noting that gender does not influence these relationships. The research highlights the importance of developing followership skills to enhance leadership effectiveness within law enforcement.
Sherrill Dissertation Summary
- 1. Summary of published Dissertation by Robynne Sherrill, PhD
- 2. The role of policing requires leadership and courageous followership skills; at any time, a police leader could become a follower and vice versa Similar studies have focused on law enforcement leadership and followership independently (e.g., Havins, 2010; Harvey, 2004) This study explored the relationship between courageous followership and transformational leadership behaviors, to assess if law enforcement leaders rating themselves as courageous followers also rated themselves as transformational leaders Introduction
- 3. The relationship between followership behaviors and leadership behaviors had not been studied to determine if developing followership behaviors produces more effective leaders Identifying the existence of a relationship between courageous followership and transformational leadership behaviors could improve the selection of law enforcement leaders, better align roles within law enforcement (leaders and followers), or identify educational venues to build followership competency A model does not exist that relates the development of followership to the development of leadership Statement of the Problem
- 4. Law enforcement leaders, in supervisory positions, in the state of Ohio, represent the unit of analysis for this study Supervisory position defined as those with supervisor titles. Those with supervisor titles, but with no direct reports, were not excluded from the study. Included female and male participants. The target sample size for this study was 107 based on a Power Analysis; N=148 for this study. Methodology - Sample
- 5. The data collection approach was distribution of 2 paper forms: (a) 2-sided copies of The Follower Profile and, (b) 2-sided copies of the Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI) Self-Assessment Considering conversations with police chiefs, paper surveys were distributed by an agency point of contact was selected to maintain process integrity and perceived confidentiality Surveys were in individual envelopes, accompanied by an envelope to be sealed with the survey inside and returned to the point of contact. The point of contact then returned sealed envelopes to the researcher. Methodology – Data Collection
- 6. Two survey instruments were distributed for completion by the sample population: (a) Dixon’s (2003) The Follower Profile and (b) Kouzes and Posner’s (2003) Leadership Practices Inventory Self-Assessment Selected as the instruments determined to best measure how police leaders perceive their courageous followership behaviors and transformational leadership behaviors, to facilitate analysis of the relationship between both (behaviors). Researcher observed the potential relationship between Chaleff’s (2007) courageous followership behaviors and Kouzes and Posner’s (2007) exemplary leadership practices. Methodology - Instrumentation
- 7. Preliminary analyses were conducted to examine the linearity of the relationships between the follower and leadership behaviors In Step 1 one of the model, the follower behavior was entered as the independent variable, and the leadership behavior was entered as the dependent variable. In step 2 of the model, gender was entered as a predictor variable A significant F-change from Step 1 to Step 2 meant that gender was a significant moderating variable between the follower and leadership variables. There were five main hypotheses. Therefore, five hierarchical regression models were utilized to examine the relationships. Methodology – Data Analysis
- 8. 148 individuals participated in the study 85.8% (n = 127) were males and 14.2% (n = 21) were females Relative to job rank, the majority of respondents (66.2%, n = 98) were sergeants; 20.3% (n = 30) were lieutenants; and 6.8% (n = 10) were commanders Results - Demographics
- 9. Results – Research Question 1 RQ1: Is there a significant relationship between how law enforcement leaders at select agencies in the state of Ohio assess their courageous followership behavior, courage to challenge (as scored on The Follower Profile) and their transformational leadership behavior, challenging the process (as scored on The Leadership Practices Inventory), and what influence does gender have on the relationship? Findings: Statistically significant relationship Gender does not influence this relationship Courage to challenge the process was statistically the lowest rated behavior on The Follower Profile by respondents (M=3.85, SD = 0.55) Challenging the process requires courage
- 10. Results – Research Question 2 RQ2: Is there a significant relationship between how law enforcement leaders at select agencies in the state of Ohio assess their courageous followership behavior, courage to take moral action (as scored on The Follower Profile) and their transformational leadership behavior, modeling the way (as scored on The Leadership Practices Inventory), and what influence does gender have on the relationship? Findings: No statistically significant relationship Gender does not influence this relationship Modeling the way was statistically the highest rated behavior on the LPI, by respondents (M=8.52, SD = 0.85) Variables remain individually critical to courageous followership and transformational leadership
- 11. Results – Research Question 3 RQ3: Is there a significant relationship between how law enforcement leaders at select agencies in the state of Ohio assess their courageous followership behavior, courage to participate in transformation (as scored on The Follower Profile) and their transformational leadership behavior, inspiring a shared vision (as scored on The Leadership Practices Inventory) , and what influence does gender have on the relationship? Findings: Statistically significant relationship Gender does not influence this relationship Courage to participate in transformation was statistically the highest rated behavior on The Follower Profile, by respondents (M=4.15, SD = 0.57) Inspiring a shared vision was statistically the lowest rated behavior on The LPI by respondents (M=7.04, SD = 1.77)
- 12. Results – Research Question 4 RQ4: Is there a significant relationship between how law enforcement leaders at select agencies in the state of Ohio assess their courageous followership behavior, courage to serve (as scored on The Follower Profile) and their transformational leadership behavior, enabling others to act (as scored on The Leadership Practices Inventory), and what influence does gender have on the relationship? Findings: Statistically significant relationship Gender does not influence this relationship Fostering collaboration critical for the relationship between leaders and followers to demonstrate behaviors
- 13. Results – Research Question 5 RQ5: Is there a significant relationship between how law enforcement leaders at select agencies in the state of Ohio assess their courageous followership behavior, courage to assume responsibility (as scored on The Follower Profile) and their transformational leadership behavior, encouraging the heart (as scored on The Leadership Practices Inventory), and what influence does gender have on the relationship? Findings: Statistically significant relationship Gender does not influence this relationship Followers may have the courage to assume responsibility, however without encouraging the heart, may choose not to do so. Developing leaders to understand this relationship critical to their ability to encourage the heart of followers
- 14. Gender is not a differentiator in the relationships between transformational leadership and courageous followership variables The majority of the relationships were statistically significant indicating linearity between the variables Courageous Followership and Transformational Leadership behaviors Conclusions