The Effect of Positive Communication on Leadership Development: A Qualitative Phenomenological Study
Campus Location
Dallas Campus (Online)
Date of Award
6-2026
ORCID
https://orcid.org/0009-0005-0299-7988
Document Type
Dissertation
Department
Organizational Leadership
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Committee Chair or Primary Advisor
J. Scott Self
Second Committee Member or Secondary Advisor
Rich Phillips
Third Committee Member or Committee Reader
Jeremy Davis
Abstract
This qualitative phenomenological study explores the lived experiences of Christian college professors in the Midwest who utilize positive communication within mentoring relationships to develop leadership capabilities in students preparing for ministry. The research addresses the development of leadership capabilities in Christian colleges and examines how mentoring relationships serve as a sustainable alternative to costly and often ineffective formal programs. Following a descriptive phenomenological approach informed by the methods of Husserl and Giorgi, the researcher conducted semi-structured interviews with faculty members who have at least five years of teaching experience at a Christian college in the Midwest. The study utilized Bowlby’s attachment theory as a theoretical lens to examine how students’ childhood-formed attachment styles might mediate their receptivity to positive communication and leadership development. Data analysis revealed that participants prioritize adaptability, organic communication, relational scaffolding, and modeling as essential components of the mentoring relationship. Professors utilize positive communication to elicit and leverage positive emotions and foster "positively deviant" performance in their students. Key indicators of successful leadership development included increased student agency, maturity, and Christoformity. The study concludes that positive communication produces beneficial outcomes in the development of student leadership capabilities within faculty mentoring relationships. The study also indicates that student attachment styles can function as a mediating factor in the efficacy of positive communication.
Creative Commons License
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Recommended Citation
Lowe, Philip J., "The Effect of Positive Communication on Leadership Development: A Qualitative Phenomenological Study" (2026). Digital Commons @ ACU, Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 1034.
https://digitalcommons.acu.edu/etd/1034