Leadership Practices Supporting Retention in Head Start Nonprofit Organizations

Leadership Practices Supporting Retention in Head Start Nonprofit Organizations by Nannette Phillips MS, Troy University, 2005 BA, Tuskegee University, 1993 Doctoral Study Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Business Administration Walden University March 2017 Abstract Head Start, the largest early childhood organization in the United States, was federally mandated to employ bachelor degreed operational employees, with no additional funds. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore effective strategies that successful leaders of Head Start Nonprofit Organizations use to retain operational employees. The population of this study included 5 Head Start CEOs/Program Directors in 5 Head Start nonprofit organizations in Alabama who successfully retained operational employees in their organization. Kouzes and Posner’s transformational leadership theory provided a conceptual framework for this study. Data were collected via telephone interviews and employee records from the human resources department. Reviewed human resource documents included the highest level of credentials for the leader, the policy for degree requirement for operational employees, and the number of operational employees, and the participants’ highest level of education. The data were analyzed using inductive analysis which consisted of a line-by-line approach to review data identifying words, phrases, ideas, and actions consistent among participants and organizations to identify patterns and themes. Results indicated that Head Start leaders used incentives, continuous training, educational support, and job benefits to retain their operational employees. The implications for social change include the potential for young children to receive optimal teaching and caregiving from retained qualified operational employees.Head Start, the largest early childhood organization in the United States, was federally mandated to employ bachelor degreed operational employees, with no additional funds. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore effective strategies that successful leaders of Head Start Nonprofit Organizations use to retain operational employees. The population of this study included 5 Head Start CEOs/Program Directors in 5 Head Start nonprofit organizations in Alabama who successfully retained operational employees in their organization. Kouzes and Posner’s transformational leadership theory provided a conceptual framework for this study. Data were collected via telephone interviews and employee records from the human resources department. Reviewed human resource documents included the highest level of credentials for the leader, the policy for degree requirement for operational employees, and the number of operational employees, and the participants’ highest level of education. The data were analyzed using inductive analysis which consisted of a line-by-line approach to review data identifying words, phrases, ideas, and actions consistent among participants and organizations to identify patterns and themes. Results indicated that Head Start leaders used incentives, continuous training, educational support, and job benefits to retain their operational employees. The implications for social change include the potential for young children to receive optimal teaching and caregiving from retained qualified operational employees. Leadership Practices Supporting Retention in Head Start Nonprofit Organizations by Nannette Phillips MS, Troy University, 2005 BA, Tuskegee University, 1993 Doctoral Study Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Business Administration Walden University March 2017 Dedication This study is in heartfelt dedication to my father, Izell Brown, who was the epitome of strength and determination. He instilled those characteristics in me through his demonstrative commitment to family, and his persistent battle for fighting cancer. He was a supportive, loving father to me and my brother Rodney and a supportive, loving husband of 50 1⁄2 years to my mother Shirley. I will always love you Daddy, and thank you for being the wind beneath my wings. Acknowledgments I would like to thank God for the covering, shielded favor, knowledge, wisdom, discernment, resources, and guidance during this journey. In addition, I would like to thank my phenomenal Mentor/Chair, Dr. Mohamad S. Hammoud, my committee Dr. Tim Truitt, Dr. Walter McCollum, Dr. Neil Mathur, Dr. Denise Gandy (Hackett), and Dr. Yvonne Doll for your leadership, guidance, and recommendations during my educational journey. Dr. Freda Turner, thank you for the motivation and positive energy. I will be forever grateful for you all. To my mother, Shirley and brother Rodney, thank you for your encouragement, home-cooked meals when I was too busy to slow down, help when my health was not at its best, and push with the regular question, “when are you going to be finish your doctorate? ” I will keep making you all proud. I thank God for you, and love you. To my mentor, Mr. Edwards, you saw things in me that I did not see in myself. Thank you for the vision, faith, and sharing your leadership and management knowledge and skills with me. In addition, thank you for my first planner with “Dr. Nannette Phillips” engraved on it before I was a Dr. I appreciate you for sharing a part of you with me. You will forever be in my prayers, thoughts and heart. To friends and supporters, thank you for your support, prayers and understanding. You were my solace during this journey. Finally, to my goddaughter Makrystea and my godsons Jaquarious and Jaquavious, God blessed me with the opportunity to be a mother figure and role model for you. As you emerge and develop into your own, dream and believe you can be, and do anything you set your mind to, and work hard to achieve. I love you all.