Exploring the Experiences of First-Time Health Care Leaders in Critical Leadership Roles: A Phenomenological Study

Exploring the Experiences of First-Time Heath Care Leaders in Critical Leadership Roles: A Phenomenological Study Olivia Yarbrough Stringer Drexel University, June 2014 Chairperson: Kathy D. Geller In health care, there is a shortage of experienced and skilled senior and executive health care leaders. Health care organizations are promoting and hiring individuals who may lack some of the requisite knowledge and senior-level leadership experience. Little is known about the lived experiences of these first-time senior and executive health care leaders during their entry into these roles. The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the lived experiences, challenges, concerns, and perceptions of first-time senior-level health care leaders who have worked 6 months to 4 years in their first senior-level role in a health care organization. The following research questions guided this phenomenological qualitative study: 1. What is the lived experience of a novice health care leader in a critical leadership role for the first time? 2. How do these participants describe the challenges they faced and the leadership lessons they learned that influenced current actions in their roles? 3. What professional development efforts might offer a needed foundation for the initial success of other novices promoted into similar positions? The sample included nine novice senior health care leaders. Data were collected using an interview, observation field notes, and artifacts. From these methods, four findings emerged: (a) first-time senior level health care leaders experienced daily personal feelings of inadequacy in their new roles; (b) multiple operations and requirements of multiple departments make up one system requiring multilevel leadership accountability; (c) organizational challenges for senior-level leaders in non-profit bureaucratic health care organizations are particularly discouraging and problematic; (d) individuals in middle-management positions who aspire to or are promoted to seniorlevel leader roles in health care organizations would benefit from mentoring programs and succession planning approaches. Major conclusions were that hospital boards and chief executive officers (CEOs) need to reduce the anxiety, fear, and uncertainty experienced in the initial novice leaders’ transitions by providing structured orientations with assigned peer partners and assuring an on-going structured leader development program and structured mentoring and coaching programs to provide stability. This Ed.D. Dissertation Committee from The School of Education at Drexel University certifies that this is the approved version of the following dissertation: Exploring the Experiences of First-Time Heath Care Leaders in Critical Leadership Roles: A Phenomenological Study Olivia Yarbrough Stringer Committee: ____________________________________ Kathy D. Geller, Ph.D. ____________________________________ W. Edward Bureau, Ph.D. ____________________________________ Susan A. Ostergard, Ed.D. ____________________________________ Date: Dedication It is with great gratitude that I give thanks to God for giving me the mental and physical endurance to take this academic journey and the courage and determination to complete the journey. “The Lord is my strength and my might” (Exodus 15:2), without his guidance I am lost. I dedicate this dissertation to my wonderful and loving husband, Gerald, who has shown patience and impatience, support and threats, and encouragement in the good times and in the bad throughout the course of this journey. I also dedicate this dissertation to my sisters (Deloris and Ethel), brothers (Don Roy, Ricky, and Maurice), and to the memories of my mother (Katie), my dad (Benjamin), and my grandmother (Anna) who all believed in me as I grew up and inspired me to keep moving forward in spite of life challenges.