Leadership Values and Acculturation among the Oglala Lakota Leadership
Year: 2019

Leadership Values and Acculturation among the Oglala Lakota Leadership by Richard Iron Cloud MA, Oglala Lakota College BS, Fort Lewis College Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Psychology Walden University August 2019  There are currently no research studies that investigate the relationship between acculturation and leadership values and practices among the Indigenous Tribes on the Northern Plains of the United States. The study was initiated because Native American Elders on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation were concerned that traditional altruistic leadership style was being lost in today's Native American leadership practice. Accordingly, acculturation and servant leadership theories were used to guide the study. A sequential explanatory mixed methods design incorporated the use of quantitative data based on the Servant Leadership Profile (SLP) and the Native American Acculturation Scale. (NAAS) The study included 51 Oglala Sioux tribal leaders, program directors, elected officials and traditional headsmen. The NAAS measured the respondent's orientation towards Native American versus dominant cultural values. The SLP measured the orientation towards the practice of servant leadership. The qualitative component involved interviews with 6 tribal leaders, 2 from each level of acculturation, to increase the understanding of the relationship between cultural orientation and leadership. The levels of acculturation were low, traditional (17.6% moderate, bicultural (68.6% and high, assimilated (13.7% Qualitative themes revealed leadership values similar to servant leadership among all 6 respondents regardless of acculturation level. The bicultural participants identified in my study may create innovative ways of defining themselves and society itself for purposes of social change bridging the gap between divisions of traditional and assimilated individuals.There are currently no research studies that investigate the relationship between acculturation and leadership values and practices among the Indigenous Tribes on the Northern Plains of the United States. The study was initiated because Native American Elders on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation were concerned that traditional altruistic leadership style was being lost in today's Native American leadership practice. Accordingly, acculturation and servant leadership theories were used to guide the study. A sequential explanatory mixed methods design incorporated the use of quantitative data based on the Servant Leadership Profile (SLP) and the Native American Acculturation Scale. (NAAS) The study included 51 Oglala Sioux tribal leaders, program directors, elected officials and traditional headsmen. The NAAS measured the respondent's orientation towards Native American versus dominant cultural values. The SLP measured the orientation towards the practice of servant leadership. The qualitative component involved interviews with 6 tribal leaders, 2 from each level of acculturation, to increase the understanding of the relationship between cultural orientation and leadership. The levels of acculturation were low, traditional (17.6% moderate, bicultural (68.6% and high, assimilated (13.7% Qualitative themes revealed leadership values similar to servant leadership among all 6 respondents regardless of acculturation level. The bicultural participants identified in my study may create innovative ways of defining themselves and society itself for purposes of social change bridging the gap between divisions of traditional and assimilated individuals. Leadership Values and Acculturation among the Oglala Lakota Leadership.  2003 BS, Fort Lewis College, 1995 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Psychology Walden University August 2019 Dedication I would like to dedicate this to my late mother and father, Philip and Victoria Eagle Heart, Iron Cloud, who always wanted me to acquire an education. I would also like to dedicate this to my hasani Arlene who always stood by my side and encouraged me when I was down and celebrated with me when things were good. I dedicated this to my cinksi Arlo, Lakol Caje ki (Mato Na Hizi) mi chinksi Philip (Ktepi Heuni) mi Chinksi Dakota Richard (Mato Nakijija) and mi cunksi Maya Rae (Mahpiya Chanku win) Dedication to Wakan Tanka the Great Spirit; Great Spirit, help me to make good choices in choosing only the trails you would have me take (Coyous 12/25/16) Acknowledgments I would like to thank my chair and committee Dr. Patricia Loun and Dr. Melody Moore for providing direction on this dissertation journey. I would like to acknowledge my friend Dr. Larry Emerson (rest in power) for his inspiration as an Indigenous Scholar and mentor. I would also like to acknowledge Dr. Paul Robertson for providing guidance and instruction, Dr. Elgin Bad Wound for being a good relative and for modeling the correct way to be a Lakota Scholar and Ikce Wicasa (Common Man of the Oglala) I would also like to thank the late Gerald One Feather for his wise mentorship on this Oicimani (journey) Alex Mackey, Jon Wengor and Dr. Liza Moreno, for their edits and tutoring on this arduous journey. I would like to acknowledge the Bush Foundation and the Greenleaf Institute for funding my dissertation journey, I would not have been able to complete my dissertation without their generous support. This dissertation journey is dedicated to two significant Lakota leaders in my family, both sons and grandsons of traditional chiefs, my Grandfather Jim Iron Cloud, Traditional Itachan (Chief) and former Chairman of the Oglala Sioux Tribe, who once told me "get an education it is something that nobody can take away from you" To my maternal grandfather Matthew Eagle Heart, former Chief of Police, Councilman, and Tribal Judge, who taught me how to be brave, to be Lakota, to love the Lakota language and lastly to be innovative and use the numerous resources available to me.