Date
12-16-2025
Department
School of Education
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy in Education (PhD)
Chair
Mary Strickland
Keywords
communication, conflict, emotional intelligence, family upbringing, constructive-development theory, mindset, residue, executive exhaustion
Disciplines
Education | Leadership Studies
Recommended Citation
Banman, Jennifer Ann, "Exploring the Influence of Past Experiences of Leader Communication Within the Workplace: A Hermeneutical Phenomenological Study" (2025). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 7816.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/7816
Abstract
The purpose of this hermeneutical phenomenological study was to discover how past experiences influence the communication of leaders at small to mid-size organizations. The problem studied was that leaders' connection to learned experiences, gained through childhood and life, may be the simplest answer to improving effective employee communication. The constructive-developmental theory guided this study, serving as a basis for examining the construction of meaning that shapes experience and perception that are intertwined with learning and developing emotional intelligence in communication. The central research question inquired into how leaders' upbringing and self-awareness influence workplace communication. Examining leaders' perceptions of their communication practices and the resulting lived experiences reflected the need to acknowledge the context of life's residue, the impact of both positive and challenging experiences, to create awareness of alignment, and to develop the ability to foster more effective communication practices. Executives from various businesses across the United States shared their communication strategies and insights to create a new and enhanced approach to organizational leadership learning and development. The 10 participants, with diverse demographics and educational backgrounds, held organizational leadership roles with varying responsibilities. Data collection for the study included individual interviews, focus groups, and a letter-writing prompt. This study followed van Manen's data analysis procedures and synthesized the results into four themes and eight subthemes related to leadership communication. The key themes derived are there are unique overarching styles, it requires necessary intentionality, leadership presents embedded emotional challenges and struggles with executive exhaustion.
