Success Factors Of Grow Your Own Leadership Development Programs In Middle Atlantic And Texas Community Colleges PDF Download

This study investigated the shared, lived experience of graduates participating in a Grow-Your-Own (GYO) leadership development program at a comprehensive community college with several campuses and educational centers. There is a noted, growing shortage of talented community college leaders needed to address the complex challenges faced by community colleges across the country. This leadership shortage is attributed to an increased number of retirements among community college leaders and a lack of community college leadership development through either university doctoral programs or national professional associations. With GYOs identified as the preferred method of developing emerging community college leaders, it is important to understand the lived experience of participants in GYO programs. The study used an inductive approach to gain a deeper understanding of the phenomenon. From data analysis, three themes emerged to describe the shared lived experience of GYO program participants, including: (a) the value of connectedness, which participants expressed as "being a part of"; (b) understanding how leaders should be developed; and, (c) how participants perceived the impact of their leadership role on college processes, students, and subordinates. At the very center of the phenomenon under study was the essence--connections--which guided policy and practice recommendations. This essence of connections was explored through participants' connection to: (a) colleagues, college leaders, and the institution; (b) the GYO program and how participants perceived and connected to their personal development; and, (c) participants' ability to impact others within the institution. Concluding the study, two inferences were suggested: (a) GYO program structure may assume recruiting participants with a requisite level of confidence needed to lead within the community college; and, (b) an individual's perception of leadership considers a leaders' ability to move projects through the college's internal system. Recommendations for practice include the development of programming dedicated to leaders with more than 10 years of leadership experience and the integration of programming to develop, cultivate, and maintain relationships into the GYO curriculum. Policy recommendations included the development of degree programs or coursework on community college leadership at the university level and implementation of community college GYO programs to address the leadership gap.