{"id":{"repo_id":"uiuc","oai_identifier":"oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/129406"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/uiuc/oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/129406","repository":{"repo_id":"uiuc","name":"University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign","base_url":"https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/oai-pmh"},"display":{"title":"Sustainable authentic leadership practices among female corporate leaders during times of crises: A qualitative inquiry","abstract":"Submission original under an indefinite embargo labeled 'Open Access'. The submission was exported from vireo on 2025-10-19 without embargo terms","abstract_html":"Submission original under an indefinite embargo labeled 'Open Access'. The submission was exported from vireo on 2025-10-19 without embargo terms","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Sprenkle Jones, Lisa"],"institution":"University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign","degree_name":"Ed.D.","degree_level":"Dissertation","degree_discipline":"Educ Policy, Orgzn & Leadrshp","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Huang, David","Li, Jessica","Hood, Denice","Lee, Sharon"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2025,"date_issued":"2025-04-17","date_published":"2025-04-17","updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:25:05Z","subjects":["Authentic Leadership","Female leaders","women leaders","Crisis Leadership","Leadership Development","Executive Development","Resilience"],"languages":["en","eng"],"rights":["Copyright 2025 Lisa Sprenkle Jones"],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://hdl.handle.net/2142/129406","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Huang, David","Li, Jessica","Hood, Denice","Lee, Sharon"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Sprenkle Jones, Lisa"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date","label":"Dc Date","values":["2025-04-17","2025-05"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["text","Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Educ Policy, Orgzn & Leadrshp"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Dissertation"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Ed.D."]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Authentic Leadership","Female leaders","women leaders","Crisis Leadership","Leadership Development","Executive Development","Resilience"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language","label":"Dc Language","values":["en","eng"]},{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["Copyright 2025 Lisa Sprenkle Jones"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://hdl.handle.net/2142/129406"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description","label":"Description","values":["Submission original under an indefinite embargo labeled 'Open Access'. The submission was exported from vireo on 2025-10-19 without embargo terms","The student, Lisa Sprenkle Jones, accepted the attached license on 2025-04-16 at 20:30.","The student, Lisa Sprenkle Jones, submitted this Dissertation for approval on 2025-04-16 at 20:30.","This Dissertation was approved for publication on 2025-04-17 at 16:43.","DSpace SAF Submission Ingestion Package generated from Vireo submission #21808 on 2025-10-19 at 18:18:24","The COVID-19 global pandemic has placed a spotlight on leadership, highlighting the need for individual leaders to navigate ambiguous and often challenging situations while fostering collaboration, alignment, and engagement. The design of work has shifted from fully in-person to virtual and hybrid arrangements, which has added a layer of complexity to a work environment that has been drastically transformed. This study used the lens of authentic leadership (AL) to explore sustainable leadership practices among female corporate leaders through times of uncertainty. The research questions that guided the study included: 1. How do female leaders demonstrate the qualities of authentic leadership during a crisis, such as a pandemic? 2. What have female leaders learned about their leadership capabilities during the COVID 19 global pandemic? 3. How have leadership approaches and behaviors changed during the pandemic? In the parameters of the qualitative design, the research included 11 female leaders in global Fortune 500 organizations based in North America. Semistructured interviews revealed stories through which participants shared how they perceived themselves as having effectively demonstrated leadership capabilities. The industries sampled included financial services, pharmaceuticals, and biotechnology. Findings highlighted how female leaders closely aligned with AL principles and demonstrated resilience, adaptability, and a strong emphasis on relationship-driven leadership, which contributed to organizational stability. However, traditional AL frameworks did not fully address certain challenges, such as navigating hybrid work environments, initial inclusive decision making, setting priorities, and maintaining well-being. From the research, the author has developed the following definition of AL for high-performing female leaders: An authentic female leader is deeply self-aware, leveraging strengths and seeking areas for further growth. She leads with purpose, building genuine relationships through intentional listening and transparent communication. She cultivates trust through consistency, openness, and integrity, championing collaboration over competition. Committed to the success of both the organization and the team, she fosters inclusive decision making, invites diverse perspectives, and invests in the growth and potential of others. In moments of challenge or crisis, she demonstrates unwavering confidence and resilience, inspiring hope and optimism in those she leads. This study suggests that although AL theory remains a valuable foundation for leadership during crises, it may be challenging to address emerging workplace demands, including remote team management, inclusive decision making, and sustaining engagement in digital work settings. The study has implications for human resource development and leadership development, advocating for structured development programs, mentorship, coaching, and resilience-building initiatives to support female leaders. The study also contributed to the growing body of research on leadership during times of uncertainty."]},{"key":"dc:format","label":"Dc Format","values":["application/pdf"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Sustainable authentic leadership practices among female corporate leaders during times of crises: A qualitative inquiry"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Huang, David","Li, Jessica","Hood, Denice","Lee, Sharon"],"dc:creator":["Sprenkle Jones, Lisa"],"dc:date":["2025-04-17","2025-05"],"dc:description":["Submission original under an indefinite embargo labeled 'Open Access'. The submission was exported from vireo on 2025-10-19 without embargo terms","The student, Lisa Sprenkle Jones, accepted the attached license on 2025-04-16 at 20:30.","The student, Lisa Sprenkle Jones, submitted this Dissertation for approval on 2025-04-16 at 20:30.","This Dissertation was approved for publication on 2025-04-17 at 16:43.","DSpace SAF Submission Ingestion Package generated from Vireo submission #21808 on 2025-10-19 at 18:18:24","The COVID-19 global pandemic has placed a spotlight on leadership, highlighting the need for individual leaders to navigate ambiguous and often challenging situations while fostering collaboration, alignment, and engagement. The design of work has shifted from fully in-person to virtual and hybrid arrangements, which has added a layer of complexity to a work environment that has been drastically transformed. This study used the lens of authentic leadership (AL) to explore sustainable leadership practices among female corporate leaders through times of uncertainty. The research questions that guided the study included: 1. How do female leaders demonstrate the qualities of authentic leadership during a crisis, such as a pandemic? 2. What have female leaders learned about their leadership capabilities during the COVID 19 global pandemic? 3. How have leadership approaches and behaviors changed during the pandemic? In the parameters of the qualitative design, the research included 11 female leaders in global Fortune 500 organizations based in North America. Semistructured interviews revealed stories through which participants shared how they perceived themselves as having effectively demonstrated leadership capabilities. The industries sampled included financial services, pharmaceuticals, and biotechnology. Findings highlighted how female leaders closely aligned with AL principles and demonstrated resilience, adaptability, and a strong emphasis on relationship-driven leadership, which contributed to organizational stability. However, traditional AL frameworks did not fully address certain challenges, such as navigating hybrid work environments, initial inclusive decision making, setting priorities, and maintaining well-being. From the research, the author has developed the following definition of AL for high-performing female leaders: An authentic female leader is deeply self-aware, leveraging strengths and seeking areas for further growth. She leads with purpose, building genuine relationships through intentional listening and transparent communication. She cultivates trust through consistency, openness, and integrity, championing collaboration over competition. Committed to the success of both the organization and the team, she fosters inclusive decision making, invites diverse perspectives, and invests in the growth and potential of others. In moments of challenge or crisis, she demonstrates unwavering confidence and resilience, inspiring hope and optimism in those she leads. This study suggests that although AL theory remains a valuable foundation for leadership during crises, it may be challenging to address emerging workplace demands, including remote team management, inclusive decision making, and sustaining engagement in digital work settings. The study has implications for human resource development and leadership development, advocating for structured development programs, mentorship, coaching, and resilience-building initiatives to support female leaders. The study also contributed to the growing body of research on leadership during times of uncertainty."],"dc:format":["application/pdf"],"dc:identifier":["https://hdl.handle.net/2142/129406"],"dc:language":["en","eng"],"dc:rights":["Copyright 2025 Lisa Sprenkle Jones"],"dc:subject":["Authentic Leadership","Female leaders","women leaders","Crisis Leadership","Leadership Development","Executive Development","Resilience"],"dc:title":["Sustainable authentic leadership practices among female corporate leaders during times of crises: A qualitative inquiry"],"dc:type":["text","Thesis"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Educ Policy, Orgzn & Leadrshp"],"thesis:degree_level":["Dissertation"],"thesis:degree_name":["Ed.D."],"thesis:institution_name":["University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:25:05Z"}