Date of Award

Spring 4-26-2019

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Education

First Advisor

Dr. John Henschke

Second Advisor

Dr. Stephen Sherblom

Third Advisor

Dr. Michael Marzano

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate and identify andragogical leadership educational traits/competencies that are associated with effectively educating/training employees/participants. The andragogical competencies were compared with the six identified soft skills of the Lean Six Sigma Trainer. The researcher also assessed the perceived level of employee satisfaction with the lean six sigma training program at the Monsanto Corporation. When compared with the andragogical competencies, five of the six articulated soft skills of the Lean Six Sigma Trainer had a very minimum explanation [which provided a very extensive gap] in the actual training: Vision, Leadership, Empowerment, Communication, Influence, and Testing. Testing was the only lean six sigma soft skill that had more explanation than the andragogical competencies, which did not address testing. Trust by Lean Six Sigma Trainers/Leaders/Educators in Learners/ Employees/Participants was referred to only three times. In leadership, the leader must develop trust; it was critical and comes from simple acts of treating people with respect and fostering positive relationships. In Empowerment, trust is part of its meaning. In Communication, it is part of organization power. Trust, as the strongest validated Competency by Successful Leaders/Trainers/Educators of adults in Learners/Employees/Participants, was referred to and exemplified: through positioning themselves with their ‘walk and talk’ matching; practicing active engagement/support with them in 11 reliably researched validated major elements of trust; and, adding/demonstrating strength by providing five organizational learning capabilities [OLC] in their work together as a team. This helps to ‘flesh-out’ much more about trust, than those by the Lean Six Sigma approach. Likewise, where Communication, Visionary vi Leadership, and Empowerment were identified and addressed, the competencies of successful educators of adults provided more extensive detail for accomplishing the tasks and products of the organizational mission. Moreover, where reciprocity among the 23 research validated elements of Empathy with, Trust in and Sensitivity toward employees/participants are enacted, each employee/participant is increasingly satisfied with her/his job, and in turn more desirous to stay with the company. Furthermore, the study showed that all the 30 Monsanto employees were satisfied with the training provided by the Company, and this was supported by the researcher’s observation of a number of live class sessions.

Rights

Copyright 2019

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