EVOKING A TRANSCENDENT EXPERIENCE IN A LAW … · Workplace spirituality (WS) is a field of study that seeks to increase understanding of the ... Ten open-ended interviews were conducted

EVOKING A TRANSCENDENT EXPERIENCE IN A LAW ENFORCEMENT

ACADEMY: A GROUNDED THEORY STUDY

by

Holly Wood

STEVEN WALLIS, PhD, Faculty Mentor and Chair

REBECCA LOEHRER, PhD, Committee Member

SUSAN MYERS, PhD, Committee Member

Curtis Brant, PhD, Dean

Harold Abel School of Social and Behavioral Sciences

A Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment

Of the Requirements for the Degree

Doctor of Philosophy

Capella University

October 2013

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© Holly Wood, 2013

Abstract

Workplace spirituality (WS) is a field of study that seeks to increase understanding of the

dynamics of spirituality in an organization. Both private and public sector organizations

express increasing interest in this area of study. The present grounded theory study

contributed a new theoretical explanation of how a human spiritual experience is better

grounded in the material world and understood through the concept of transcendence.

The present study explored a law enforcement academy’s interpretation of how a

transcendent experience is evoked in the workplace. A review of current research in the

field of WS demonstrates there is a demand for new theories that are generated from a

fresh, data-based perspective. A general definition of transcendence was formulated from

Maslow's discourse on transcendence, transcendental leadership theory, and frequently

cited WS literature. Ten open-ended interviews were conducted with a law enforcement

academy’s instructors to explore a secular interpretation of a transcendent experience.

The coding and analysis of the interviews were guided by the preliminary definition

toward establishing a theoretical model of how a transcendent experience is evoked in a

law enforcement academy. This surfaced a 19 phase process of Perceiving

Transcendence, which replaced the original notion of a single transcendent experience.

Hence, the study surfaced data that supported Perceiving Transcendence, which

superseded the context of a transcendent experience.

iii

Dedication

First, this study is dedicated with love and honor to Jesus, who provided me with

strength, faith, and determination.

Second, the FBI provided a substantial purpose for studying spirituality. Thank you so

much for helping me to find the most fitting purpose for my life.

Third, this study is dedicated to my local police department. Without them, I am not sure

I would have ever realized that law enforcement professionals could inform an

understanding of transcendence.

iv

Acknowledgments

First, I would like to acknowledge and express my gratitude for my mentor, Dr.

Steve Wallis. His patience, expertise, and encouragement provided me with

determination, confidence, and joy throughout the arduous process.

Second, I would like to thank my committee members, Dr. Susan Myers and Dr.

Rebecca Loehrer for the extended support and guidance that they provided.

Third, I would like to salute the law enforcement academy instructors and

managers that participated in my interviews. Your partnership in this study was a

tremendous honor that will resonate within me forever.

Finally, I must express my deep appreciation and respect for Capella University. I

initially chose Capella for my master’s program, Leadership Coaching Psychology. That

program developed all the competencies and research creativity that I needed to proceed

through and complete my doctorate degree. They also employed me, which increased my

self-esteem and established my work experience in higher education. Capella has not

only helped me to improve my life, but in many ways, I feel Capella saved my life.

Thank you so much.

v

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments iv

List of Figures viii

CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION 1

Background of the Study 2

Statement of the Problem 5

Purpose of the Study 6

Rationale 7

Research Questions 8

Significance of the Study 8

Definition of Terms 11

Assumptions and Limitations 12

Nature of the Study 15

Organization of the Remainder of the Study 17

CHAPTER 2. LITERATURE REVIEW 18

Theoretical Orientation 18

Review of Previous Research 37

The Call for Grounded Theory 55

Critique of Previous Research 61

Summary 63

CHAPTER 3. METHODOLOGY 66

Purpose of the Study 66

vi

Research Design 67

Credibility 68

Target Population 70

Participant Selection 72

Data Collection Procedures 73

Coding of Data 75

Maintaining Objectivity 76

Research Questions 77

Data Analysis 78

Researcher Bias 80

Ethical Considerations 82

Summary 83

CHAPTER 4. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS 85

Introduction to Data Collection and Analysis 85

The Study and Researcher 85

Description of the Sample 88

Research Methodology Applied to Data Analysis 91

The Presentation of Data 98

Theoretical Response to the Research Question 145

Summary 146

CHAPTER 5. RESULTS, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS 147

Introduction to the Summary of Results, Conclusions and Recommendations 147

vii

Summary of Results 147

Discussion of Results 148

Discussion of Conclusions 154

Limitations 162

Recommendations for Future Research 165

Conclusion 168

REFERENCES 169

viii

List of Figures

Figure 1. Process for Perceiving Transcendence 146

Figure 2. Metaphases of Perceiving Transcendence 150

Figure 3. 19 Phases and 5 Metaphases of Perceiving Transcendence 153

1

CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION

Workplace spirituality (WS) is a field of study that seeks to increase

understanding of the dynamics of spirituality in an organization (Giacalone & Jurkiewicz,

2004). Both private and public sector organizations express increasing interest in this area

of study (Giacalone & Jurkiewicz, 2004). While spirituality has existed throughout

history, it is a relatively new topic of research in the psychology discipline (Coon, 1992).

At the same time, psychological concepts, such as Maslow’s (1971) discourse on

transcendence, serve as suggestions for examining spiritual experiences. The current

grounded theory (GT) study comes from a psychology perspective that offers an

explanation of how a law enforcement academy interprets transcendence and how

experiences of transcendence are evoked in the academy. This approach integrated

practical and sensible viewpoints from law enforcement academy professionals with a

psychology researcher’s interpretation.

This chapter provides an introduction to the problem that briefs the needs for a

GT study of transcendent experiences that is supported with an evaluation of a current,

related study. The introduction leads into a statement of the problem. The purpose of this

study begins with an overview of approaches to studying WS to justify the value of a GT

study. This leads to the research question and its relation to the statement of the problem.

The Significance of the Study explores theoretical and practical implications of the

present study. The Definition of Terms informs readers of the provisional definition of

transcendence and of the indirect role that definition had in this study. A discussion of

assumptions and limitations related to pre-existing knowledge and biases is presented.

2

The chapter concludes with an explanation of the benefits and limitations of the GT

methodology.

Background of the Study

The need for the current GT study is present in both the academic field of WS and

in law enforcement practice. Journal article publications in the field of WS (e.g., Fry,

2003; Fry, Vitucci, & Cedillo, 2005; Pawar, 2009b; Reave, 2005) regularly cite a

definition of WS proposed by Giacalone and Jurkiewicz’ (2004), “a framework of

organizational values evidenced in the culture that promotes employee experience of

transcendence through the work process, facilitating their sense of being connected in a

way that provides feelings of compassion and joy.” (p. 13). While the definition provides

a starting point, it is still unclear how experiences of transcendence are evoked without

any data-based references. Many publications call for more research in WS (e.g., Gotsis

& Kortezi, 2008; Grant, 2005; Pawar, 2009b; Poole, 2009; Reave, 2005) and some

specifically recommend an increase in qualitative approaches (Grant, 2005; Poole, 2009).

The current GT study aimed to provide qualitative data that can increase understanding of

how experiences of transcendence are created. Research that is closest to the

phenomenon of transcendence is focused on spirituality. However, the majority of

spiritual measurements are devised from subjective spirituality-constructs (Fry, 2003; Fry

et al., 2005; Giacalone & Jurkiewicz, 2010; Hayden & Barbuto, 2011; Pawar, 2009a;

Reave, 2008). Hence, the authors recommended concentrating on theory development.

The current GT study avoided the confusion of the term spirituality and provided an

evidence-based explanation of how an experience of transcendence is produced. The

3

product of the current study yielded a new perspective of constructs and factors that are

associated with spirituality, but are grounded in law enforcement professionals’

description of how transcendent experiences are evoked in an academy. The current GT

study offered a new way of looking at how secular organizations can create profound,

existential moments without focusing on religious contexts of spirituality. The present

study, instead, built on ideas and a specific line of research related to transcendence.

The current study also addressed needs expressed by the FBI (Feemster, 2007;

2009b; Willis, 2010). The FBI Bulletin has published many articles regarding a need to

address the spiritual nature of law enforcement officers because of regular exposure to

criminals’ cruel behavior and overall stress related to risking one’s life (e.g., Charles,

2000; Feemster, 2007; 2009a; 2009b; Tuck, 2009; Willis, 2010). Feemster (2007)

explained that this takes a strong toll on officers’ general well-being and impacts the core

of one's disposition in life. Consequently, the FBI has launched spiritual initiatives and

has created a cross-disciplinary annual conference: ‘Beyond Survival toward Officer

Wellness’ (BeSTOW) (Feemster, 2007; 2009b). The BeSTOW conference is intended to

share ideas for spiritual applications in the public sector workplace. Legal concerns

regarding the First Amendment are associated with this challenge (Feemster, 2007; King,

2007; Schley, 2008). The current GT study developed a practical, theoretical explanation

of how of how a transcendent experience is created to inform how a career- long program

can develop these experiences into a more permanent transcendent consciousness.

One of the most recent research studies conducted in WS that works with the

definition provided by Giacalone and Jurkiewicz (2004) is Fry, Hannah, Noel, &

4

Walumbwa’s (2011) Impact of Spiritual Leadership on Unit Performance. Spiritual

leadership was investigated at a military academy with the aid of Spiritual Leadership

Questionnaire, Spiritual Well-Being Scale, and an adapted version of the Measure of

Effective Organizational Commitment, developed by Allen and Meyer (1990). Although

the authors frequently utilized the term transcendence, there is no formal reference to a

theoretical model of the term. Instead, the authors worked from a model of spiritual

leadership. The authors found transcendence more closely related to a sense of calling

than to connection and membership. This disputes prevalent descriptions of

transcendence as a connectedness (Crossan & Mazutis, 2008; Giacalone & Jurkiewicz,

2004; Maslow, 1971; Poole, 2009; Schley, 2008) and the authors did not elaborate on

sense of calling in terms of how it is evoked. The current GT study proposed a grounded

explanation of how transcendent experiences are evoked which intended to aid other

researchers to reach greater depths in understanding further details within their own

work. Transcendence is a term that is consistently present in WS literature (e.g., Crossan

& Mazutis, 2008; Crossan, Vera, & Nanjad, 2008; Giacalone & Jurkiewicz, 2010; Pawar,

2009b; Poole, 2008; Reave, 2005; Sanders, Hopkins, & Geroy, 2003; Schley, 2008)

despite the lack of an empirical (or observation and data-based) reference of

transcendence.

An extensive line of research on self-transcendence exists (Garcia-Romeu, 2010).

Despite this, references for self-transcendence was lacking in WS literature and research.

Transcendental meditation (TM) also contains decades of research (Heaton, Schmidt-

Wilk, & Travis, 2004; Orme-Johnson, 2000), though it has origins in Hindu teachings.

5

Both self-transcendence and TM research promote accepting a physiological form of

transcendence through neuro-psychological, cardio-vascular, and other physiological

measurements, as well as personality assessments (Garcia-Romeu, 2010; Heaton et al.,

2004; Orme-Johnson, 2000). A gap remains because a theory of transcendence that is

constructed from the viewpoint of organizational dynamics is lacking, particularly in

public-sector, secular workplaces. Hence, WS literature lacks consistent reference to a

theory of transcendence or a line of research. Transcendence appears context defined in

terms of how different groups promote these experiences and how the individual groups

experience it. Transcendence is better understood through a study that develops a theory

of how transcendent experiences are evoked in a specific context. The construct and

measures of self-transcendence could be evaluated differently when context or situational

conditions are applied. A theory based on the premise that people construct selves,

society, and reality through interaction, as Charmaz (2006) described GT, enables an

explanation ofhow a law enforcement academy creates experiences of transcendence that

could later be compared in other workplace contexts and in relation to established lines of

research on transcendence as a more social-cognitive phenomenon.

Statement of the Problem

The key problem addressed in this study is the lack of theory in the field of WS.

The lack of theory is associated with fragmented definitions of transcendence, inadequate

measurement tools, legal concerns, and minimal construction of WS interventions.

Giacalone and Jurkiewicz (2010) identified “the lack of an accepted conceptual

definition, inadequate measurement tools, limited theoretical development, and legal

6

concerns” as “weaknesses in the development of workplace spirituality as a distinct area

of study” (p. 5). The present GT study was directed toward contributing progress toward

possible solutions to this multifaceted problem.

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of this study was to create a GT of how a law enforcement academy

evokes experiences of transcendence to fill a gap in existing WS literature. As explained

above, WS literature is fragmented due to a lack of theory. Many spiritual assessments

exist that are not based on a theory and consequently lack construct validity (Fry, 2003;

Fry, et al., 2005; Hayden & Barbuto, 2011; Pawar, 2009a; Reave, 2008). This lack of

construct validity tends to fragment research rather than connect it to collective

conversation. The present GT study contributed to new analyses of constructs and

understanding of how transcendence is evoked in the workplace. In addition, research in

WS currently comes from many different angles. There is a focus on leadership analysis

(e.g., Fry et al., 2011; Hoveida, Salari, & Asemi, 2011; Hughes & Avey, 2009; Ismail,

Mohamed, Sulaiman, Mohamad, & Yusuf, 2011; McMurray, Pirola-Merlo, Sarros, &

Islam, 2010; Toor & Ofori, 2009), employees’ perspectives of organizational spirituality

and organizational commitment (e.g., Duggleby, Cooper, & Penz, 2009; Fillion, Duval,

Dumont, Gagnon, Tremblay, Bairati, & Breitbart, 2009; Kolodinsky, Giacalone, &

Jurkiewicz, 2008), and employees’ religiosity with organizational commitment or life

satisfaction (e.g., Abott, White,& Charles, 2005; Brooke & Parker, 2009; Brown &

Sargeant, 2007; Kutcher, Bragger, Rodriguez-Srednicki, & Masco, 2010; Lips-Wiersma,

2002; Miller & Timothy, 2010; Schroder, 2008). While these approaches contribute

7

insight, there is a need for a theory that can enable stronger scientific evaluation through

a focus on the psycho-social phenomenon of transcendence. Along this line, a scientific

explanation can also serve as a secular basis for WS interventions and deter legal

challenges. In summation, the purpose of the present GT study was to focus on theory

building in WS and to contribute an empirical/data-based thorough understanding of how

a transcendent experience is evoked in the context of a law enforcement academy.

Rationale

Constructing a GT of how a law enforcement academy evokes transcendent

experiences provided a valuable model that responds to the needs discussed in the

purpose of this study. Understanding how transcendent experiences occur through law

enforcement academy professionals' natural experiences contributes a new psycho-social

perspective as differentiated from physiological measures and subjective religiosity. The

new perspective is twofold. First, it offers an emphasis on describing the environment

rather than internal experience. Also, it offers a new cultural context for how a secular

organization fosters profound, existential experiences. This provides a secular and data-

based explanation that can expand theoretical development and mitigate legal concerns.

The final product of this study helps to critically evaluate constructs of transcendence for

assessments, as well as designing WS programs that are legitimate for the public sector

because the present study offers an external, organizational perspective for the experience

that supplements existing knowledge of the internal, psychological experience.

8

Research Question

The central research question asks: What is a law enforcement academy’s process

for evoking a transcendent experience? The question was focused on enabling a law

enforcement academy to identify and describe a concept of transcendence. A novel model

of how a transcendent experience is evoked was constructed. The model was structured in

common language and generated ideas conducive to practical applications.

Significance of the Study

Theoretical Implications

This study produced new understandings of Abraham Maslow’s (1971) discourse

on transcendence. Maslow was not physically able to complete a formal theory of

transcendence (Koltko-Rivera, 2006). The present GT study of how an experience of

transcendence is evoked offers a data-based reference for investigating Maslow’s

propositions. Bandura’s (1977; 1993; 2001) social cognitive theory is also connected to

understanding how an experience of transcendence is evoked. Bandura (2003) proposed

the application of social cognitive theory to spiritual development. He specifically

discussed how an organization can help develop the bridge between self-efficacy beliefs

and collective-efficacy beliefs. Bandura’s (1982) concept of the self -efficacy mechanism

in human agency, sources of self-efficacy, and the fluid interface between self-efficacy

and collective efficacy offered some illumination for detecting constructs in the process

of evoking transcendence in a law enforcement academy. Bandura (2002) also

encouraged social cognitive theory to help recognize cultural dynamics. Through the use

9

of Charmaz’s (2006) symbolic interaction approach for a GT study, the current study

provided a theory that includes cultural/environmental dynamics that can later allow for a

bidirectional analysis between social cognitive theory and cultural dynamics. This

proposition connected to some open-ended academic-discussions on a leader’s

interconnectivity with an organization, as discussed in the following paragraph.

A GT study of the process for evoking transcendent experiences also helps to

progress scientific consideration of transcendental leadership theory. Transcendental

leadership theory (Cardona, 2000; Crossan & Mazutis, 2008; Crossan et al., 2008;

Sanders et al., 2003) is not currently grounded in data, while it offers a hypothetical

discussion of the fluid relationship between self, others, organization, and society. The

theory suggests that a transcendental leader evokes transcendence in others. The current

GT study contributes the data needed to help better explain transcendental leadership in

terms of how a transcendent experience is evoked in a law enforcement academy. Along

this line of discussion is the caring organization model (Fuqua & Newman, 2002;

Newman& Fuqua, 2006). The caring organization model discusses a heightening of an

organization’s ethical awareness and its connection to its members that extends behavior

beyond material motivation. While the model contains similar themes to Maslow’s

(1971) transcendence, Bandura’s (1977) social cognitive theory, and transcendental

leadership theory, it does not specifically discuss transcendence. However, it was

important for the present GT study to utilize organizational analysis insight because the

present study was focused on how a law enforcement academy evokes transcendent

experiences. Ultimately, the present GT study surfaced a theoretical proposition of

10

evoking transcendent experiences directly from data. This advances scientific

understanding of the phenomenon and consequently offers verification with some

theories and develops greater eloquence and new considerations in under-developed

ideas.

Practical Implications

A GT of how an experience of transcendence is evoked has a variety of potential

applications. A GT could help Industrial and Organizational (I/O) psychologists structure

a customized program/system for individual organizations. Having a model of the process

for evoking an experience of transcendence informs decisions of content and

implementation for an entire program and for specific exercises that focus on variables. It

is important for a psychologist to have a model to build a system just as it is important for

an engineer to have blueprints or contract drawings because one must visualize how a

system works before actually building and integrating it. Understanding a transcendent

experience informs how to develop a more permanent transcendent consciousness. The

present GT study also provides a data-based reference that helps to better evaluate WS

with organizational outcomes in specific contexts. The present theoretical explanation of

how an experience of transcendence is evoked in a law enforcement academy also has

potential for contributing to inter-faith collaboration, as a grounded understanding of the

multi-dimensional human being and how organizations nurtures this enables more

universal, efficient communication. Law enforcement is a specific field that expresses

interest in WS (Charles, 2000; Feemster, 2007; 2009b; Tuck, 2009; Willis, 2010) in order

to develop a career-long spirituality program. Through a theory grounded in data of how

11

experiences of transcendence are evoked, law enforcement can expand the value and

versatility of resources and knowledge already in place. Similarly, the military is

investigating the benefits of, and approaches for nurturing human spirituality (Casey,

2011; Pargament & Sweeney, 2011; Wilcove, Schwerin, & Kline, 2009). The present

theoretical explanation potentially contributes to these efforts, as well.

Definition of Terms

This study found a new, practical understanding of transcendence in the

workplace. The present study grew from the definition of WS stated in the Background of

the Problem, “a framework of organizational values evidenced in the culture that

promotes employee experience of transcendence through the work process, facilitating

their sense of being connected in a way that provides feelings of compassion and joy.”

(Giacalone & Jurkiewicz, 2004, p. 13). The present study wanted to help explain an

experience of transcendence. Through an analysis of frequently cited literature on

transcendence, the following preliminary definition of a transcendent experience was

synthesized: A heightened awareness of values that connects self to others, organization,

society, and all parts of the human ecosystem that sustain life, which motivates behavior

for strengthening these connections and improving the quality of all life. Despite this

preliminary definition, the present study intended to explore what transcendence meant to

the participants and concentrate on how they saw it take place in a law enforcement

academy. The provisional definition of a transcendent experience provided a reference

point for some of the participants, who expressed an understanding and connection to it,

and informed the analysis of the interviews. While revising the provisional definition or

12

establishing a new one was not the focal point, a discussion of new considerations is

presented in Chapter 5.

Assumptions and Limitations

Qualitative research is subjective, which leads to mutual bias between the

researcher and participants (Carr, 1994). Charmaz (2006) explained that a constructivist

grounded theory is built from a shared experience as the researcher synthesizes the

participants’ experience with the researcher’s personal interpretation. The inspiration and

motivation for the present study reflects preconceptions that principles of evoking

transcendence can be found in a law enforcement academy. It was felt that the law

enforcement profession has a deep reverence for human life and an understanding of the

regulations that a society needs to sustain human life. This came from a personal affinity

to read and listen to news stories in which officers expend costly resources in effort to

prevent the death of even dangerous suspects. This understanding connected

interpretations in the present study with the participants’ viewpoints and enabled a

recognition of transcendence in the data. There was an assumption that an academy plays

a key role in an officer’s willing commitment to sacrifice his/her life for the greater

purpose of society’s order and well-being. The provisional definition of a transcendent

experience was used to identify how a law enforcement academy strengthens awareness

of this dedicated commitment. There was a motivation to contribute a perspective that

law enforcement professionals do not already collectively see and explain how

transcendence may have unique qualities in a law enforcement academy.

13

Charmaz (2006) advocated a deliberate open mind. She explained that the GT

method requires a researcher to stay close to the data, and that will minimize interference

of “preconceived notions” (p. 61). Charmaz (2006) consistently emphasized how a

researcher crystalizes data through a transparent comparative process. The possibilities

for interpreting the data and what other vantage points existed were contemplated in the

present study. This contemplation and alternative interpretations were documented to

assist with an objective perspective of the data. Memo-ing also helped to see subjectivity

intertwined with interpretation and freely discuss it. Effort was made to support all

assertions with data. The writing style was conducted in a manner that maintains a

reader’s comprehension of how the data was interpreted through a consistent

demonstration of evidence and reflection on the decision-thought process. Interpretation

in the context of the participants’ viewpoints and the researcher’s subjective

interpretation was maintained to minimize groundless generalizations

The theories that were in mind helped visualize the possibilities of the present

study. As discussed in the theoretical implications, Maslow’s (1971) unfinished discourse

on transcendence was an inspiration. Bandura’s (1977; 1982; 1993; 2001; 2003) social

cognitive theory had seeded a curiosity on the connection between self- efficacy and

collective efficacy and how it might be better understood in terms of transcendence.

Transcendental leadership theory also presented propositions that contributed

considerations in the present study. Newman and Fuqua’s (2006) multi-dimensional

model of an ethical organization was also of interest. However, a belief was held in the

present study that a GT of transcendence without interference of existing explanations

14

would enable a new, authentic perspective that would better benefit the entire field.

Considerations for the impact of these theories on interpretation were documented. This

GT study opens new ways of thinking about transcendence. Again, Charmaz (2006)

promoted a presentation that is consistently supported with data and explains a

researcher’s acknowledgement of a subjective interpretation.

Therefore, an affinity for law enforcement and theories that have impacted

rationale for the study were acknowledged. Furthermore, the current study’s goal for a

theory of transcendence kept data analysis and interpretation focused on the participants’

experiences and not preconceptions. The focus of the present study was on interpreting

how an experience of transcendence is evoked in external/social terms to differentiate

from current studies on internal experiences of spirituality and associations with religion.

The current study guided the identification of an alternative concept of transcendence that

can be considered for both public and private sector organizations. Consistent, objective

reflection on the data and how to explain it as a theory was the main goal. This was a

challenge, but natural consideration of a skeptical audience of both academic researchers

and FBI experts cultivated the GT explanation. All interpretations were supported with

specific extractions of data along with the thought process for determining the most

appropriate interpretation. Hence, reasoning and detailed descriptions were consistent to

keep a focus on the data and to encourage readers to evaluate interpretations. An

emphasis on the fact that the data surfaced from the perspective that law enforcement

academy professionals have of their organizational environment in terms of

transcendence was attended to.

15

Qualitative methods use a relatively small sample that minimizes generalizability

(Carr, 1994). Charmaz (2006) explained that the GT researcher is vulnerable to trying to

attain generalizability which produces an oversimplified theory. Charmaz (2006)

advocated focusing on the context of the data to build a complex theory and avoid

generic statements. It was through an emphasis of situational context of interaction and

the overall context of a law enforcement academy that reminds readers of the limitations

and transfers responsibility to the readers to evaluate the degree of transferability to

another situation. The focus was on putting interpretations in a specific context and

assisting readers to consider how interpretations may differ in other situations. The

limitations are reiterated in Chapter 5.

Nature of the Study

Publications in the field of WS call for alternative/qualitative research approaches

because more detail and greater variety of data are needed (Grant, 2005; Poole, 2009).

The present GT study of how an organization promotes experiences of transcendence

offers a new realm of data that contributes to detecting an intangible phenomenon.

Furthermore, Fry (2003) and Fry et al. (2005) called for more theory development to

improve the evaluation of construct validity in spiritual measurements. The present GT

study offers a new perspective through identifying variables found in the process of

evoking transcendence in the workplace based on evidence and providing a conceptual

framework for understanding the appropriate situational context for the variables’

prominence.

16

It is because of this need for theory that a GT study was selected. Other

qualitative approaches, such as phenomenology and case study, contain their own value,

but did not fit the scope of this study. Phenomenology might deepen understanding of an

individual’s experience of transcendence. However, Giorgi (1997) explained that

phenomenology drives toward the reduction of the bare essentials of an experience. The

current GT study sought to explain an organizational process for evoking experiences of

transcendence. A case study could serve well as a program evaluation (Stake, 1995).

However, the present study did not seek to evaluate a case of WS because objective

qualities are not yet rigorous enough to base an evaluation on. Charmaz’s (2006)

grounded theory approach enabled a dynamic adaptability that the present study required

to construct an understanding of evoking transcendent experiences. Charmaz’s (2006) GT

approach cultivated the state of mind required to produce an understanding of intricate

components and how they interact.

The present GT study proposed to uncover the units in the process of evoking

transcendence and the units’ properties of interaction through a thorough process of data

collection and interpretation. Data collection consisted of 10 open-ended, conversational

interviews with law enforcement academy personnel. Analysis was guided by Charmaz’s

(2006) GT coding, in which categories emerge from the data. She explained that

categories are regularly revised according to additional data. Interpretation was guided in

the direction of formulating a GT. Visual models were developed upon completion of the

analysis and interpretation. The data and GT study process resulted in a theoretical

explanation of evoking transcendence in a law enforcement academy.

17

Organization of the Remainder of the Study

The remainder of this dissertation follows the traditional structure of United

States dissertations. Chapter 2 provides an extensive literature review that provides the

reader with detailed understanding of existing literature and the interpretation and

application of the literature to the current GT study. Namely, the theoretical orientation

and the line of research that led into the present study is evaluated. Chapter 3 provides an

explanation of how the current GT study was aligned with Charmaz’s (2006)

constructivist approach that provided specific details for each step in this study. An

explanation of what a GT is, the purpose for using a GT for the present study, an

overview of the design, the target population and participant selection, data collection,

data analysis, and credibility is covered in Chapter 3. Chapter 4 exhibits the data,

provides an intricate analysis that regularly references interview quotes, and generates an

answer to the central research question. Chapter 5 interprets the answer to the research

question, synthesizes a conclusion, and evaluates the implications of the conclusion that

includes a recap of the limitations of the study and recommendations for further research.

18

CHAPTER 2. LITERATURE REVIEW

Introduction

The topic of this study is how a law enforcement academy evokes transcendent

experiences. This literature review provides a theoretical orientation that describes where

the present study was coming from. Abraham Maslow’s (1971) discourse on

transcendence, Albert Bandura's (2003) concept of the mechanism for spiritual modeling,

transcendental leadership theory (Cardona, 2000; Crossan & Mazutis, 2008; Crossan et

al., 2008; Sanders et al., 2003), and the Caring Organization Model (Fuqua & Newman,

2002; Newman & Fuqua, 2006) are analyzed. The theories are then evaluated in terms of

contribution to the present study and synthesized into an abstract point of reference for

the present study. This chapter reviews both quantitative and qualitative research. Next,

literature that supports the need for a GT study is presented. A critique of previous

research is presented in a manner that continues to justify the present GT study. This

chapter concludes with literature that further explains the nature of a GT study.

Theoretical Orientation

It is the nature of a GT study to not have direct influence from extant theories

(Charmaz, 2006). However, it is important to identify theories that help to explain the

conceptual logic and directions in the present study, acknowledge prior theoretical works,

and position the new GT understanding in relation to other theories (Charmaz, 2006).

Therefore, the present GT study was positioned amongst concepts of transcendence that

are suitable to I/O psychology. This discussion explains Maslow’s (1971) discourse on

transcendence toward a conceptual link to Bandura’s (2003) mechanism of spiritual

19

modeling, transcendental leadership theory (Cardona, 2000; Crossan & Mazutis, 2008;

Crossan et al., 2008; Sanders et al., 2003), and the caring organizational model (Fuqua &

Newman, 2002; Newman & Fuqua, 2006).

Abraham Maslow’s Transcendence

Maslow’s (1971) concept of transcendence was a valuable consideration in this

study. The term transcendence can come across as quite elusive, so it was important to

review how Maslow’s explanation encourages scientific exploration. In The Farther

Reaches of Human Nature, Maslow stated that:

Transcendence refers to the very highest and most inclusive or holistic levels of

human consciousness, behaving and relating, as ends rather than as a means, to

oneself, to significant others, to human beings in general, to other species, to

nature, and to the Cosmos. (p. 279)

In Maslow's (1971) final book publication, The Farther Reaches of Human Nature, he

proposed a higher consciousness beyond self-actualization that consists of creativity and

values, is refined in education, and synergizes a transcender with society. Maslow (1971)

then described being-cognition (b-cognition) as the consciousness, or mentality, which

makes up a transcender. B-cognition was referred to as a “unitive consciousness, i.e., the

fusion of the eternal with the temporal” (Maslow, 1971, p. 258). However, Maslow

(1971) argued that a transcender must also have awareness of the deficiency realm (D-

realm):

The wise, self-actualizing, old adult who knows the whole of the D- realm, the

whole of the world, all its devices, its contentions, authorities, quarrels, and tears,

20

and yet is able to rise above them, and to have the units of consciousness in which

he is able to see to the B-realm. (Maslow, 1971, p. 256)

In this effect, Maslow (1971) made the concept of transcendence more grounded in this

world rather than other-worldly through including the difficult aspects of human

experience. By attaching the concept of transcendence to consciousness, it becomes a

human phenomenon. Maslow (1971) listed 35 aspects of transcendence that leads into his

concise definition of transcendence stated above. He then tied the concept of a

transcender to meta-motivation: "all such people are devoted to some tasks, call,

vocation, beloved work (“outside themselves”)” (Maslow, 1971, p. 301)

It was not the intention of the present GT study to draw on any specific aspects of

Maslow’s (1971) work. His work was valuable to a GT study because it was so extensive

that it had no defined shape that could be visualized. The triangle for the hierarchy of

needs seemed too narrow and enabled a bigger picture that could tie transcendence to a

grounded, common understanding. There was much more to Maslow’s discourse than the

limited hierarchy of needs triangle. Challenges to Maslow’s developments (e.g., Frankl,

1966) obscured his conclusions, but also pointed out that there is a bigger picture that ties

Maslow’s concepts together (Koltko-Rivera, 2006; Pytell, 2006).

Viktor Frankl was a prominent contender of Maslow’s hierarchy of self-

actualization (Pytell, 2006). A notable argument was that Maslow previously left out

consideration of despondency and tribulation of the human experience as a contributor to

self-actualization (Pytell, 2006, p. 500). Frankl (1966) stated that Maslow was

oversimplified in not recognizing the duality of reality and idealism (p. 104). Frankl

21

(1966) believed that “self-transcendence is the essence of existence.” (p. 104). He felt

that to be human implies interconnectivity with others and the environment and self -

transcendence necessarily must include negative experiences. This inspired Maslow

(1971) to reconsider the B-cognition (Pytell, 2006). It appears that Frankl (1966) inspired

the D-realm, in which Maslow began to better ground the concept of transcendence in the

comprehensive human experience. Unfortunately, Maslow died of a heart attack before

he could promote the revision to his proposition and very few scholars have an accurate

understanding of his work (Koltko-Rivera, 2006).

The concept of transcendence was the capstone of Maslow’s work on self-

actualization (Koltko-Rivera, 2006). Misinterpretation of Maslow’s discourse is

widespread in textbooks resulting in the neglect of the bigger scope of transcendence

(Koltko-Rivera, 2006). This neglect has preserved the opportunity for research in a

number of ways to look at more comprehensive approaches: (a) personal and cultural

conceptions of the purpose of life; (b) the motivational underpinnings of altruistic

behavior, social progress, and wisdom; and (c) suicidal terrorism and religious violence;

(d) closer integration of the psychology of religion and spirituality into both personality

and social psychology and (e) a more multi-culturally integrated approach to

psychological theory (Koltko-Rivera, 2006, p. 309). This opportunity for practical

research is shared by the business discipline.

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is found in all organizational behavior (OB)

textbooks’ motivation chapter (O’Connor & Yballe, 2007, p. 739). However, the value in

the hierarchy of needs is often discounted because of business instructors’ failure to see it

22

embedded in a more holistic theory (O’Connor & Yballe, 2007). These authors

constructed a practical application for business student development which they refer to

as “an exercise to inductively construct a roadmap of human nature” (p. 743). The unique

intervention concept supported the purpose of the present study for an inductive approach

for interpreting a complex concept into practical terms and applications.

Self-transcendence is a prominent field of research in transpersonal development,

personality theory and psychiatric genetics, nursing theory, and gerontology (Garcia-

Romeu, 2010). Garcia-Romeu (2010) explained that this work has branched off of

Maslow's discourse and definition of transcendence. Measurements such as Cloninger's

Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI), Reed’s Self Transcendence Scale,

Piedmont’s Spiritual Transcendence Scale, and Levenson’s Adult Self Transcendence

Inventory have all progressed self-transcendence as a measurable transpersonal construct

(Garcia-Romeu, 2010). There are close to 400 studies that utilize the TCI which enables

objective, critical evaluation as different results are compared in different areas of study

such as: lifespan development, cultural comparisons, genetic influence, and molecular

genetics that include identifying neurotransmitters associated with self-transcendence,

spirituality and religion, and psychopathology and drug use (Garcia-Romeu, 2010). For

example, TCI research has raised some questions regarding differences in cultures.

Garcia-Romeu reported that "both depressed and healthy Welsh subjects yielded

significantly lower mean scores of 12.35 on TCI self-transcendence than American

population samples with a mean of 19.2… [though] studies in Spanish and Swedish

populations have not shown significant differences in TCI scores when compared to

23

American populations…" (p. 34). There are also studies that show women scored

significantly higher than males in a normative American population, but males in

"nonpsychiatric Chinese Malaysians" scored higher than women (Garcia-Romeu, 2010,

p. 34). “These results suggest the possibility of substantial cultural, national, and gender

variability in the expression of self-transcendence…” (Garcia-Romeu, 2010, p. 34). This

was of interest to the present study because the results signify that self-transcendence

may/can be interpreted and expressed differently by different types of people, which may

include different industries, such as law enforcement, with specialized people. It appeared

that the majority of self-transcendence research has been conducted in the nursing and

medical industries.

The cultural differences of the TCI compelled questions on what types of

differences there are between the nursing discipline’s approach to researching

transcendence and that of an Industrial and Organizational psychologist’s approach to

researching transcendence in the law enforcement or public safety discipline.

Furthermore, a difference of transcendence between two groups of people supported

looking at how qualities of transcendence compose each of these disciplines. It is

important to progress law enforcement spiritual initiatives through first understanding

how spirituality or transcendence is composed within the law enforcement academy

culture before deciding which measurements would be the most appropriate for

evaluating how well an organization promotes transcendence and how efforts impact its

members. The scope of how an organization promotes transcendence is different than

how the sick, aging, and dying experience self-transcendence. Perhaps if there were more

24

studies about how hospitals promote transcendence amongst employees, there would be a

closer connection. However, the present GT study acknowledged great value in

comparing findings with hypotheses and theories of transcendence, which is followed up

on in Chapter 5.

Transcendental meditation (TM) is also related to Maslow's self-actualization

hierarchy of consciousness (Orme-Johnson, 2000). Orme-Johnson (2000) discussed a

detailed overview of Charles Alexander's research on TM and explained that Alexander

acknowledged that many cultures have described higher levels of human potential that

characterize transcendence:

Perhaps most well-known is Maslow’s work on self-actualization. Maslow found

that the healthiest, most creative and integrated individuals have more frequent

“peak experiences,” “healthiest moments,” “periods of transcendent ecstasy,”

“tremendous intensification of any of the experiences in which there is a loss of

self or transcendence of it” (Alexander et al., 1991). (Orme-Johnson, 2000, p.

200)

While there was not a comprehensive overview of Alexander’s understanding and

research on TM, it is noteworthy to acknowledge the vast field of research that identifies

a transcendent experience as a higher level of consciousness. Specifically, it is relevant

to note that TM practitioners acknowledge Maslow’s psychological description of

transcendent experiences and that Maslow exemplified a different cultural interpretation

than that of ancient Hindu scriptures, namely Maslow (1971) emphasized an

interconnectedness that motivates behavior, rather than an internal sense of

25

interconnectedness. It was important to maintain an open-mind to a law enforcement

academy’s cultural and personal interpretation of what a transcendent experience is and

how it happens in their workplace, despite the provisional definition for a transcendent

experience that was presented in Chapter 1 of this paper. Additional acknowledgment of

research connected to TM is discussed later in this chapter in the Review of Quantitative

Research.

Maslow’s (1971) extensive description of transcendence provided a context for

the present GT study. The present GT study aligned with the goal of grounding the

concept of transcendence as a human experience that can be scientifically observed and

objectively described. Maslow’s definition of transcendence contributed strongly to the

provisional definition stated in Chapter 1. While a GT study is not based on a specific

theory or definition, it must have a premise amongst established research and logical

assumptions (Charmaz, 2006). Maslow’s work contributed the assumptions that

transcendence is a human experience and that a population devoted to work outside self-

interests could inform a practical interpretation of transcendence.

Albert Bandura’s Mechanism of Spiritual Modeling

Albert Bandura’s (2003) extension of his social cognitive theory to a spiritual

context offered assistance with interpretations of the data in the present GT study. An

explanation of the concepts of human agency, self-efficacy, and collective-efficacy

assists readers with understanding Bandura’s (2003) concept of a spiritual mechanism.

Social cognitive theory helps to identify how the spiritual mechanism concept contributes

to recognizing a transcendent experience. The present study was focused on how an

26

experience of transcendence is evoked in a workplace (i.e., a law enforcement academy)

and was not seeking an examination of spirituality and Bandura (2003) offered a dynamic

model that helped detect important details.

Although Bandura (2003) used the term spirituality, his ideas consisted of

interpersonal dynamics that enable a psychological understanding. Specifically, Bandura

(2003) encouraged psychologists to expand their scope of study from an individual's

mind to the interaction between an individual’s mind, interactions with others, and the

social environment. The interpersonal dynamics within social cognitive theory is about

observational and experiential learning for behavioral change (Bandura, 1977). This is a

complex theory with a number of concepts, but it was the intention of the present study to

simply draw on general concepts within social cognitive theory such as human agency,

self-efficacy, and collective efficacy.

Human agency refers to the ability of people to influence the environment and not

just be products of it (Bandura, 2000).

To be an agent is to intentionally make things happen by one’s actions. Agency

embodies the endowments, belief systems, self-regulatory capabilities … The

core features of agency enable people to play a part in their self-development,

adaptation, and self-renewal with changing times. (Bandura, 2001, p. 2)

Bandura (2000) classified human agency into personal, proxy, and collective. Personal

agency refers to an individual’s independent ability to impact the environment, proxy

agency refers to an interdependence when a person seeks another person's help for

expertise and skills to accomplish a goal, and “people’s shared belief in their collective

27

power to produce desired results are a key ingredient of collective agency” (Bandura,

2000, p. 75). Bandura explained that the concept of efficacy refers to a belief in

capability.

Bandura (1977) identified four key sources of self-efficacy beliefs: performance

accomplishments/mastery experiences, vicarious experience/role modeling, verbal

persuasion, and emotional arousal. He explained that through direct, positive experience,

watching and learning from other’s experiences, verbal suggestions, and positive

emotions, that an individual gains a strong faith in the ability to accomplish a goal.

“Social cognitive theory extends the conception of human agency to collective agency.”

(Bandura, 1996, p. 8). Therefore, the same four sources of self-efficacy beliefs are

extended to collective efficacy beliefs. It was this point of extension that was of interest

in the present GT study. A connection to transcendence when one applies personal

agency to collective agency that is associated with efficacy beliefs, was recognized.

Bandura (2003) introduced the idea that social cognitive theory could be applied

to understanding the dynamics of a shared spirituality:

The metacognitive capability to reflect upon oneself, one’s sense of personal

efficacy, and the adequacy of one’s thoughts and actions is another distinctly core

human feature of human agency. Through reflective self-consciousness, people

evaluate their motivation, value commitments, and the meaning of their life

pursuit. It is at this higher level of self-reflectiveness that individuals resolve

conflicts in motivation, examining the meaning of their activities, and order their

priorities. (p. 168)

28

Bandura explained that this self-reflection, value commitment, and search for meaning

are learned similarly to the principles established in social cognitive theory. However, the

concept of a mechanism of spiritual modeling is a proposition and not a formal theory. It

was critical to the present GT study to maintain distance from established ideas whether

formal or not, but it is also valuable to be aware of relevant information.

Bandura’s (1977) social cognitive theory is challenged by control theory

(Vancouver, 2012). Vancouver (2012) contended that Bandura’s theorizing is not formal

because of his natural language approach and his theories lack precision and

transparency, logical consistency, and an ability to identify unanticipated implications.

Furthermore, Vancouver (2012) argued that although Bandura admitted there are

conditions in which self-efficacy beliefs may have a weak or negative impact on

psychosocial functioning, Bandura did not specify these conditions. It was not the

intention of the present GT study to test or evaluate self-efficacy beliefs or social

cognitive theory, but Vancouver contributed an important consideration for specifying

context or the conditions that are present that my inhibit or enhance development of self-

efficacy.

Therefore, it is the lack of specified conditions within Bandura’s (1977/2003)

well-established social cognitive theory that underscores the lack of empirical or data-

based support for the mechanisms of spiritual modeling. In other words, if social

cognitive theory is challenged for not having enough detail, the mechanisms for spiritual

modeling is even weaker because it is based on assumptions within social cognitive

theory and does not have certain conditions that rationalize the transferability of social

29

cognitive theory. The present GT study acknowledged a vague suggestion that

transcendent experiences may be somehow associated with the link between personal

agency/self-efficacy and collective agency/collective efficacy. An important point is that

the present study provides context for assertions in the analysis of the data while

recognizing an association between an individual applying self-agency to collective

efforts. The present study also was inherently limited to the context of a law-enforcement

academy. The results of the present study offers insight on how to specify conditions in

social cognitive theory.

Transcendental Leadership Theory

Transcendental leadership theory was of interest to the present GT study because

it offers consideration of connection between leadership and how a transcendent

experience is evoked in a workplace. This theory was explored through evaluating what

four publications (i.e., Cardona, 2000; Crossan & Mazutis, 2008; Crossan et al. 2008;

Sanders et al., 2003) have proposed for the theory and how the present GT study can

offer new insight for future research that can better solidify the theory in data. The

authors all discussed a connection to spirituality, but fail to provide an examination of

what transcendence means with supporting research. It was valuable to the present study

to consider how the study of leadership might be enhanced through an empirical/data-

based understanding of transcendence in the workplace.

Transcendental leadership theory combines traditional leadership theories into a

multi-dimensional relationship between a leader and his/her collaborators (Cardona,

2000). Cardona (2000) acknowledged the value of transformational leadership theory as

30

well as transactional leadership theory. He conveyed that it is important to not only

leverage an extrinsic reward system, but also an intrinsic award system. Cardona (2000)

proposed that transcendent leadership involves a degree of self-sacrificing self-interest.

He connected self-sacrifice to a characteristic of spirituality. However, he compared self-

sacrifice to Greenleaf’s servant-leader and simply distinguished transcendental leadership

through the transactional and transformational elements and described his rationale for

what it means to be a transcendent leader. He failed to reference research on

transcendence or even Maslow’s (1971) discourse on transcendence. Sanders et al. (2003)

also discussed shortcomings in Cardona’s proposition.

Sanders et al. (2003) also connected transcendental leadership theory to

transactional and transformational leadership theories. The authors posited that Cardona

(2000) was barely touching on a spiritual aspect of leadership. Sanders et al. (2003)

explained that transcendental leadership entails a multi-dimensional aspect of

consciousness, moral character, and faith. Additionally, Sanders et al. (2003) encouraged

considering the integration of current leadership theories to meet the needs of spirituality

in today’s ever-changing organizations. The authors admitted the theory “remains to be

empirically tested in a variety of social and organizational environments” (p. 30). It was

the intent of the present GT study to establish some common understanding through a

data-based theory that can enable empirical testing. Furthermore, the present study sought

to avoid the term spirituality in the data analysis, to better focus on the phenomenon of

transcendence.

31

Crossan et al. (2008) introduced systems thinking into the concept of

transcendental leadership theory. The authors also did not acknowledge Maslow's (1971)

work on transcendence and instead focused on a literature review of works such as

Cardona (2000) to base a philosophy of transcendent leadership on. The authors

expanded on the idea of transcendent leadership through proposing that a leader

establishes a fluid relationship with collaborators and the organization. Crossan et al.

(2008) identified transcendent leadership as leadership of self, others, and the

organization. Leadership of self refers to “the person of the leader is the agent of change”

(Crossan et al., p. 575) and requires “a heightened level of self-awareness and deep

judgment” (Crossan et al., 2008, p. 576). The transcendental leader regularly reflects on

character strengths and values which enable the leading of others (Crossan et al., 2008).

Leadership of the organization is described by Crossan et al. (2008) as an alignment

between environment, strategy, and organization. This idea of leadership was of value to

the present GT study because the concept depicts an individual’s relational dynamics that

surpass self-benefitting motivations. Crossan et al. (2008) referred to “leading within and

across levels” (p. 576). However, Crossan et al. (2008) simply offered a literature review

with a number of propositions and do not identify how the core concept of a transcendent

experience can be grounded in data. The general idea of how one extends self to

interconnect capability and potential with others is what related transcendental leadership

theory to the present GT study. Furthermore, it was of interest to understand the multi-

dynamics of how an organization impacts individuals along with how individuals impact

an organization begins to create a complex theory. The aspect of systems-thinking

32

connects to Maslow’s (1971) and Bandura’s (1971/2003) ideas through acknowledging a

dynamic that includes the environment or situation which goes beyond a simple intra-

personal or interpersonal dynamic. Systems thinking in relation to understanding a

transcendent experience offered additional considerations for group to group and group to

organizational dynamics in the present study. At the same time, it was acknowledged that

Crossan et al. (2008) did not base their proposed theory on data. Instead, they rationalized

from other leadership theories rather than examining the phenomenon of transcendent

experience in formal research.

Crossan and Mazutis (2008) presented an analysis of interviews with leaders in

different industries to help support propositions of transcendental leadership theory.

Unfortunately, the article was not formal research and their concept of transcendent

leadership theory was based on conjecture. Crossan and Mazutis (2008) built on Crossan

et al.’s (2008) discussion of transcendent leadership. The authors applied examples of

how the leaders practice leadership of self, others, and organization in a rapidly changing

environments. While the authors referred to a number of self-enhancement and leadership

theories, the concept of transcendence was not examined. The authors discussed

transformational leadership, transactional leadership, strategic leadership, and spiritual

leadership and proposed that transcendent leadership is an integration of each of these. A

valuable emphasis was on leadership of self that involves deep contemplation and the

authors proposed that it is a strong leadership of self that enhances dynamic capabilities

for leadership of others and organization in turbulent environments. A connection was

made to Bandura’s (2003) metacognitive capability in the present study. The present GT

33

study found value in seeking alternative terms for similar concepts (e.g., self-awareness,

contemplation, introspection etc.) and focused on how self-awareness extends to

connecting with others in various situations.

Each of the referenced publications for transcendental leadership theory (Cardona,

2000; Crossan & Mazutis, 2008; Crossan et al., 2008; Sanders et al., 2003) presented

thought-provoking ideas, but did not have any direct research related to the theory.

Instead they borrowed from other leadership theories to philosophize a new concept.

Dubin (1969) labeled this technique as a “philosopher science” which is contrary to “a

scientist science” (p. 5). These business and leadership publications discussed

transcendent leadership as the next dimension of leadership theory that integrates science

and spirituality. However, it is important to understand what a transcendent experience is

and how it is physically evident first. Sanders et al. (2003) acknowledged that

transcendent leadership theory needs research. A theory must be based in data otherwise

it is conjecture (Dubin, 1969; Fry, 2003; Glaser, 2002). Therefore, the present GT study

appreciated the concept of transcendental leadership and was interested in how leadership

might be connected to how a transcendent experience is evoked. The current non-

empirical state of transcendental leadership theory was conducive to the present GT study

because it offered relevant ideas without presenting a rigorous framework that would

influence the interpretation of data.

The Caring Organization Model

The caring organization model (Fuqua & Newman, 2002) was relevant and of

interest to the present GT study because it elaborated on ethics, values, and systems

34

theory through a focus on human systems. This encouraged the industrial/organizational

psychology viewpoint in organizational analysis. It is important to consider an

organization as full of life where the culture reflects the spirit or personality of the

organization. Fuqua and Newman (2002) offered a viewpoint that depicts a fluid

relationship between the people who make up an organization and the organization's

character. The authors proposed an extension of Bandura’s social cognitive theory to an

emphasis on how “social systems are essentially under human control” (p. 132). Fuqua

and Newman proposed that organizations have the potential to value quality-of-life

enhancement and this “ought to be the foundation of consulting psychology” (p. 134). It

is the value for quality-of-life enhancement that connected the work of these authors to

the present GT study, as well as accentuating how consulting psychology is positioned to

understand this motivation and how organizations cultivate it. It was also important to see

how a single leader is not an organization's culture. Organizations consist of many

leaders and organizational practices are developed to synchronize with workforce

potential.

Fuqua and Newman (2002) contributed a perspective of consulting psychology on

understanding what a caring organization is: “We use the term caring organization to

refer to systems where personal concern about the welfare of others and self is the norm.”

(p. 134). The authors explained the elements of a caring organization that they have

identified are fairly simple to understand, yet the challenge is within practice. Fuqua and

Newman (2002) described the following characteristics: gratitude, forgiveness,

encouragement, sensitivity, compassion, community, tolerance, inclusion, and charity.

35

The authors then explained that the historical management model focuses on productivity

with profit and traditional organizational development models rather than quality-of-life

programs that can enhance productivity:

The Enlightened view is that the distinction between quality of life and

productivity is a fallacy. Productivity and quality of life characteristics are

integrally and inextricably related in the structure and people that comprise the

organization. Effective organizations have learned to integrate these conceptual

models into a more realistic systemic view. (p. 138)

Unfortunately, Fuqua and Newman (2002) did not provide examples of effective

organizations that integrate the conceptual models. However, the concept is inspirational

to consider when contextualizing the present GT within a law enforcement academy, as

the profession is nonprofit and in the public sector with the sole purpose to protect and

enhance the quality-of-life of communities. The authors explained that the list of caring

characteristics is non-exhaustive. It can be of value to look at a caring organization to

identify key categories that nurture a caring culture that can offer a more finite model.

Newman and Fuqua (2006) expanded their ideas through presenting a model for

moral integration within organizational structure. The authors proposed four

dimensions/sub-systems within an organizational process: Purposive (vision, mission,

priorities, goals, and objectives), Psychosocial (skills, abilities, values, knowledge, and

motivation), Operational (communication, roles, norms, power, and authority), and

Methodological (technology, methods, procedures, materials, production) (p. 209). This

GT study of how an organization evokes experiences of transcendence intended to

36

surface a different model to be considered, greater depth of understanding how the units

interact within each dimension, and how the units connect the dimensions/sub-systems in

the dynamics of organizational culture. The present GT study also proposed a more

complex model to view how units are organized and/or could be constructed. For

instance, the unit of values might be present in each dimension. Newman and Fuqua

(2006) explained that the model was created over years of consulting psychology

experience. However, the authors did not describe a methodological approach to

constructing the model that they presented. The present study assists with deeper

evaluations on the multi-dimensional composition of organizations and provides

information on how a model is constructed from data.

Summary of Theoretical Orientation

As discussed in the theoretical orientation, Maslow (1971) proposed

interconnectivity between self, others, organization, and society that is associated with a

selfless motivation. Maslow (1971) elaborated on this in a proposition of a transcender,

one who can reach a communal or unitive consciousness that puts the welfare of society

first. Bandura (2003) suggested that principles of social cognitive theory can help to

inform the process of spiritual development. Social cognitive theory offered insight on

how self-efficacy beliefs bridge with others in collective-efficacy beliefs (Bandura,

2003). Transcendental leadership theory (Cardona, 2000; Crossan & Mazutis, 2008;

Crossan et al., 2008; Sanders et al., 2003) also discussed the bridging of consciousness

between a leader, others, organization, and society. In the context of a leader, there are

connections to Bandura’s (1982) human agency, or deliberate use of human potential.

37

The caring organizational model offered additional support for the consideration of

Bandura's (1997) contributions to understanding “the relationship of people to systems”

(Fuqua & Newman, 2002, p. 131). Each of these concepts and theories offered insight to

the present study. However, the concepts and theories did not have direct influence on the

construction of the present study’s results. A priority was given to the participants’

responses.

Review of Previous Research

The review of research was focused in the field of WS because the primary

inspiration for the present study was the call for building a spiritual framework for law

enforcement officers (Charles, 2000; Feemster, 2007; 2009b; Tuck, 2009; Willis, 2010).

Searches were conducted in ProQuest (7 Databases: ABI/INFORM Global,

Dissertations/Theses, MEDLINE, Criminal Justice Periodicals, Education Journals,

Medical Library, Psychology Journals), EBSCO (6 databases: Academic Search Premier,

Business Source Complete, Eric, PsycArticles, PsycInfo, SocIndex), Science Direct, and

the Qualitative Report. An abstract search with the terms “spirit*” OR “transcend*” And

workplace OR organization* was conducted. These terms were first searched

independently, then they were searched along with terms for quantitative research such as

“correlation OR ANOVA OR MANOVA OR regression OR chi square OR linear

equation”, and then with terms for qualitative research such as “grounded theory OR

phenomenology OR qualitative OR narrative”. The peer-reviewed articles that populated

in the database were evaluated for relevancy, current date, and number of citations. This

led to exploring articles that were referenced in the articles, as well. This section

38

elaborates on the cited research in Chapter 1. Current trends for research in the field of

WS was explored in a manner that finds a unique position for the present study.

Review of Quantitative Research

The current study intended to focus on evoking experiences of transcendence to

offer new considerations of approaches for building theory in the field of WS. One of the

most recent research studies conducted in WS is Fry et al.’s (2011) Impact of Spiritual

Leadership on Unit Performance. Spiritual leadership was investigated at a military

academy with the aid of Spiritual Leadership Questionnaire, Spiritual Well-Being Scale,

an adapted version of the Measure of Effective Organizational Commitment, a group

productivity scale, and the military academy standard periodic performance rating

system. Spiritual leadership is based on a model produced by Fry et al. (2005) that

identified spiritual leadership as being composed of vision, hope/faith, altruistic love,

spiritual well-being, calling, and membership. The study’s hypotheses were:

1. Spiritual leadership positively predicts calling.

2. Spiritual leadership positively predicts membership.

3. The positive relationship between spiritual leadership and organizational

commitment and performance is fully mediated by calling/meaning and

membership.

Each of the hypotheses were supported by the data. The study focused on evaluating

spiritual leadership and organizational commitment. The authors contended that spiritual

leadership has a “practical importance of establishing membership in groups” (Fry et al.,

2005, p. 267). The authors explained that this study would have been stronger if it had a

39

larger sample that could utilize alternative leadership theories as a control. This brought

attention to how the authors work was focused on supporting the spiritual leadership

model and not examining alternatives. The components of spiritual leadership, such as

altruistic love are explained in Fry (2003). “A term often used synonymously with

charity, altruistic love, and the values comprising it is manifested through unconditional,

unselfish, loyal, and benevolent care, concern, and appreciation for both self and others.”

(Fry, 2003, p. 712). This surfaced questions on why the term altruistic love is used

instead of charity and opens consideration about how subjective or context-based the

components of spiritual leadership are. While the study offered insight, the present GT

study found scientific value in avoiding an analysis of spirituality as a phenomenon. As

explained in Chapter 1, spirituality has religious and otherworldly connotations. The

present study found value in focusing on the human conscious experience of

transcendence and behaviors that manifest it. In addition, the scope of the present study

was not limited to the concept of leadership to better understand the broader scope of

human interconnectivity with the world.

Fry et al. (2005) conducted a longitudinal study on a “newly formed Apache

Longbow helicopter attack squadron of Army soldiers at Fort Hood, Texas” before and

after boot training (p. 841). The researchers described the US Army squadron as a

secular, but spiritual group to study. A total of 181 individuals were surveyed. The

Spiritual Leadership Theory (SLT) Questionnaire was developed through the proposed

SLT. The authors performed structural equation modeling (SEM) based on the results of

questionnaire to test the SLT causal model. “A multiple regression analysis was

40

performed on altruistic love with hope/faith and vision as predictors. The beta weight for

the vision to altruistic love path was .77. This value was then used to gain model

identification.” (Fry et al, 2005, p. 845). The before and after SLT questionnaire scores

were compared to offer insight on how the boot training might be enhanced to better

develop spiritual leadership characteristics in the Army soldiers:

Results from the Final Longbow study revealed that the mean levels for vision,

altruistic love, hope/faith, and membership all significantly declined… While the

soldiers in the final survey reported moderately high levels of meaning/calling

(60% to 80%), the most problematic areas are the moderate percentage of agree

results (40% to 60%) for vision, hope/faith, and membership, to moderately low

(20% to 40%) percentage agreement for altruistic love, organizational

commitment, and productivity. (Fry et al., 2005, p. 850)

Fry et al.’s (2005) study on SLT was progress in a field that needs theory. The

authors were primarily concerned with testing the SLT model. However, the constructs

were based on a predominantly deductive process that pulled variables from literature and

not primarily through data. Fry (2003) explained that existing theories of spirituality are

too subjective. He and his team put in a lot of effort into building a model and testing it,

but it is still questionable how subjective a deductive process is and how authentic the

variables within SLT are. It is important to establish a context rather than aiming for a

generalization of principles. A deductive process can continue to cycle the same

information rather than producing fresh perspective grounded in data from a specific

context. Fry et al. (2005) did seek data to test the model in the details of how the

41

constructs interact and this provided a complex model that draws many scientific

considerations. The present GT study contributes new insight for a different approach for

initiating a theoretical model, as the constructs were derived from a thematic analysis of

interviews rather than an analysis of existing literature. The present study aimed for

complexity similar to Fry et al.’s (2005) SLT model.

Another recent study in WS (Kolodinsky et al., 2008) evaluated workers’

perception of organizational spirituality and outcomes such as job involvement,

organizational identification, and work rewards satisfaction. This was a complex study

that utilized 5 different samples of graduate students who were full-time workers and

measurement instruments varied between the sample groups to increase construct

validity. Amongst many details between each analysis, the study found that

“organizational spirituality was positively related to job involvement, organizational

identification, and rewards satisfaction, and negatively associated with organizational

frustration.” (Kolodinsky et al., 2008, p. 475). It is valuable to have results indicate

positive outcomes of organizational spirituality because it leads researchers toward

investigating further details of each of the variables. Specifically, Kolodinsky et al.,

(2008) contributed to a purpose for identifying what organization spirituality may consist

of in unique contexts. For example, a researcher may want to analyze the phrase

‘spiritual values’. While the concept of spiritual values is delineated and supported with

literature, it could be argued that any human value could be considered spiritual if

humans are spiritual beings. Why the study considered some values spiritual while others

are not, is questioned. Perhaps spiritual values are better contextualized in an

42

organization’s culture in terms of core values. This contributed to identifying scientific

challenges for researching spirituality. It was important to the present study to focus on

how a transcendent experience is evoked to establish a new scientific model.

Reave (2005) presented a table-chart that consists of 150 publications according

to rows of leadership spiritual values and practices and columns of outcomes related to

followers, groups, and leader. The works cited span between 1970s and 2003, many are

referenced from books, a substantial amount are literature reviews, and some are meta-

analyses. She began with distinguishing between spirituality and religion and she also

worked with the definition for WS provided by Giacalone and Jurkiewicz (2004). One

meta-analysis (Dirks & Ferrin, 2002) cited by Reave included 106 studies (27,103

individuals) on correlations between leadership trust and organizational citizenship

behaviors (OCB) (i.e., altruism, civic virtue, conscientiousness, courtesy, and

sportsmanship) and leadership trust with job satisfaction and organizational commitment.

The results indicated that the highest correlations were between trust and job satisfaction

and between trust and organizational commitment.

Another study cited by Reave (2005) examined negative communication

experiences with work associates, utilizing a self-developed likert-scale with a factor

analysis and a cluster analysis. Harden-Fritz (2002) wanted to distinguish between

troublesome attributes of bosses, subordinates, and peers. This particular study was of

interest because it yielded descriptors, or typology, for each status level. The study

looked for the antithesis to spiritual values and utilized a 360° approach. Harden-Fritz

(2002) presented a table that compared the factors amongst the status levels. “Almost

43

identical across the three status levels for the following factors: sexual harassment,

distracting, unprofessional focus of attention, being different from the respondent, and

defensiveness” (p. 417). The author presented six clusters for the troublesome boss, eight

clusters for the negative peer, and five clusters for the negative subordinate. “The study’s

results contribute to the literature on impression formation by highlighting the influence

of status level on perceived dimensions and types of troublesome others and by indicating

salient characteristics of others that contribute to negative impressions” (p. 429). Harden-

Fritz (2002) inspired a different perspective for studying the dynamics of spiritual values

through looking at troublesome attributes. While the present study was not looking for

variables that appear to contradict with transcendent experiences, Harden-Fritz (2002)

illuminated how acknowledging opposite situations can help to better contextualize what

a researcher is trying to explain. Reave (2005) classified this study on her table with

leadership integrity with the outcome of follower satisfaction. This indicated that

employees have a connection to leadership values. While this was nothing new, it

inspired the present study to understand the connection of values in greater detail. A

discussion of values was present in most WS research and it was anticipated that values

would be a prominent theme in the present GT study.

Reave’s (2005) compilation demonstrated how much of WS research is based on

relationships between practices, values, motivation, satisfaction, and performance

outcomes. There was great value in Reave’s (2005) work because an amateur researcher

could gain an overview for certain trends in studying WS and how future research could

branch into different directions. In addition, Reave’s (2005) compilation validated the

44

popular interest in WS. However, there was a gap between the Giacalone and Jurkiewicz

(2004) definition of WS cited by Reave (2005), which included the constructs of culture

and an experience of transcendence, and the works presented. Readers could assume that

values, motivation, and satisfaction together may equal an experience of transcendence,

but the present study sought a more complex concept of a transcendent experience and its

relation to organizational culture. In addition, it was of interest to the present study to

understand the role of values in more detail. This exemplified Reave’s (2005) description

of WS as “scattered in different streams” (p. 681). In summation, it appeared that the

majority of studies within the field of WS were focused on leadership values and

organizational outcomes and leadership could be looked at as an individual or a team, but

did not necessarily include organizational culture. Constructs like leadership values and

practices, organizational commitment, and job satisfaction need to be understood in

relation to organizational culture and to an experience of transcendence to connect

research within WS.

Another trend in WS was evaluating religiosity with job satisfaction and

organizational commitment (e.g., Abott et al., 2005; Brooke & Parker, 2009; Brown &

Sargeant, 2007; Kutcher et al., 2010; Schroder, 2008). While this could provide insight

for religious practices, it polarizes the field of WS with the body of research filled with

religious connotations against those studies that are secular. The current study isolated

transcendence as a form of spirituality that is separate from organized religion to avoid

objections related to religion and the Constitution’s 1st Amendment. It is critical for

research in the public sector, such as in a law enforcement academy, to progress toward

45

secular contexts of psycho-spirituality (King, 2007; McConkie, 2008; Schley, 2008). It is

also important to note that general religiosity is connected to job satisfaction and

organizational commitment because a single religion is not necessarily pointed out when

reviewing all of the studies. It could be possible to have a psychological analysis of

various religious characteristics to identify a more universal, humanistic behavior that is

associated with similar outcomes. However, that was not the objective of the present

study.

Transcendental Meditation (TM) contains an extensive field of research (Heaton

et al., 2004; Orme-Johnson, 2000). It has been connected with stress reduction, lower

blood pressure, psychological well-being, vitality, job satisfaction, and positive

relationships (Broome, Orme-Johnson, & Schmidt-Wilk, 2005). It is also associated with

health, happiness, wisdom, success, and fulfillment (Heaton et al., 2004). Broome et al.

(2005) conducted a study at a South African firm that compared the TM technique with

Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) and on-site and off-site control groups:

Variables included psychological stress symptoms, i.e., participants' self-reported

incidents of nervousness, irritability, headaches, etc., using a standardized

inventory (the stress symptoms checklist questionnaire, SCL – 90 – R,). It also

measured blood pressure and heart rate, as objective physiological stress

parameters. (Broome et al., 2005, p. 239)

A pretest revealed there were no significant differences between the TM and PMR

groups. The study found that TM was “effective within the first six weeks of

implementation” (Broome et al., 2005, p. 253). In addition, TM “produce[d] greater

46

reductions in stress than PMR.” (Broome et al., 2005, p. 253). In addition, blood pressure

decreased significantly for TM and did not in the PMR or control groups. Broom et al.’s

(2005) study suggested that a transcendent consciousness will significantly increase

cardiovascular health.

In contrast, Schoormans & Nyklicek (2011) conducted a study that compared

mindfulness meditation (MM) and TM. The authors identified MM “as a receptive type

of meditation, during which all internal and external stimuli are observed in an open,

accepting, and nonjudgmental manner” (Schoormans & Nyklicek, 2011, p. 630). The

authors acknowledged that TM was classified differently depending on one's point of

view. However, they explained that TM “involves repetition of a mantra, is said to be

marked by the absence of both a focus and individual control, making it a distinct

category” (Schoormans & Nyklicek, 2011, p. 630). Schoormans & Nyklicek (2011)

measured psychological well-being with the Global Mood Scale (GMS), the Perceived

Stress Scale (PSS), and the World Health Organization Quality-of-Life Questionnaire-

Brief version (WHOQOL-BREF) between a southern Netherland’s TM meditation center

and “a meditation more explicitly focusing on mindfulness (vipassana and Zen).”

(Schoormans & Nyklicek, 2011, p. 630). The researchers also used the “Mindful

Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) and the Observe and Accept without Judgment

Subscales of the Kentucky Inventory of Mindfulness” (Schoormans & Nyklicek, 2011, p.

631) to measure mindfulness skills. The researchers did not find a significant difference

in mindfulness skills between the two meditation groups (F (3, 43) = 1.56, p> 0.10).

“Only the number of days per week meditating showed a significant positive association

47

with mindfulness skills.” (Schoormans & Nyklicek, 2011, p. 632). Schoormans &

Nyklicek (2011) also did not find a significant difference between type of meditation and

well-being (F (7, 43) =1.05, p> 0.10). Therefore, Schoormans & Nyklicek (2011)

suggested that various types of meditation may achieve similar results in mindfulness and

well-being.

Research on TM is bountiful (Heaton et al., 2004; Orme-Johnson, 2000).

However, there are a number of challenges for studying TM. TM requires a specialized

training based on the teachings of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi’s Vedic Psychology (Orme-

Johnson, 2000). Maharishi’s Vedic psychology surfaces from Maharishi’s extensive

study of ancient Hindu scriptures and the connection he made to developmental

psychology and principles of different levels of consciousness, such as Maslow’s model

of self-actualization (Orme-Johnson, 2000). A researcher would need to be well-versed in

Vedic Scripture and Maharishi’s interpretation, to be certified in TM, and to be immersed

in the TM research field. While the TM research field surfaces fascinating findings, other

researchers such as Schoormans & Nyklicek (2011) opened consideration toward other

religious meditation practices that might even include Judeo-Christian and Islamic prayer

as being equally effective for decreasing stress, increasing health, and elevating

happiness. The present study explicitly refrained from any religious frameworks.

However, the line of research on TM is scientific because it contains both quantitative

and qualitative research that surfaced variables from a group of people with a specific

practice that informed increasingly accurate forms of measurement (Heaton et al., 2004).

In addition, it generally holds that specific groups’ or cultures’ concept of a transcendent

48

experience can lead to intervention/applications that help individuals to increase the

frequency of transcendent experience to the point of a sustained consciousness (Heaton et

al., 2004). Therefore, the present study was supported by these general principles that

suggest a law enforcement academy can define its own construct of what a transcendent

experience is and can produce the variables needed to formulate regular practice of these

experiences and how to best measure the effectiveness. Heaton et al. (2004) also inspired

ways for measuring customized practices in business settings and ultimately societal

change. The present study informs the construction of a program framework and specific

exercises that achieve similar results for the law enforcement profession.

The remaining review is that of Hood et al.’s (2001) examination of the three factor

structure of Hood’s Mysticism Scale. The authors explained a philosophical debate

within religious spiritual studies in which one side believes that “all experience is

interpreted” and the other side of the debate believes there is a unifying core of

experience within human beings of all faiths that is independent of socio-cultural and

language influence (Hood, et al., 2001, pp. 691-692). The unifying/innate experience is

referred to as introvertive mysticism. Hood et al. (2001) explained that extrovertive

mysticism "is one in which the self reaches a unity with the multiplicity of objects in the

universe" (p. 692). The authors explained that the third factor is based on unique

interpretation of a mystical experience. The authors set out to confirm the introvertive

mysticism factor through including an interpretation factor to better isolate introverted

mysticism. The authors used both a religious termed three factor scale and a nonreligious

termed three factor scale to perform a confirmatory factor analysis. "Both three factor

49

models successfully described self-reported mystical experience." (p. 695). The results

were interpreted as strongly suggestive of the existence of the introvertive mystical

factor. The authors then proceeded to compare a group of Muslim Iranian university

students to a group of Christian American students to measure the similarities of mystical

experiences and mental health implications.

Use of the scale in comparing the Muslim and the largely Christian samples

uncovered commonalities and relationships with religious variables and cross-

cultural similarities and differences in linkages with mental health. These data,

therefore, suggested that the mysticism scale might be widely useful for

investigating the psychology of diverse religious traditions (Holm 1982). (Hood et

al., 2001, p. 703).

Hood et al.’s (2001) approach and findings are plausible and deserve careful

thought. The Mysticism Scale is widely used (Hood et al., 2001). However, the premise

of setting out to prove an independent cognitive factor of mystical experiences inherently

negates the premise of the present study that is philosophically oriented in

constructivism. A GT study is based on the premise that people construct selves, society,

and reality through interaction (Charmaz, 2006). The premise of the introvertive

mysticism factor was based on the inability to communicate or explain an experience. For

example, the Hood Mysticism Scale is a true/false response to an item such as "I have

had an experience that is impossible to communicate." (Hood et al., 2001) p. 693). The

authors referred to this as ineffability and rationalize that this represents introvertive

mysticism. The inability to communicate an experience does not make it cognitively

innate. For example, a victim of sexual assault may not be able to communicate the

experience, but that does not make the experience free of socio-cultural influence.

Likewise, law enforcement officials may experience transcendent moments but have

50

never been given the chance to try and articulate it, as a focus of the job is to document

negative occurrences. That does not infer it is innate. Psychologists help people to

describe experiences that are thought to not be able to communicate. There are other

questionable items on the mysticism scale such as, "I have had an experience in which all

things seemed to be conscious."(p. 693). Particularly due to the true/false structure of the

scale, this is an item that could be interpreted in many ways. It is possible that a clinical

psychologist may see it as delusional if the participant felt a computer is conscious.

Furthermore, the seeming majority population that is studied with the mysticism scale has

a religious background and may answer true to such questions that ask about an

experience in which all things seem to be conscious because the participant wants to

boast a spiritual superiority without thinking it through. Therefore, while the Hood

Mysticism Scale three factor confirmation studies compelled careful consideration, the

present GT study was motivated from a constructivist point of view to construct an

understanding of how an organization produces what the organization considers a

transcendent experience. The present study sought to be independent of religious

associations and instead wanted to focus more on the humanistic, social cognitive

dynamics that produce an interconnectedness and motivation for sustaining it.

Review of Qualitative Research

Qualitative research in the field of WS is very scarce. The majority of results

based on the database search described were dissertations. However, a frequently cited

study is Milliman, Ferguson, Trickett, and Condemi’s (1999) Spirit and Community at

Southwest Airlines: An Investigation of a Spiritual Values-based Model. The authors

51

examined literature on Southwest Airlines (SWA) through a case-study to create a theory

of how spirituality “is actually manifested throughout all areas of an organization” based

on a value-based management model (Milliman et al., 1999, p. 222). The value model

depicted a cycle that contains organizational spiritual values, business and employee

plans and goals, human resource management (HRM) practice to reinforce plans and

values, and organizational performance and employee attitudes and spirituality outcomes.

Among SWT values were a strong sense of community that prioritizes employees over

customers, a sense of being part of a cause, empowerment, and emotional and humor

aspects (Milliman et al., 1999). SWA’s business plan balanced cost reduction with

personable service, intrinsic rewards, and an atmosphere characterized as fun and

humorous (Milliman et al., 1999). SWA’s HRM practices included testing for humor and

friendliness in the hire phase, spontaneous celebrations, and a variety of financial and

non-financial rewards (Milliman et al., 1999). The researchers list a number of outcomes

such as low turnover rates, quality awards, and profitability. In conclusion, the

researchers proposed:

1. Company spiritual values that tap both the mental and emotional aspects of

employees will be more positively related to employee work and spiritual

attitudes and organizational performance than company values which only tap the

mental aspect of employees.

2. The degree to which employees are truly empowered to have input into

company decision moderates a linkage from organizational spiritual values to

employee attitudes and organizational performance. Specifically, firms that highly

52

empower their employees will experience stronger positive linkage of the

company’s spiritual values, employee work and spiritual attitudes, and

organizational performance.

3. The degree to which the company’s HR and practices are aligned with the

company's spiritual values moderates the linkage of the company spiritual values

to employee attitudes and organizational form. Specifically, firms that highly

align HRM practices with the company’s core values will experience a stronger

positive linkage of the company’s spiritual values, employee work and spiritual

attitudes, and organizational performance. (p.231)

While the study suggested some interesting propositions, there were some

shortcomings with Milliman et al.’s (1999) study. The SWA study did not involve

interviews and appeared to be more of a document analysis methodology. It seemed there

could be more depth with first-hand accounts of a spiritual culture. Also, the SWA study

did not have explicit documentation of the procedures. The authors provided an

interesting report on Southwest practices and related the practices to a spiritual culture,

but the study was limited in its ability to both substantiate the concept of spiritual values

as well as provide a credible generalization for organization spirituality. For example, the

authors’ state:

We selected Southwest airlines (SWA) for our case study because it appears to

have a strong sense of spiritual-based values guiding its organizational goals and

practices. In addition, the company has an established track record of excellent

53

organizational performance as well as high employee and customer satisfaction.

(Milliman et al., 1999, p. 222)

Unfortunately, the authors do not provide further detail on why SWA values are

classified as spiritual. Readers may question if the word spiritual could be interchanged

with humanistic. Again, the present GT study sought to avoid the complexity of

spirituality or spiritual values and rather focus on how an organization evokes

transcendent experiences in terms of establishing a fluid interconnectivity of values and

performance. In addition, the present study acknowledged value in examining a nonprofit

or public sector organization to minimize the impact of monetary incentives and profit

measurements. Maslow (1971) referred to non-monetary motivation as ‘meta-

motivation’, a core characteristic of transcenders. This again connected to the practical

implication for developing a model that is conducive to building interventions that

promote transcendent experiences in the public sector, which is not profit-based.

Neal (2000) discussed a qualitative analysis of interviews, but did not utilize a

specific qualitative method. The author investigated the perspectives of individuals who

connect their work with service to the Divine. Neal did not offer details on how her

participants were selected, though she interviewed the participants regarding spiritual

perspectives toward work. This surfaced themes of work as prayer, service to others, ego

and selflessness, and making a difference (Neal).

Four key spiritual practices emerge that help them to maintain an attitude of

service: (a) being in nature, (b) meditation, (c) journaling, and (d) reading

54

spiritual literature. Most people try to do one or more of these practices on a daily

basis. (p. 1330)

While the study did provide qualitative insight on spirituality, looking at individuals’

perspectives through their own spiritual lens is a different scope of research than looking

at how an organization evokes a transcendent experience for employees. Spirituality can

contain attachments to otherworldly phenomenon. Furthermore, Neal had a notable

emphasis on prayer and meditation, which some may see as too close to a religious-

practice context, versus looking at the presence of an organization's motto, vision, goal or

psychological self-affirmations and how that impacts individuals.

Lips-Wiersma (2003) focused on what meaning-making is through an analysis of

interviews with individuals from various religious backgrounds. The concept of meaning

making was frequently discussed in WS literature (e.g., Fry, 2003; 2009; Pawar, 2009b;

Poole, 2009; Reave, 2005). The psycho-biographical study was notable because it

integrated the perspective of different religious faiths and it worked toward grounding a

specific construct, meaning-making. The author felt that it is important to explore

meaning-making in depth because it has been assumed to be understood in WS literature.

Lips-Wiersma developed a compass diagram that depicts self-orientation (developing and

becoming self and expressing self), other orientation (unity with others and sharing with

others), being, and doing. The study provided an interesting interpretation because it

attempted to find universal constructs between different religions. This moved toward

greater objectivity. It also touched on the interconnection of self and others and

55

meaningful behavior. Nonetheless, it surfaced from the scope of religious faiths and

appeared somewhat simplistic in interpretation.

The Call for a Grounded Theory

The present GT study focused on advancing the understanding of how an

experience of transcendence is evoked. The experience of transcendence is a core concept

within Giacalone and Jurkiewicz’s (2004) frequently cited definition of WS. Despite the

frequent use of the term transcendence in WS literature (e.g., Cardona, 2000; Crossan &

Mazutis, 2008; Crossan et al., 2008; Pawar, 2009; Poole, 2009; Reave, 2005; Sanders et

al., 2003; Schley, 2008), none of these authors referenced a theory of transcendence in

the workplace that offered a scientific common ground of understanding. Through

answering: What is a law enforcement academy’s process for evoking transcendent

experiences?, a GT explanation was developed to better unite an understanding of this

process. This section discusses how a GT study contributes to WS through a review of

literature that expresses a need for more theory and qualitative research. Then, the

purpose of a GT study is explained so that the choice for a GT study can be justified

through the research question.

The Need for Theory in WS

A stronger focus on theory building is needed in the field of WS (Fry, 2003; Fry

et al., 2005; Giacalone & Jurkiewicz, 2004; Moore & Casper, 2006; Reave, 2005).

Spirituality is a subjective concept, which creates challenges for reaching an agreement

between many people on how to define it or contextualize it (Fry, 2003; Giacalone &

Jurkiewicz, 2010; Hayden & Barbuto, 2011; Pawar, 2009a; Reave, 2008). Moore and

56

Casper (2006) explained that there are a number of studies that support specific spiritual

dimensions, but the spiritual dimensions differ and the lack of congruence hinders the

field of WS from being considered a science (p. 115). Reave (2005) pointed out that WS

is a field shared by business, psychology, communication, human resources, religious

studies, and medicine, which leads to differences in research approaches and findings.

Despite this, Reave (2005) believed interdisciplinary collaboration has the potential to

surface formal theory (p. 681). At this point, empirical research that is based on spiritual

measurements has minimal value because constructs are subjectively operationalized and

researchers regularly develop “new scales as an attempt to better describe spirituality”

(Moore & Casper, p. 115).

Fry (2003) asserted that empirical studies have been generally fruitless because

they lack a theoretical model and have “resulted in a hodgepodge of empirical studies

that, although reliable and valid, have diffused rather than focused theory building in this

area.” (p. 716). Fry and Smith (1987) presented Dubin’s 1978 theory building model in

which researchers must specify:

[a] units or variables of interest to the researcher, [b] congruence as defined by the

laws of relationship among units of the model that specify how they are

associated, [c] boundaries within which the laws of relationship are expected to

operate, and [d] contingency of facts that specify system states within which the

units of the theory take on characteristic values that are deterministic and have a

persistence through time. (p. 118)

57

This was the basis for Fry’s (2003) construction of a causal model for Spiritual

Leadership Theory that is derived from intrinsic motivation theories, recent leadership

theories, workplace spirituality theories, and the concept of spiritual survival. Fry (2003)

contributed to theory building, but there was still a question of what spiritual survival is

and whether a spiritual theory should contain a construct that uses the word spiritual to

describe it. In addition, it was not clear how Fry’s (2003) construction of his model

differs from the models that other scales and measurements are developed from. Fry et al.

(2011) at least tested the relationships between the variables in the SEM procedure.

Moore and Casper (2006) also supported a critical analysis of proxy measures of WS.

A theory is needed to create data-based constructs, to understand relationships

between them and the situation/context that is necessary for the interaction between

constructs/variables, and to discover authentic measurement tools (Dubin, 1966). The

present study’s model of how an experience of transcendence is evoked is based on data

from a law enforcement academy and offers an understanding of what constructs are

involved, how the constructs relate to each other in a transcendent experience, and when

(what situation) the constructs are likely to react in the manner that creates a transcendent

experience. It was the intent of the present GT study to offer an analysis of this event.

This enables a new line of research toward testing the constructs’ predictability in

different situations.

The Need for Qualitative Research in WS

Qualitative research is needed in the field of WS (Grant, 2005; Poole, 2009).

Grant (2005) suggested that WS research should consider relational investigations. Grant

58

(2005) accentuated that the majority of existing research is based on subjective,

individual opinions on how personal spirituality impacts the individual’s work

experience. Grant (2005) alluded to “social interactionism”; a term Charmaz (2006)

applied in GT. Grant (2005) explained that WS can be better understood through

interpersonal terms. Grant’s (2005) discourse is connected to the concept of WS,

described by Giacalone and Jurkiewicz (2003). Although Grant (2005) did not explicitly

recommend GT, the author encouraged the development of a relational model that can

suggest “spiritual experiences disclose the different functions that the sacred plays in

everyday, social reality” and “how lay versions of sacred authority may develop within

the workplace.” (p. 3). This was seen as a description of what GT can do. The present

study sought a law enforcement academy’s version of how transcendence takes place in

the workplace. Benefiel (2003) encouraged the use of “new research methods” (p. 375).

Poole (2009) recommended “more attention being paid to the qualitative and more

analytical approaches, but also to the careful use of proxies, logical argumentation and

the marshaling of evidence.” (p. 587). Integrating Fry’s (2003) call to focus on theory, in

addition to the recommendations of Benefiel (2003) and Poole (2009), the best option for

the present study was a GT study.

Understanding the GT Methodology

A GT study is a qualitative method that produces a theoretical model (Charmaz,

2006). The ability for building theories through an inductive process is what makes a GT

study more rigorous than “all descriptive methods and their associated problems,

especially what is an accurate fact, what is an interpretation, and how [the data is]

59

constructed.” (Glaser, 2002, p. 24). Glaser (2002) explained that the GT methodology

enables a deeper and more practical qualitative analysis than what generic/descriptive

qualitative methods provide. Different GT approaches exist according to a distinct

philosophy that describes how the researcher is involved in this study, what the role of

existing literature is, and how coding analysis is approached (Charmaz, 2006). The

current GT study was formulated in Charmaz’s (2006) constructivist approach. Charmaz

(2006) explained that a researcher necessarily becomes intertwined in the GT based on

the interpreter role of the researcher. The researcher internalizes the participants’ words

in a manner that surfaces a genuine interpretation of what the participants are expressing

in the format of the theory.

Charmaz (2006) explained that the experience of conducting a GT delivers a

researcher to “the core of human experience.” (p. 138). Charmaz (2006) listed specific

concerns of the human experience that GT can surface an explanatory understanding of:

Embodiment and consciousness

Individual and collective action

Cooperation and conflict

Choice and constraint

Meanings and actions

Standpoints and differences

Ritual and ceremony

Positions and networks

Power and prestige

Structure and process

Opportunities and inequalities

Rights and resources

Moral life, moral action, and moral responsibility (p. 138).

These are concepts that can progress the understanding of WS from the standpoint of

organizational culture.

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The current study generated a new theoretical explanation of how transcendent

experiences are evoked in the workplace. A GT of transcendence was important because

it helps to provide a context of spirituality separate from organized religion. A GT also

presents a concept that is derived from a different angle or perspective (Charmaz, 2006).

Many theories are derived from a deductive analysis of existing literature. The present

study’s theoretical explanation was derived from an inductive process of interviews with

first-hand witnesses of the phenomenon. A GT of how the workplace evokes

transcendent experiences expands academic conversation that is closer to human

consciousness and experience rather than that which is other-worldly, spiritual

associations with organized religion that recycles existing thought. A GT helps to

progress scientific discussion on how transcendent experiences take an individual beyond

self-interest toward collective efforts for sustaining an organization and life-systems. A

key point of the present GT study is that it provides substance in an evidence-based

explanation of evoking transcendent experiences. The produced GT explanation also

implies new considerations for academic thoughts that have not yet formulated a rigorous

theory. In summation, a GT study does not merely offer a description of a process based

on a literature review, but surfaces conceptualization based on data. This makes a GT

more readily applicable in a specific context. A GT study is what begins to fill the gaps

between the theories discussed and advances the current cycles and trends within

previous research.

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Critique of Previous Research

Upon the analysis of previous quantitative and qualitative research, the pattern

and trends in the field of WS support what Fry (2003) calls “a hodgepodge of empirical

studies” (p. 716). Fry (2003) acknowledges that there are a number of reliable and valid

scales. The problem is the lack of construct validity across studies. This might also

include instances where researchers chose scales randomly and not specific to context.

Fry (2003) explained it would be more valuable to the field if more researchers worked

from a sound theory. Fry et al. (2005) and Fry et al. (2011) have contributed progressive

work on Spiritual Leadership Theory and provided valuable knowledge on how to test a

theoretical model through structural equation modeling. There is still a question regarding

how efficient it is to deduce a theory from literature that could be considered conjecture

(Glaser, 2002; Shepherd & Sutcliffe, 2011) despite the effort to rationalize and evaluate

the theoretical model. The present GT study surfaced a model of how a transcendent

experience is evoked in the workplace from an inductive direction to offer a different

perspective for evaluating a core concept in the definition of WS.

Other studies that evaluated workers perception of organizational spirituality and

outcomes (i.e., Kolodinsky et al., 2008) or religiosity with job satisfaction and

organizational commitment have established a trend for research. The studies have

similar patterns with similar results. This is valuable, though it is not practical to tell

people to be more religious so the job experience is more enjoyable. As Reave (2005)

demonstrated, there is an abundance of studies that suggested that organizational values

predict organizational success on a number of measures. Without this knowledge, further

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exploration in WS might not be worthwhile. However, it was time to begin understanding

the dynamics of the values between an individual and an organization and how that might

be recognized as transcendence. A GT study helped to progress research into a practical

model that can help to structure interventions in workplaces. Furthermore, a GT built on

the descriptions from public sector personnel provided another dimension of practicality

through avoiding religious context.

Previous qualitative studies provided inspiration for taking a different route in

understanding phenomena associated with spirituality. Milliman et al.’s (1999) case study

on SWA demonstrated how a model can help to analyze an organization's practices.

However, the focus was on spirituality, the methodology was called case study but the

authors wanted to build a model, and the analysis was conducted from documents rather

than people’s testimony of an experience. Neal (2000) used a generic qualitative analysis

that also focused on spirituality and the concept of the divine. Lips-Wiersma (2003)

worked from an integration of participants from various religious backgrounds. Again,

these studies are leading into a better understanding of what aspects are involved in

spiritual phenomenon. However, it was felt that it was time to take a new approach

through the structure of a GT study and a focus on the experience of transcendence. It

was anticipated that new directions for research in WS would be informed by the present

GT study.

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Summary

This chapter discussed the theoretical orientation of the present study, previous

research associated with the present GT study, why a GT study is needed, what a GT

study is, and how a GT study can begin to address the shortcomings in WS research. The

theories that inform the present study are generally underdeveloped or have not yet been

examined in the context of a transcendent experience. Maslow (1971) offered thought-

provoking ideas on a transcendent consciousness, though his discourse never made it to

the status of a formal theory. Bandura (2003) proposed that tenets of his social cognitive

theory could help to understand spirituality in terms of social learning and

interconnecting an individual with others. It was just a proposition and any studies that

investigate spiritual phenomenon through the lens of social cognitive theory were not

found. Transcendental leadership theory also lacked research (Sanders et al., 2003),

though it presented ideas that added to Maslow's (1971) transcendence and Bandura's

(2003) social cognitive theory suggestions for studying organizational spirituality. The

caring organization (Fuqua & Newman, 2002; Newman & Fuqua, 2006) contributed the

psychological lens of the multi-dimensional organizational analysis. The caring

organization model was a valuable example of how organizational culture can be

examined and understood to design ethical-practice interventions. The caring

organization model did not discuss transcendence or spirituality, but it did have a strong

emphasis on how an organization connects to individuals through values. The present

study found each of these theories valuable because they all touched on the concept of

values, interconnectivity, human potential, and organizational or environmental

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facilitation. At the same time, these ideas seemed to be abstractly revolving around the

still unfamiliar and disembodied concept of a transcendent experience. The present GT

study intended to offer a model that would give shape to understanding how a

transcendent experience is evoked. It was anticipated that the present GT study could

help to connect similar theories to enable credible and versatile practice.

The review of previous quantitative and qualitative research demonstrated a need

to focus on theory building and finding new perspectives through qualitative research.

There are many quantitative studies based on various tests and measurements that reveal

an extensive interest in the topic of WS. However, the studies were fragmented due to a

lack of theory and consequently lack of construct validity (Fry, 2003; Giacalone &

Jurkiewicz, 2010; Hayden & Barbuto, 2011; Moore & Casper, 2006; Pawar, 2009a;

Reave, 2008). WS qualitative research demonstrates how practical models can be built,

but continues to focus on religious beliefs and practices with religious connotations. The

present GT study offers new insight with a theoretical explanation that comes from a

different direction than quantitative research and excluded the connotation of religion that

existing qualitative research contains.

The GT methodology is appropriate for understanding and explaining human

processes (Charmaz, 2006). The present GT study was oriented toward understanding

what a law enforcement academy’s process is for evoking a transcendent experience. The

study was focused on surfacing the qualities of a theory as delineated by Dubin (1966),

Fry (2003), Fry and Smith (1987), and Glaser (2002). The present GT study surfaced a

theoretical explanation from a different angle that quantitative studies come from. Rather

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than deducing a theory from existing literature, the present GT study minimized the

influence of existing literature and focused on identifying variables from participants’

interviews. The specific details of the present GT study’s procedure are discussed in

Chapter 3.

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CHAPTER 3. METHODOLOGY

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of this study was to answer the research question: What is a law

enforcement academy’s process for evoking a transcendent experience? and to create a

GT that would fill a gap in existing WS literature. According to Fry et al. (2005) WS

literature is fragmented due to a lack of theories. Many spiritual assessments exist that are

not based on a theory and consequently lack construct validity (Fry, 2003; Fry et al.,

2005). This lack of construct validity fragments research rather than connect it to a

collective conversation because each researcher has his/her own definition or model in

mind. In addition, research in WS currently comes from many different angles. There is a

focus on leadership analysis (e.g., Fry et al., 2011; Hoveida et al., 2011; Hughes & Avey,

2009; Ismail et al., 2011; McMurray et al., 2010; Toor& Ofori, 2009), employees’

perspectives of organizational spirituality and organizational commitment (e.g.,

Duggleby et al., 2009; Fillion et al., 2009; Kolodinsky et al., 2008), and employees’

religiosity with organizational commitment or life satisfaction (e.g., Abott et al. 2005;

Brooke & Parker, 2009; Brown & Sargeant, 2007; Kutcher et al., 2010; Lips-Wiersma,

2002; Miller & Timothy, 2010; Neal, 2006; Schroder, 2008). While these approaches

contribute insight, there is a need for theories that will enable stronger scientific

evaluation. Furthermore, many researchers utilize the term transcendence (e.g., Cardona,

2000; Crossan & Mazutis, 2008; Crossan et al.,2008; Pawar, 2009a; Poole, 2008; Reave,

2005; Sanders et al., 2003; Schley, 2008), but because there is a lack of theory grounded

in data, academic discussion remains too subjective or independently defined for rigorous

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science. Therefore, there is a need to focus on theory building in WS and migrating

towards more empirical/data-based phenomena in WS.

The research question asked: What is a law enforcement academy’s process for

evoking a transcendent experience? Charmaz’s (2006) GT model is formulated for

explaining a process and provided the approach to answering the research question. A GT

study can identify outstanding units/variables that are present in a culture that promotes

transcendent experiences and the nature of the interaction between the units/variables.

“Studying a process fosters your efforts to construct a theory because you define and

conceptualize relationships between experiences and events.” (Charmaz, p. 136). Varied

data-gathering, an aspect of Charmaz’s (2006) GT model, facilitated a comprehensive

analysis of units in a process. This GT method was needed to construct an explanation of

the process of creating transcendent experience in a law enforcement academy, and to

surface a theory that helps to enable more rigorous WS research.

Research Design

The methodology for the present study was Charmaz’s (2006) GT model.

Charmaz’s (2006) GT model encourages the use of varied data-gathering. The current

study conducted ten open-ended conversational interviews. Researcher reflection memos

also contributed insight for interview analysis. This was in alignment with Charmaz’s

(2006) constructivist approach in which the researcher’s perception is a component in the

constructed theory. Charmaz’s (2006) GT model was congruent with the present study’s

viewpoint of how to explain a process. Therefore, Charmaz’s (2006) model guided the

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present study with few personal discrepancies in the process of data analysis and

interpretation.

This GT study began with calling the state’s police academy accrediting agency.

Leads for potential participants and information on the academies’ IRB requirements

were requested. The referred participants were contacted, all IRB logistics were

completed and individual consent forms were processed. Ten interviews were conducted

with academy’s instructors and program managers. Interviews were recorded and

transcribed. The data was analyzed in accordance with Charmaz’s (2006) constant

comparative process in which codes that surfaced from different interviews were

consistently compared and revised. The data interpretation provided an explanation of the

categories, how they interact, and what situational context was involved.

Credibility

Charmaz (2006) explained that credibility is related to believability and a

researcher builds credibility through maintaining a focus on keeping the data analysis

attached to the research question. Therefore, a focus was maintained on the process of

evoking a transcendent experience in a law enforcement academy throughout data

collection, analysis, and interpretation. Credibility is evident in this study in various

forms of triangulation. Johnson (1997) lists “the researcher-as-detective, data

triangulation, participant feedback, reflexivity, and pattern matching” (p. 283) as

strategies used to promote qualitative research validity. Triangulation between interviews

surfaced evident and prominent themes. The interpretation was explicitly linked to

patterns in the data. A GT study was selected to ground “the process of evoking a

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transcendent experience” in data, removing layers of mystery. The GT methodology

ensured that explanations are based on data and not tangential ideas.

Surfacing a theory that is grounded in data and provides a logical interpretation of

how transcendent experiences are evoked in a law enforcement academy yielded

principles of truth that are transferable to other situations. Data triangulation of

interviews enabled the recognition of the phenomenon in other contexts. The GT of

evoking transcendent experiences provides a model that other scholar-practitioners can

use to identify similar dynamics. While a GT of how experiences of transcendence are

evoked contributes a new way of understanding transcendence, the dynamics in a law

enforcement academy has an exclusive context. Other contexts, such as hospitals or other

government agencies, may have a different constituency of variables, but the importance

of the current study is that it surfaced a theoretical explanation. A theory is an organized

set of principles that allow for structured approaches for understanding a phenomenon

and predicting outcomes in various contexts (Dubin, 1969). The present GT study enables

structured approaches for comparing different contexts of evoking a transcendent

experience. The present GT study of evoking a transcendent experience also offers a new

perspective of Maslow’s (1971) discourse on transcendence, Bandura’s (1977; 1982;

1993; 2001; 2003) social cognitive theory, transcendental leadership theory (Cardona,

2000; Crossan & Mazutis, 2008; Crossan et al., 2008; Sanders et al., 2003), and the

caring organization model (Fuqua & Newman, 2002; Newman & Fuqua, 2006). Placing

the newly constructed GT in an analysis with other theories informs researchers and

practitioners how to apply new principles to their respective contexts.

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Target Population

To generate a GT of the process for evoking transcendent experiences, a secular

organization was valuable because religion is not a factor in interpretation. In addition, an

organization that promotes heightened awareness of values within individuals so that the

individuals can effectively navigate between one’s cognitive and mechanical skills and an

organization’s purpose and goal accomplishment was important. Law enforcement

professionals were recognized as a unique group of people that rely on mindful and

reflexive skilled-action with social interests in mind. Furthermore, an organization that

possesses a code of ethics that demands heightened awareness of values in every action to

maintain connection of purpose to society’s welfare was relevant. In this manner, the

law-enforcement profession goes beyond the limits of common understanding and

function of most codes of ethics through putting their lives at risk to protect society.

Therefore, law enforcement’s code of ethics was an intriguing source for exploring the

dynamics of transcendence that connects one to an organization, society, and life-

systems.

Law enforcement academies develop a consciousness within cadets that puts

service to mankind as a priority. This consciousness requires disciplined integrity,

courage, and self-control when being provoked to anger, all of which are identified in the

American Law Enforcement Code of Ethics (International Association of Chiefs of

Police, 2001). It is a profession that depends on each officer’s leadership ability in

independent situations that collectively reinforce the public's trust and ultimate lawful

order in America. It was rationalized that academies evoke heightened awareness of

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values that connect one to life-systems and empower employees and cadets to reinforce

these connections to fully transport a cadet’s potential into supporting life-systems. This

supports the provisional definition of a transcendent experience presented in Chapter 1.

Law enforcement academy instructors and program managers were selected because of

their consistent presence in the academy which increases the likelihood he/she has

witnessed a number of these moments within the process and has a role in creating these

instances. They offered descriptions of what happens in the situations that evoke positive

and profound experiences. They explained what is deliberate and what happens more

naturally. They described the social dynamics and which values are most prominent in

these moments. Therefore, law enforcement academy instructors and program managers

proved valuable in the construction of a GT on how an experience of transcendence is

evoked in a law enforcement academy.

The sample consisted of instructors and program managers from a law

enforcement academy. While exploring the experiences of cadets and recent graduates

may have contributed a more comprehensive understanding of a transcendent experience

at a law enforcement academy, the present study intended to begin a line of research

through focusing on a law enforcement academy’s process for evoking a transcendent

experience. Cadets and recent graduates do not have this viewpoint. The sample size

consisted of 10 participants. Charmaz (2006) suggested that 10 intensive interviews

combined with detailed observation can generate rich and sufficient data. In Charmaz’s

(2006) GT, data saturation is directly related to critical analysis of the developed

theoretical categories. Therefore, interviews were continued until there were no more

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questions for determining theoretical categories and the process-relationships between

them. This is how data saturation was recognized. Charmaz (2006) stated “Categories are

‘saturated’ when gathering fresh data no longer sparks new theoretical insights, nor

reveals new properties of these core theoretical categories.” (p. 113). While the present

GT study aimed for the highest level of dissertation standards, it realistically

acknowledged that this research is an introduction to a lifetime of inquiry. It was

rationalized that triangulating 10 intensive interviews, along with rigorous revisions of

coding, provided rich and sufficient data that yielded a high quality GT dissertation.

Participant Selection

According to Charmaz (2006), initial sampling consists of establishing criteria for

participants. This strategy is known as purposeful sampling in which “the researcher

actively selects the most productive sample to answer the research question” (Marshall,

1996, p.523). In the present study, participants are instructors or program managers at a

law enforcement academy. This purposeful sampling began with a phone call to the

state’s police academy accrediting agency. The initial call explained general information

about background credentials and the nature of the study. Then specific guidelines for

conducting research in police academies and some leads on the largest, closest, and most

reputable academies were inquired on. A request was made for contacts at the academies.

A list of local academy directors and phone numbers were provided by a senior manager

at the accrediting agency. The directors were contacted and a discussion was held

regarding the purpose of the study and why it is important to include interviews with

seasoned managers and instructors to get expert perspectives on their interpretations of

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the patterns of evolving consciousness. The directors were asked if they were able to

participate and if it was possible for the program manager to have nine other potential

participants contact the researcher on a confidential phone line or e-mail address at their

convenience to minimize disruption of their schedule. A meeting was attended with a

captain who oversees one of the academy’s activities in which the captain asked some

questions, provided suggestions and contact information for the academy manager, and

was given a site permission form to sign and mail at his convenience in the next week.

The academy manager was emailed details regarding the nature of the study, a copy of

the consent form, and an inquiry for scheduling the interviews. The manager explained

that it was most convenient for him to schedule the interviews according to who would be

in the academy on the same days. Gratitude was expressed to the manager and he was

assured that his team’s schedule would be accommodated.

Data Collection Procedures

Interviews

Interviews with law-enforcement academy instructors and program managers

provided core data that developed insight on the dynamics involved in evoking

transcendent experiences. Initial sampling for interviews began with the state’s

accrediting agency. A list of contacts for local academy directors provided by an

executive at the accrediting agency was followed up on. Interviews with the program

manager and instructors were scheduled according to the academy’s convenience. 1-6

interviews were accommodated in one day. Nine interviews were conducted on-site at a

law enforcement academy in a private conference room and one interview was conducted

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at a police department in a private office. The informed consent form was reviewed and

the participants signed it before beginning each interview. The semi-structured,

conversational interviews were recorded on a digital voice recorder and averaged 50

minutes in length. Questions were open-ended to enable unique, natural descriptions of

how transcendence takes place in the academy. The provisional definition of a

transcendent experience presented in Chapter 1 was written out with the interview

questions to assist with the participants’ understanding of the topic and to keep the

participants’ responses relevant to the study.

The digital-audio recorded interviews were self-transcribed with the use of

Dragon Naturally Speaking software. The interviews were listened to with headphones

and the audio was verbally repeated along with dictation commands (e.g., “Period”) into

the computer microphone for Dragon transcription. The transcriptions were compared

line by line with the digital-audio recordings to verify accuracy upon completion. Each

interview transcript was numerically identified (i.e., given a numeric identification code)

and logged in a file that was kept with the digital-audio interview files. A master copy of

both the transcriptions and digital-audio files were secured on two computers, a flash

drive, and a paper hard-copy of transcripts. The flash drive and paper hardcopies were

kept in a fireproof lockbox away from the analysis area. The primary analysis spreadsheet

was kept in an electronic, password protected file that was stored on the desktop

computer and backed up with a password protected file on a laptop and the flash drive.

Hard-copy interview-transcript worksheets were initially coded in paper form and

recorded in a table chart.

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Coding of Data

Coding of data began immediately to inform the specific scope of subsequent data

collection and possible revision of interview questions. Charmaz’s (2006) GT coding

process consists of a constant comparative process that directs the researcher to regularly

evaluate initial and subsequent coding. The constant comparative process immediately

ties coding to analysis. This section reviews the logistics of how the data was coded.

Further explanation of how the themes related to evoking an experience of transcendence

were identified will be discussed in the data analysis section, separate from coding.

Coding consists of four phases: initial coding, focused coding, axial coding and

theoretical coding (Charmaz, 2006). There are different strategies for initial coding,

depending on the type of data (e.g., word by word for documents, line by line for

interviews, incident to incident for observations, and in-vivo codes for participants’

unique expressions) (Charmaz, 2006). Initial Coding was conducted on hard-copies of the

interview-transcripts. Themes surfaced in segments of the data that were recognized,

circled, and written in the margin of the transcript as a single word or paraphrase

reference. At some points, lines were drawn between circled words and phrases to

emphasize frequency or prominence of a theme. Subsequent interviews’ coding followed

similar wording of codes/paraphrases of interviews initially coded. Some initial

interviews had codes reworded according to a more efficient description discovered in

subsequent interviews’ analysis.

The initial codes were organized into thematic categories in the focused coding

phase. Charmaz (2006) recommended utilizing gerunds to help surface active properties

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of the categories (p. 136). A tentative, beginning-list following reflection of the first six

interviews had been drafted. These are described in greater detail in Chapter 4. Upon

review of all initial codes, the researcher sorted the initial codes within the beginning

tentative categories. In this process, additional categories that enabled a distinction for

different contexts of the initial codes and phases in the process were applied. Axial

coding is a step in which each category is examined for interactions with other categories

and develops sub-categories to identify a relationship between the main categories.

Charmaz (2006) explained that although this can help understand a process within a

theoretical explanation, it is not mandatory. Gerund-like, action titles were employed for

the focused codes in the present study. This led to identifying a sequential relationship.

Therefore, interactions between categories were not detailed, but rather a rationale for the

sequence was offered. Therefore, the theoretical coding phase yielded a storyline for a

19-phase process.

Maintaining Objectivity

Charmaz (2006) advocated a deliberate open mind. She explained that a grounded

theory method requires a researcher to stay close to the data and that will minimize

interference of “preconceived notions” (p. 61). Charmaz (2006) emphasized how a

researcher crystalizes data through a transparent, comparative process. The possibilities

for interpreting the data and what other vantage points exist were contemplated. These

contemplations were documented in memos. This contemplation scrutinized biases,

existing knowledge, and random influences of thought. Alternative interpretations were

considered and explanations of analytical thought processes were documented. Consistent

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acknowledgment regarding how the data is specific to the context of a law enforcement

academy’s perspective is integrated in the analysis and interpretation. All interpretive

assertions of the data are supported and the study’s research mentor was inquired with for

any aspects of interpretation that contained questions of bias.

Research Questions

The present GT study utilized an intensive interviewing technique. “Intensive

Interviewing fits grounded theory methods particularly well. Both grounded theory

methods and intensive interviewing are open-ended but directed, shaped yet emergent,

and paced yet flexible approaches.” (Charmaz, 2006). This fluid format of intensive

interviewing surfaced data that are directly related to transcendence as perceived by the

law enforcement academy instructors and were able to be shaped into a theoretical model.

Hence, the intensive interviewing method facilitated the construction of the GT. The

interview questions aligned with the characteristics of intensive interviewing and

principles of a theory.

Interview questions were oriented toward understanding a law enforcement

academy’s process for evoking transcendent experiences. Although the present GT study

was working from the synthesized, provisional definition of a transcendent experience,

the study was receptive to new understandings and terms of transcendence. Charmaz

(2006) guided researchers to ask questions regarding the setting of action, what the

overall activity is, what do the actors pay attention to, what is important, preoccupying,

critical, what practices, skills, strategems {sic}, methods of operation actors employ, and

what goals do actors seek (p. 24). Questions were posed to elicit ideas on what

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transcendent experiences are and how the participant interprets dynamics in the academy

related to transcendent experiences. The interview questions surfaced descriptions of

experiences that enabled a development of a theoretical description through analysis.

1. What is your understanding of transcendent experiences?

2. How would you describe a transcendent experience at the academy?

3. What is your understanding of how the academy evokes transcendent

experiences?

4. In regards to the academy’s process (or processes) for evoking transcendent

experiences, which aspects are deliberate and which aspects are less controllable?

5. How do these aspects react amongst one another in the academy’s process for

evoking transcendent experiences?

6. What are your thoughts on how the academy’s process for evoking

transcendent experiences affects individuals and the academy?

Data Analysis

As discussed in the procedures for coding, the process of coding is intertwined

with analysis (Charmaz, 2006). A reflective, comparative process is a more specific term

that illustrates the connection between coding and analysis in the present study. The four

steps in the coding process (initial coding, focused coding, axial coding, and theoretical

coding) as previously discussed were joined with reflective memos. Thoughts, ideas, and

process related to patterns that surfaced in the data were regularly documented.

Analysis was directed by identifying patterns within interview data. The initial

analysis phase identified powerful words and phrases with consideration of what question

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was answered and regular reflection on the provisional definition presented in Chapter 1.

In addition, phrases in the interview responses were associated with ideas presented in the

theoretical orientation. However, an effort was made to minimize the influence of the

provisional definition and influential theories through a focus on how the participants

described a transcendent experience and the themes within their descriptions. Reflective

memos also helped to maintain a clear understanding of what was prominently guiding

the data interpretation. Reflective memos are intended to open the researcher’s mind to

deeper meaning in the data (Charmaz, 2006). Within an authentic state of open-

mindedness, if the provisional definition or influential theories surfaced, it was

acknowledged in the analysis and interpretation documentation. Interpretation was

balanced with more weight on what the participants said.

The reflective memos assisted with the analysis phase, when the initial words and

phrases began to aggregate into similar themes. The focus was on triangulating interview

codes. Dictionaries and thesauruses were regularly consulted to identify the most

appropriate gerund-like term or phrase to label a category. Careful discernment was

employed for looking at the relationship between the categories.

Axial coding was considered in the analysis of how the focused codes fit into a

theoretical explanation. Possibilities for interaction between overall categories as well as

the initial codes within them were analyzed. Reflections through memo-ing in a manner

that helped to detect details in the phenomenon of evoking a transcendent experience

were continuously documented. It became apparent that identifying a sequence of the

categories would fit the theoretical explanation better than identifying sideline codes.

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The theoretical analysis stage consisted of explaining how the relationship

between the focused codes respond to the research question on the process for evoking a

transcendent experience in a law enforcement academy. The conditions that impact the

interactions are described in detail and weaved into the theoretical explanation. The

categories, interactions, and conditions led into evaluating the implications for

interventions, what the predictable outcomes are, and how results could be evaluated. An

illustrative model was constructed to help depict the findings in Chapter 4, and Chapter 5

offers an elaboration of the model that resulted from interpretation of the results.

Researcher Bias

The motivation for the present study reflects preconceptions that principles of

evoking transcendence could be found in a law enforcement academy. It was felt that the

law enforcement profession has a deep reverence for human life and an understanding of

the regulations that a society needs to sustain human life. As stated in the assumptions

and limitations of this paper, this belief comes from a personal affinity to read and listen

to news stories in which officers expend costly resources to prevent the death of

dangerous suspects. This understanding connected interpretations with the participants’

viewpoints and enabled recognition of transcendence in the data. The present study

acknowledges that a transcendent experience is challenging to pinpoint. It is the

provisional definition presented in Chapter 1 that assisted with identifying what a law

enforcement academy does to evoke these instances. It was assumed that an academy

plays a key role in an officer’s willing commitment to sacrifice his/her life for the greater

purpose of society’s order and well-being. There was a motivation to contribute a

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perspective that law enforcement professionals do not already collectively see. It is

through building a theory from multiple perspectives that can help law enforcement

professionals to see a dynamic phenomenon that might otherwise be overlooked.

Furthermore, interpretations were contained within the context of a law enforcement

academy. There are regular reminders to readers that the data comes from a law

enforcement perspective and is interpreted through the researcher’s point of view. It is

important for the reader to evaluate the degree of the researcher’s objectivity of analysis

of themes from 10 different interviews and the transparency of the description for the

interpretive process.

Current theories in mind also helped visualize the possibilities of the present

research. Maslow’s (1971) unfinished discourse on transcendence was an inspiration.

Bandura’s (1977; 1982; 1993; 2001; 2003) social cognitive theory seeded a curiosity on

the connection between self- efficacy and collective efficacy and how it might be better

understood in a spiritual context. Transcendental leadership theory (Cardona, 2000;

Crossan & Mazutis, 2008; Crossan et al., 2008; Sanders et al., 2003) contributed

considerations for the role of leadership. Fuqua and Newman’s (2006) multi-dimensional

model of an ethical organization also sparked interest. However, there was a strong belief

that a GT of transcendence without interference of existing explanations enables an

authentic perspective that would benefit the field of WS. The impact that these theories

had on interpretation was contemplated. Charmaz (2006) recommended constructing a

research presentation that is consistently supported with data, rather than a subjective

opinion. That is what was focused on in the present study.

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An affinity for law enforcement and theories that have impacted the rationale for

the present study were acknowledged. Furthermore, the current study's goal for a theory

of transcendence kept data analysis and interpretation focused on what was not already

felt or known. Specifically this meant focusing on the ability to interpret the phenomenon

in scientific terms. The present study guided a focus for separating a religious concept of

spirituality from a scientific concept of transcendence that can be considered for both

public and private sector organizations. Reflection on the data and how to explain it as a

theory was consistent. This is a challenge to a novice researcher, but consistent

consideration of a skeptical audience of both researchers and FBI experts promoted a

scientific, GT explanation. Transparent objectivity through a style of writing that

explicitly acknowledges that interpretations were given a full effort for objectivity was a

priority. However, pre-conceptions might have confined complete objectivity.

Interpretations are supported with specific extractions of data to demonstrate various

ways it might be interpreted and the analysis’ thought process for determining the most

appropriate interpretation. Hence, reasoning was provided for interpretations to maintain

objectivity and to enable readers to evaluate interpretations.

Ethical Considerations

The present study addressed ethical considerations. An informed consent form,

APA (2002) Ethics Code Standard 10.10, was presented to participants before the

interviews took place. The consent form explained what the present study is about, a

minimal risk of harm to the participant, the right to withdraw from the study, and how

confidentiality would be upheld. The information in the consent form was verbally

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reviewed and it was ensured that each participant felt comfortable signing it. In the

present study, no deception was involved, testing instruments were not used, the

participants did not represent a vulnerable population, there was no conflict of interest,

and the data collected in the course of this study was not sensitive data. No study is

completely risk-free. However, the participants were not harmed or distressed in the

present study.

The APA (2002) general principles were adhered to. A beneficial experience was

created for the participant through emphasizing how helpful his/her participation was for

creating a theoretical understanding that was intended to benefit their profession. Trust

was earned and maintained with the participants through maximizing privacy and

minimizing any imposition on the participant. No conflicts of interest surfaced in the

duration of the study. In all aspects of the present study, “accuracy, honesty, and

truthfulness” (APA, p. 1062) were upheld. Fairness and justice were upheld through

putting aside biases and focusing on what the participants shared. A positive experience

for participants was maximized through demonstrating respect, accountability, and

dependability. The terms of the Informed Consent were adhered to with a decorum that

assured participants that they had many rights and all the power in the present study.

Summary

This chapter discussed the design of the present study, the specific procedures that

were followed and considerations for maintaining objectivity and minimizing bias. The

design for the present study was based on Charmaz’s (2006) GT approach. The sample

consisted of 10 interviews with law enforcement academy instructors and program

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managers. Data was preserved in the original master copy in a fireproof box. Analysis

was conducted on working copies. Interviews were triangulated in the analysis phase.

The coding and analysis of data was directed toward creating a GT. Possible alternatives

for interpretation during analysis were regularly considered. Contemplations were

documented in memos to minimize the impact of personal bias in the construction of the

theory. The next chapter describes the analysis of data and the results. Analysis of data is

described in congruence with Charmaz’s (2006) constant comparative process that leads

to answering the research question through the development of a GT explanation. Each of

the 19 focused categories that surfaced are described and supported with interview

quotes. Both a narrative description and a comprehensive illustration formulate a

response to the research question.

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CHAPTER 4. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Introduction to Data Collection and Analysis

The data collection and analysis of the present study is reviewed in this chapter.

The interest in understanding a law enforcement academy's process for evoking

transcendent experiences is recollected. A description of academic background, training,

and experience with conducting a GT study is described. The role in the data collection

and analysis is reviewed and significant effects they may have had on the data at any

point during the study is discussed. The chapter proceeds to offer demographic

information of the sample and the nature of the data sources that were included. The

setting and frequency of the interviews are described. The participants’ roles in clarifying

information and the dynamics between the researcher and participants are interpreted.

The chapter then explains how the GT methodology is specifically applied to the present

study’s data analysis. The data is presented and the results of the analysis are

demonstrated. In summation, this data collection and analysis chapter provides an answer

to the research question: What is a law enforcement academy's process for evoking

transcendent experiences?

The Study and the Researcher

There was interest in understanding a law enforcement academy's process for

evoking transcendent experiences because there was a desire to discover a way to discuss

spiritual phenomena in a secular language. As a Catholic, it was felt that it is important to

identify universal, humanistic characteristics related to a spiritual nature in order to find a

common language that people of any religions or of no religion could understand. Early

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in the researcher’s Master of Science in Leadership Coaching Psychology program at

Capella University, a library search was conducted the terms leadership and spirituality.

This yielded a number of articles with a religious context, but the one that stood out was

Feemster’s (2007) Spirituality: The DNA of Law Enforcement Practice. This prompted a

desire to contribute to FBI initiatives regarding the development of spiritual programs for

law enforcement, as this would also fulfill a personal interests for secular conversations

regarding profound and existential experiences. Articles discussed in Chapter 2 on

transcendental leadership inspired an approach for a humanistic language for spiritual

phenomena, particularly because there was a special connection with Abraham Maslow’s

discourse on transcendence in her undergraduate studies. The motivation from FBI

initiatives and drive to become more fluent in humanistic language likely directed the

attention to particular interview excerpts and her translation of the excerpts. How a

heightened awareness of values and striving for one’s full potential is evoked in a law

enforcement academy and how that contributes to interconnecting and sustaining life was

the focus of the study.

Credentials include a Bachelor of Arts in Theater Arts, an Associate’s degree in

Psychology, a Master of Science in Leadership Coaching Psychology, a Graduate

Certificate in Criminal Justice, and all coursework in partial fulfillment for a Doctor of

Philosophy in Industrial and Organizational Psychology. Experience includes the

opportunity to interview a local police commander and two law enforcement officers for

a social policy course in the criminal justice program. Three required colloquia in the

doctoral program were attended that offer scenario training for conducting qualitative

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studies and coding literature. This is the first GT study and formal research that has been

conducted. The overall amateur researcher role compelled a focus on the goal of a GT

study and concentration on the research question, which is to describe a process.

The interview questions were self-composed, open-ended interviews that enabled

the participants to contribute unique perspectives. This integrated a strong effort to

validate each participant’s value in the study. The researcher was an outsider needing to

establish rapport quickly to enable natural and deep responses. The researcher was the

instrument of analysis which functioned within the interviews and the process of

transcription, and was concentrated in the interview coding process. The researcher

provided the participants’ gatekeeper with her professional definition of a transcendent

experience. However, not all participants were given the definition or they had not yet

reviewed it. This level of diversity amongst the participants understanding was embraced

and those who had not been given a definition to describe what the word transcendent

might mean to the participant were encouraged to work from intuition. For those who had

reviewed the preliminary definition, they were prompted to describe the general idea of

the definition understood by him/her and encouraged him/her to proceed through the

interview based on the personal understanding. However, the focus of the present study

was not to revise or build a definition, the focus was on understanding the academy’s

process for evoking transcendence, as experienced by them.

A description of initial ideas for interview interpretation was described to the

gatekeeper after he/she was interviewed. This was to increase rapport through enabling

the gatekeeper’s understanding of how the results of the interview might be presented.

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This was a response to multiple interviewees expressing an uncertainty regarding where

the questions and interviews were leading to. The interviewees did not express

discomfort, but it was important to prevent any distracting curiosity that may linger with

the gatekeeper. It was understood that no proceeding participants were given the brief,

surface, hypothetical analysis. A focus was maintained on the realm of the interview

questions while following the participant’s lead of his/her perspective.

Description of the Sample

There were 10 primary informants. Due to the sensitive nature of security for law

enforcement professionals, only the ethnicity, gender, professional title, and years worked

at the academy were collected for publication. The demographics of each participant (P)

is as follows:

P1: Chinese male Corporal, over 2 years at the academy

P2: Caucasian male Sergeant, over 3 years at the academy

P3: Caucasian male Corporal, over 8.5 years at the academy

P4: Filipino and Hispanic male Corporal, over 10 years at the academy

P5: Caucasian female Corporal, over 7 years at the academy

P6: Caucasian male Sergeant, over 1 year at the academy

P7: Japanese male Corporal, over 6 years at the academy

P8: Caucasian male officer, Less than 6 months at the academy

P9: Caucasian male Range Master, over 4 years at the academy/training

P10: Caucasian male Sergeant, over 11years at 2 connected academies

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Observations of interactions with the cadets were planned, but not conducted. It was

understood that the researcher’s presence had potential to interfere with the detailed

structure of the academy program.

Each of the participants were interviewed once, as their schedules were busy and

complex and allowed for minimal availability. The academy had recently received many

requests for research and was turning them all down due to the need to maintain an

overall consistent environment that aligns with the structure of the program. Consent was

granted because the request for the present study was made three months previously, and

though the academy was on a tight schedule, they accommodated the request because

academy authorities had already granted preliminary consent. This conveyed an

understanding that the opportunity was exclusive and minimal imposition on them would

be appreciated.

Six participants were interviewed on the first day. Three additional participants

were interviewed in a single day approximately a month later. The final interview took

place a few weeks afterward. The interviews took place in a small conference room at the

academy. Interviews began immediately upon arrival. The door was shut and a window

to the office area had window-blinds down. Participants were aware of who the other

participants were, which was congruent with the culture of the instructor staff sharing all

information regarding academy activities with each other. The duration for each

interview varied between 20 minutes to an hour, with an average of 57 minutes. A

majority of the participants spoke very quickly and consequently offered a lot of

information in a short amount of time. The participants appeared to be independent,

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freethinkers and explained that free-thinking was a skill developed in the academy. As

previously described, a unique perspective to surface from each individual was enabled

and the value in following the participants’ thought processes through the semi-

structured interview was instantly recognized. The interview questions guided the

conversation, but researcher found it valuable to explore where the topic took individual

thoughts to and when the participant was finished, the researcher applied the participant’s

thoughts in a paraphrase of the next question. Sometimes, the participants had already led

into the next question. Therefore, the participants are the sole source of data and deemed

authentic and credible due to the nature of the profession. Confirmation of her

understanding within each interview was systematic. The participant’s statements were

paraphrased and the participants either elaborated on or clarified the interpretive

response. In addition, each participant demonstrated a style of speaking that regularly

checked if he/she was understood and his/her train of thought was followed. Specifically,

the phrase, “you know” came sometimes as a statement, sometimes as a question, and

most times with a pause to verify the researcher was following the thought or story.

Understanding of what was directly stated and the contextual nature of the topic that the

individual was discussing was regularly validated. Many times, this validation came in

“the form of terms such as “absolutely”, “right”, and “wonderful”. Gratitude was

expressed multiple times within a single interview after the participant had shared unique

and/or sensitive insight. Direct humorous statements by participants were responded to

with laughter. Descriptions of quirky behavior when the participant slowed his/her speech

down were validated with a friendly nod, or “yeah”. Overall, the dynamics were

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professional, seriously direct, and friendly. As the sole sources of data, the participants

provided all the information that the grounded theory was constructed from.

Research Methodology Applied to Data Analysis

Initial analysis began reflexively within the interview process. As described in the

previous section, the researcher instantly interpreted/analyzed statements in the live

interviews to clarify understanding and potential direction for different contexts of

interpretation. The voice recording of memos began immediately after the first six

interviews were conducted. Throughout the transcription process, prominent themes were

noted. Upon completion of the transcription process, possible categories and how they

may relate to one another were tentatively listed. It was understood that the categories

must surface from coding the data, but the constant comparative process led to realizing

that a strategy for organization of the vast data was critical to the project. The preliminary

memos were saved to later compare with coding results and integrate with data analysis.

This memo-ing, prompted the beginning of the initial coding which is described in detail

in the next section and followed by a description of focused coding. As described in

Chapter 3, interview questions were oriented according to Dubin’s (1969) principles of a

theory to offer a theoretical direction for analysis. Charmaz (2006) also discussed

Glaser’s categories for codes that assist the researcher in organizing codes in a manner

that produces a theoretical explanation. Therefore, the coding process was not only used

to identify the factors in a law enforcement academy's process for evoking transcendent

experiences, which includes a multifaceted understanding of a transcendent experience,

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but the coding process was also used for synthesizing an understanding for situational

conditions and characteristics that enable a level of prediction for an observed outcome.

Initial Coding.

After interviews were transcribed, initial line-by-line coding was initiated

promptly afterward. The interview transcriptions were printed out and openly read

through each interview to allow significant words and phrases to naturally surface.

Significance was evaluated by the relevance to the research question, focusing on topics

that discussed context or understandings of transcendence, topics that were profound or

existential, and topics related to psychology regarding the emotions, opinions,

descriptions and actions. Contexts of transcendence varied between the preliminary

definition, some participants’ whimsical understanding, and some participants’ reference

to a dictionary definition that was written out by the academy manager and placed on the

interview table. Topics considered as profound or existential included words and

statements related to time, life/death, change, relationships, values, learning, perception,

and communication. In general, these also related to psychological concepts, but styles of

behavior, responses/reaction, reflexivity/embodiment, and physical descriptions were also

identified as significant and extracted from a transcript. Specific, initial codes came from

both words directly used by participants and interpretive-summary phrases constructed

through analysis.

The first few interviews were coded in this direction, with an open and receptive

discernment. Words, phrases, and paraphrases were underlined and notated in the margin

of the printed interview transcript. Connected thoughts were circled and lines or arrows

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were drawn between the circles to offer both a segmented perspective as well as a

connected process. It was felt that isolating or segmenting codes could offer abstract

realms of analysis in addition to maintaining a connection to direct interpretation. As

subsequent interviews were coded, a constant comparative process was conducted. The

coding terms and phrases used in initial interviews with similar thoughts, meaning, and/or

words that surfaced in subsequent interviews were reflected on. In other words, whether

initial words, phrases, and paraphrases could be more concise and a level of consistency

with labels for similar themes throughout all interviews was considered. This was not

considered stepping into focused coding yet, as various topics and themes were not yet

being categorized, but rather consistently labeled to assist with the next phase of focused

coding and categorizing initial codes.

Twenty- thirty five different initial codes for each of the interviews were

identified. Some interviews contained either greater length or complexity that offered

more codes than other interviews. It was felt that any possible redundancies would be

discerned within the focused coding stage. In order to transition from initial coding to

focused-coding, an Excel table chart was compiled in which each column represented a

single interview and initial codes were listed accordingly. During the coding of the

transcripts, each code was listed in the table and if the same code was already listed from

within the same interview, the code was check marked in the transcript to acknowledge

the code was already included to avoid replication of codes within the same interview.

The marked up transcript was reviewed and high frequencies of a specific code within a

single interview were identified. Each column in the table chart was rearranged

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alphabetically to assist with reaching an abstract understanding of the data, with the

intention of minimizing a simple report product and to strengthen a fresh analytic

approach. This resulted in a perceptual transition from seeing mechanical codes to

recognizing interview concepts. Interview concept is the term applied in the present study

from this point on in reference to this evolved understanding of initial codes. It was then

decided that it was time to proceed to focused coding.

Focused Coding

Focused coding began with six preliminary categories that were contemplated

directly after the first half of the interviews were conducted. Those categories were:

manifesting values, realizing reality, channeling leadership, interconnecting open

systems, persisting through time, and developing professional culture. After the table

chart described in the initial coding section was constructed, each of the interviews’

concepts were transposed to a Word document and printed out on separate pages (i.e.,

each interview’s list of concepts was printed out on a separate page). Initial categories

were numbered one through six, and beginning with interview one, each concept was

carefully considered within the list and how each may be classified with the initial six

categories. Proceeding through this list, more preliminary categorical names were added

because not all the interview concepts fit into the initial categories. After reviewing

interview two, 8 more preliminary categories were present. These included:

transcendence, cultivating communication, engaging teaching with learning styles,

bonding force (individuals to groups to teams), embracing diversity,

surpassing/exceeding/achieving challenges/conditions/limits, navigating relational

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dimensions, and refining/empowering individuals. At this point the researcher was not

sure whether themes of discipline should be integrated within empowering individuals or

become another category. In addition, the researcher was not sure how to make

surpassing/exceeding/achieving challenges/conditions/limits a single category or if she

should split it into two. Identifying a sequential process was not yet attempted, but the

construction of a categorical system was prioritized.

In contemplation of establishing categories, Charmaz’s (2006) recommendation

for using gerund-like terms was appreciated. In this focused coding phase, how a gerund

does not only assist with explaining a process in the end through providing a sense of

adverbial noun, but also enables readers to open advanced perspectives in terms of

action-verbs that offer a subtle, but distinct additional context of the phenomenon became

apparent. For instance, cultivating communication describes a communication style that

cultivates a situation and relationships. Cultivating communication is also useful to

describe how the academy cultivates communications skills amongst the recruits and

personnel.

At Interview Five, in the process of categorizing the interview concepts into the

developing list of categories, five more categories had surfaced: adapting to change,

building/increasing/strengthening awareness, appreciating success, experiencing new

abilities, supporting community and society, and influencing conditions. A fresh list of 20

categories was typed and the interview concepts from each interview into the categories

began to be listed in the 20 categories. The interview concepts were

identified/accompanied by the interview number(s) it came from (e.g., I2, I5, I7), as the

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concepts were found in more than one interview. At the completion of categorizing all 10

interviews’ concepts, each category list that contained the interview concepts (along with

interview numbers each originated from) was printed out to reflect on and contemplate

the title of each of the categories and whether each of the 20 categories were necessarily

independent or could be combined with another. A possible sequence of the categories

within a hypothetical process of reaching a transcendent experience was considered and

sketched multiple times.

It became quickly apparent that two of the categories were not in a gerund format

consistent with the others: persisting through time and adapting to change. These

categories were changed to Persisting Progress and Adapting Perspectives respectively.

The building/increasing/strengthening awareness category became Intensifying

Awareness, appreciating success became Appreciating Shared-Success, and empowering

individual became Enhancing Individual. When the 20 revised categories were composed

in a single, sequential list without the interview concepts, each of the categories

maintained or increased an independent nature, so none of the categories were combined.

The list of 20 categories was re-examined to concentrate on identifying a possible,

realistic sequence. Identifying where a process of evoking a transcendent experience

would begin initiated this contemplation. It appeared logical that it begins within an

individual. In the context of a recruit’s mindset for applying to a law enforcement

academy, the Enhancing Individual category with dynamics that demonstrate what an

individual brings to the academy and how the individual is initially accepted stood out as

a beginning. Similarly, the sequence was considered in the context of the academy’s time

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sequence. The academy begins with individuals and assists them with applying self to a

group. This gradually works progresses the group to a team. Teams collectively make up

and organization. The organization is what elevates all members to societal interaction. It

is aligned with the preliminary definition, but it is a natural sequence of the academy that

was and independent phenomenon that matched the preliminary definition. Each of the

categories began to fit into a sequential organization of the categories. When all 20

categories were placed within the sequence, the interview concepts within each category

were evaluated to see if the sequence could be supported through the meaning that the

interview concepts provided each category. An awareness of the ability to personally

rationalize a storyline based on the initial sequencing surfaced, but the concepts

supported this rationalization. Again, the general development for individuals who apply

to the academy provided a natural justification for the theoretical sequence.

At this point, a single interview concept was listed within multiple categories and

the present study’s mentor clarified that a GT study calls for exclusive, or independent,

categories that do not share interview concepts. Each category list was re-evaluated with

a deeper contemplation regarding where each concept was most naturally embedded in.

There was little difficulty identifying the best category for each interview concept

because the categories were in a sequence. Similar to the perceptual transition of initial

codes to interview concepts, after the sequence for a process for evoking a transcendent

experience was established, the categories were recognized as phases:

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1. Enhancing Individual

2. Manifesting values

3. Engaging Teaching with Learning Styles

4. Exceeding Limits

5. Cultivating Communication

6. Embracing Diversity

7. Bonding Force

8. Mastering New Skills

9. Adapting Perspectives

10. Channeling Leadership

11. Intensifying Awareness

12. Influencing Conditions

13. Navigating Relational Dimensions

14. Developing Professional Culture

15. Supporting Community and Society

16. Interconnecting Open Systems

17. Appreciating Shared Success

18. Realizing Reality

19. Persisting Progress

Outcome: Perceiving Transcendence

The following section present the data within a discussion of each phase.

The Presentation of Data

The Presentation of Data is organized according to the 19 phases. It is not

organized according to the sequence of interview questions because it is important to

support the logic of the 19 phase process with supporting data. The data analysis

prioritized explaining a process in response to the research question, rather than

consolidate a brief definition or description of transcendence. It was explained in the

Initial Coding phase that codes were alphabetized/rearranged in a table chart to purposely

detract from establishing a dependence on concrete responses that were in the order of the

interview questions. It is important to a GT study to integrate abstract considerations of

concrete data. In addition, many participants led into interview questions that had not yet

been asked through natural conversation. Therefore, dependency on the sequence of the

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interview questions would have led to one-dimensional findings and would have limited

the contribution of each interview. The context of the codes in each phase was recognized

and a local understanding of what the participant was saying was prioritized. As

described in coding, a global understanding of how the information was best categorized

in the phases informed the analysis. Therefore, the Presentation of Data is organized

according to the 19 phase process. The interview concepts are listed. Then each concept

is explained, supported with interview quotes, and linked to its respective phase.

Phase 1: Enhancing Individual

The enhancing individual phase refers to intra-personal (within the individual)

dynamics and a consideration of the academy’s intervention of enhancing [an] individual.

As described in the approach for utilizing gerund-like terms, it was important to leverage

the dual interpretation to expand the phases’ parameters. The interview concepts are self-

discovery/self-reflection, personal values/moral code, encouragement, employing

affirmations/mantras, and establishing a sense of belonging. Each of these interview

concepts are interrelated as the motivation to join in the academy surfaces before even

applying. A recruit’s drive to apply oneself to a challenging career requires self-

reflection. The recruit contemplates whether another career could be a better match or if

the academy is going to offer what the individual is seeking. Within self-reflection is the

assessment of oneself regarding current skills, capabilities, and highest personal standards

to determine if one's personal best standards can see him/her through a law enforcement

academy.

I think the, the academy experience does help them. I think that hard-core training

and that repetition does help them. Um, but ultimately it's what they have deep

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down, what they have and if they can, if they can kick into the gear of just doing

what they know and doing what they've always done, usually they'll survive.

(Interview 2)

Participants discussed how a recruit’s upbringing in terms of learning right from wrong

influences the choice to become a law enforcement officer. In most cases, being raised

with a strong moral structure will surface a motivation to dedicate one's life toward

upholding a moral code and the desire to contribute toward a community's peace through

law and order.

I think every recruit has to take a look at themselves and their beliefs and, uh,

their morals, their personal drive and how… a lot of the same about how to treat

others, doing the right thing comes from how they’re raised… (Interview 8)

Academy instructors relate to this self-discovery, as they were once in the same position.

Having this strong understanding of a recruit’s desire to apply what he/she is made of

enables the academy to further enhance the individual through coaching and encouraging

the individuals to pull harder at what is surfacing from within and to apply it to the skills

necessary for being a peace officer. On the first day of the academy, individuals are

required to stand in front of everyone, introduce themselves, and discuss previous

academic, professional, and significant life experiences. This enables the individual to

begin directing who he/she is in order to identify what can be expanded on and what the

individual’s motivation comes from. Encouragement is connected to motivation. It is

implemented right away within responding to initial introductions and physical activities.

Encouragement is also leveraged to build trust.

And I'm saying, ‘Okay this is what we’re gonna do. We’re gonna look at this, and

we’re gonna go for this, and we’re gonna push for here and that's your, that's your

end goal. Um, I want you to listen to your breathing.’ So, so we, we talk to them

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at a level where we're just talking, um, so they, they feel that comfort and they

feel that ability to kind of… to trust us. (Interview 5)

When a recruit performs well and has successful outcomes, instructors regularly

acknowledge that and devise exercises that produce peer encouragement. Employing

affirmations/mantras was of particular interest because it was one of the ways the

instructors assisted shy people in coming out of their shell as well as developing

individuals who initially want to be the lone wolf. Affirmations and mantras were

assigned to these particular individuals to recite in front of instructors and colleagues.

You know, we'll have people, again as we get a little farther in, that are still

struggling with their command presence and stuff, uh, and their confidence, we

bring them in, we have a little, uh, little mantra they have to recite, memorize, and

recite…

‘Sir, I stand before you as highly motivated, truly dedicated, squared away, fired-

up, number one, lead the way. Police recruit on time, all the time, sir.’ But it

makes them come in every day. It starts to make them affirm the positive. And

then we'll talk to them a little bit about it. (Interview 3)

A sense of belonging is connects the enhancing individual with opening up with others in

the academy in a way that implies permission to be assisted with enhancing self. This

interview concept belongs in this phase because it is discussed in a manner of how an

individual acknowledges that who he/she is will be accepted and he/she is comfortable

with opening up, allowing mistakes, and fitting in with others.

I wouldn't say it's a transcendent…, but I would say it's a, it's a confidence, where

they just, most we’ll get, ‘oh I can do this, I belong’. They'll look around and

they'll see the other recruits and they'll see that they're making small mistakes too,

and then it'll trigger their confidence that they belong here, and, and once they get

that they're usually on their way to um, probably graduating. (Interview 2)

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The sense of belonging leads to an openness for being coached and in turn also leads into

a deeper level of identifying with others. Furthermore, the sense of belonging connects

with understanding that others in the group share the same values.

Phase 2: Manifesting Values

Manifesting values refers to the values within oneself that surfaces, or manifests,

as well as how the Academy assists an individual with pulling inner values out and

making them concrete. The academy is aware of recruits’ inner values and immediately

begins to encourage individuals to apply these values in specific exercises and protocol

behavior. The interview concepts in this phase are core values, knowing social

acceptability, and evolving personal good nature to what's best for society. The core

values directly mentioned are integrity, honesty, authenticity, accountability, humility,

pride, trust, justice, discipline, respect, hard work, (re) commitment, success, confidence,

empathy, caring/helping, teamwork/leadership, sharing, community, relationships,

humor, peace, and law. It was a challenge to identify values within the limits of a

common understanding. For instance, integrity is a common value, but in comparison,

many people may not consider community as a value. It was expressed in multiple

interviews that the concept of a community is a core aspect of what peace officers are

trained to value and support. Again, these core values begin within an individual and

compel the individual to begin transitioning his/her perception of how to maximize the

value(s) through connecting with others. As there is a long list of core values,

descriptions of how the values were leveraged in the academy were focused on. For

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example, instructors scanned the recruits for various values as well as skills early in the

academy program to identify initial leaders.

And the other thing I like is authenticity. Um, because I’ve seen over the years

people, a lot of younger recruits come in and they try and be what they have

perceived a police officer to be. You'll hear a lot of canned answers and corny

stuff and what I’ve realized is from my career and watching these academies, is

the sooner they become authentic and that they’re themselves, the sooner they'll

become a good police officer. (Interview 2)

In the context of applying values, it is important for the recruits to understand

what is socially acceptable because in the law enforcement profession it is necessary to

override one's personal opinion of what is acceptable behavior and expand toward a

societal point of view.

Otherwise you become a vigilante and that's not really seen as socially acceptable.

So that's what I see here, that… us going, ‘okay, here's what you think it is, here's

the reality of it. Here's what you can and can't do.’ (Interview 4).

Social acceptability must be manifested and recognized in order for one to understand

proper social interaction. Social acceptability initiates an interconnection of values. This

leads to evolving one's personal good nature to what's best for society. It involves a

realization that there is a bigger picture and one’s previous schema or life-decision views

must be re-examined. In other words, previous values and behavior are re-examined in a

manner that informs recruits that now they must elevate to higher levels of moral

decision-making to prevent and stop trouble in society.

And … we even tell them, ‘Hey most of you are good people, that were raised to

not hurt people, not get in fights, not look for trouble, get away from trouble…

and now you're going into a career field where you're gonna hurt people, you’re

gonna get into fights, and you're going to look for trouble. I mean that’s a 180 of

living life. (Interview 4)

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Recruits begin to understand that ethical decision-making requires applying one's sense

of right and wrong to situations that impact a lot more people. This phase is in the

beginning of motivating individual recruits to commit him/herself to persevere through

challenges he/she will face in the academy. The academy helps individuals to become

more conscious of the values they already possess, understand how those values apply to

law enforcement vocation purposes, and reinforce readiness for learning.

Phase 3: Engaging Teaching and Learning Styles

This phase describes the dual dynamics of the teaching and learning process in

this academy. The teaching and learning dynamics are a two-way channel. As the

instructors teach, they also learn. As the recruits learn, they learn to teach. The instructors

are aware that a key aspect of a peace officer's duty is to teach the community and that

requires dynamic skills such as integrating learning with insight on teaching. This phase

was looked at in terms of styles of teaching and learning and deliberately tying teaching

together with learning. This phase has similarities to phase 1, ‘Enhancing Individual’, but

teaching was seen as more direct and specific for skillful knowledge vs. a general, initial

approach to helping individuals surface what is already inside. Teaching and learning are

the core of the academy’s activities. Therefore, it is a central activity in the instructors’

perception of how transcendence is developed in the academy. Interview concepts related

to the teaching approach are learning-styles awareness, matching an instructor with a

recruit’s individuality, enforcing independent learning, discerning the origin of a new

behavior, requiring comprehensive learning/seeing the big picture of how multiple skills

contribute to mastering complex duties, and aiming for the long-term working memory.

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Visual, auditory, and tactile learning styles are important to understand to customize

teaching for individuals.

You know, from an academic side, it’s more trying to get ‘em into a mode that

helps them study or if they're, if they’re really having trouble you can look at their

learning styles or stuff like that to try and again find some way of… to help them

be more successful. (Interview 3)

That's where to look, you know, knowing where learning styles is very important.

Those things that we do in the first 2 to 3 days, trying to get everybody to figure

out what their learning style is and how they best learn that week and take that

information on. (Interview 10)

In some situations, the instructors realize that a specific recruit may understand a concept

or skill better if presented by a different instructor, so the instructors attempt to match the

recruit to an instructor that better connects with the individual.

Um, because were all teaching under the same umbrella, we’re all teaching

largely the same thing, but somebody else's explanation made it home more than

mine, you know? For us, it's a tangible thing, out on the range because you see

somebody that's all over the target and then they get a new coach for 5 min. and

whatever they said or showed, this brings it all in and you know the rounds are all

going right where they should be. (Interview 10)

The academy instructors emphasize independent learning and individual critical thinking,

but they necessarily integrate this with independent group learning. Independent group

learning refers to having recruits work together to master both academic/classroom

concepts as well as physical skills. It appeared that most every aspect of the academy

requires an individual to cooperate with others. It is also important for an instructor to

understand whether a recruit’s new behavior, positive or negative, comes from the

learning experience or from surfacing a new element from within which enables an

instructor to adapt his/her teaching style to refine the new behavior.

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Other things too, scenario training where we're looking at the responses after

they've received the training and that they do something that so like, ‘where did

that come from?’ You know, and then you go, ‘Hmm, is this, is this a training

issue or just an individual issue?’ In terms of how they responded to… how the

scenario played out, what have you. (Interview 4)

Many of the participants expressed how critical it is for the recruits to understand that

although the academy is only six months long, the lessons and skills developed are

mandatory for identifying as an officer of the law and ultimately survival. This concept

was compared to other learning environments in which a student memorizes a concept to

simply pass the test and then dismisses the information when the test done.

And a lot of, you know, I did it myself, you know, it's that student survival skill

of, ‘Okay I got the class, I studied for the test, I take the test, now I can forget

everything I learned about that so I can go to the next class and study for that test

and take that test.’ Well, in policing you can't do that. That six months, all those

things you learned, day one you're out in the field and you're responsible for all

the information. It's not like college. (Interview 10)

Comprehensive learning was related to not only integrating a collection of skills within

an overall competency, but also integrating the different styles of learning within a single

recruit. That is, a recruit who is more inclined toward tactile learning would necessarily

need to understand the importance of both auditory and visual learning as well. Again, as

recruits become aware of learning styles, they also see the teaching vantage point. This

dual dynamic takes individuals out of a static state and enables individuals to move

beyond ordinary limits. The recruits are positioned to do more and reach farther.

Phase 4: Exceeding Limits

Exceeding Limits offers a unification with ‘Enhancing Individual’, ‘Manifesting

Values’, and ‘Engaging Teaching with Learning Styles’. However, ‘Exceeding limits’ is

an independent phase that refers to understanding one's present limits in order to identify

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benchmarks that demonstrate limits that have been or can be exceeded. Similar to the

other phases, this was looked at as both the drive for exceeding as well as limits beyond

current limits. Interview concepts related to this are acknowledging different dimensions

(bio-psycho-social-spiritual) of personal limits, moving out of one's comfort zone,

measuring/evaluating accomplishments, achieving additional accomplishments than one

planned, and minimal, universal standards. Exceeding limits was discussion terms of

individual, physical limits:

A lot of them, have never pushed their body beyond the limits of pain. When we

get, again military, or athletes in here they're used to pushing themselves past that

pain threshold. And so, we see results. We see their bodies starting to change. We

see their times increasing, as far as their health and their, um, physical, health uh,

aspect. And I think that's what we go for in a lot of our training, is we're trying to

get them past their ordinary limits that they've put on themselves. Because of

whatever experience or perception they’ve had out there, they've always thought

they could only go so far. And we're trying to make them realize they can do a lot

more. (Interview 2)

Exceeding limits is connected to the aspect of motivating behavior to strengthen

connections. It is more than reaching beyond physical limits, but pushing one’s self

beyond self. Personal limits were also discussed in a multi-dimensional context:

So I think, uh, for me, I guess it will be more of exceeding, uh, all of your limits

to, for, for the inner person. I don't know that you can just justify for one

individual and make it one, one exception or anything like that. I think it would

have to be individually… not the visual limits but their physical limits, their

personal limits, their goals, their aspirations. And so I think this academy, it

encompasses… it encompasses so much more than just one element of who you

are. (Interview 5)

Another aspect of exceeding limits is moving beyond one’s comfort zone:

Yeah, and… but we can we can take them out of that comfort zone in an

environment that's safe to do that in, you know, and that if you've never been

pushed or you never leave that comfort zone, you really don't know what your

limitations are, you know, and really the only way you can find out what your

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limits are is to, you know, try something new again and get pushed and you really

see it in the academy because most of, for, for most of the recruits, it is all brand-

new information and you know just stepping foot in here is uncomfortable

[pauses] you know? (Interview 9)

Furthermore, one must know their own benchmarks to identify personal achievements or

exceeding previous potential.

I think of, I think about recruits. We get various education levels, various fitness

levels, and we have some who really push themselves through our program. At

the end, they, they they’re people who have always, well I shouldn't say ‘always’,

but they started with a very low level and obtained, you know really high, top of

the class rating. (Interview 1)

Another aspect of exceeding limits is through accomplishing additional achievements

than one had intended:

The idea of maybe taking something and, and maybe while you're trying to

accomplish one thing, something else is accomplished, too. That's the bigger

picture to the smaller thing. (Interview 3)

The guidelines and standards offer specific goals that must be achieved by everybody.

Guidelines and standards assist with identifying minimal requirements that interconnects

one another through sharing certain levels of capability.

We have bare minimum standards that you know they have to meet that they…

some exceed very highly and some barely pass. But, you know, they have to pass.

If they don't pass, they are out of the academy. We don't see them at the end. So, I

mean there are standards set, they know what those standards are, you know, we

can't control how far over the fence they can jump over it. You know, they barely

clear, they barely clear it. If they are the highest jumper in the world, great for

them, you know? (Interview 8)

Because there is structure and, and, we have to always… there is a governing

agency, the one you contacted… and they set standards, they set standards for

academics and firing/firearms, and some of our uh, mat- arrest, control, and baton.

Um so I think there's a structure in there already, um, we try and make it a little

tougher because we want to be a little bit better than just the standard. (Interview

2)

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The accrediting agency enables a shared capability amongst all academies that assists

with interconnecting the profession. Therefore, phase four offers an expanded view point

of identifying different limits that can be exceeded and how to acknowledge exceeding

limits. Exceeding limits moves beyond self to connecting with others in a group.

Phase 5: Cultivating Communication

Cultivating communication refers to both how the academy refines

communication skills within recruits as well as the resulting impact the communication

skills have where applied. It is referred to as cultivating because it encompasses more

than basic discussions and moves toward a style of communication that builds and

nurtures relationships. Interview concepts that fit directly in this phase are developing

persuasive skills, candid feedback, leveraging human experiences, maintaining the chain

of command, and hearing a voice of advice in critical situations. Developing persuasive

skills and understanding that communication is the first line of defense is critical for law

enforcement professionals to master because they regularly need to convince people in

conflict to refrain from aggressive behavior and determine how to reconcile the problem.

The very first presence that we have, the uniform, the car, we step out and we

stand there and that's, that’s presence number one. And the ability to be able to

talk is presence number two. You know, our use of force is escalated as we go up.

So one of the first things, when I went through the academy forever ago, um, that

we were taught, was ‘your presence is one, your communication is two’ and then

we get to all of our toys and weapons. (Interview 5)

This introduces presence, image, and body language as forms of communication in

addition to talking. Talking is the most direct form of communication. Candid feedback

was explained by participants to assist a recruit with understanding a truthful assessment

of performance.

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…because probably about week nine, 10, we, we can kind of tell maybe who this

is for and who this is not for. So, uh, I think as a counselor, we’ll bring ‘em in and

we’ll be candid and up front with them and say, ‘hey maybe this profession isn't

for you, is there, you know, is there anything going on at home that's distracting

you? … um, what else can I do to help you out?’ Um, but I think that just being

up front with the person is helpful… and sometimes we gotta just tell them, I

don't think this job is for you. And then, they go think about it, and then, you

know, nine times out of 10 they'll come back, and say, ‘Yeah you're right it isn't

for me.’ And they'll end up resigning or leaving… So honesty, I guess would be

the biggest, biggest thing. (Interview 7)

An important aspect is that candid communication can be difficult, but identifying with

its link to honesty supports the cultivating characteristic. Leveraging human experiences

was discussed as a skill in which an officer could walk into somebody's home and

communicate with somebody's mother or spouse with a similar respect that the officer

would like his/her own mother or spouse to be spoken to.

Um, naturally just getting these guys to understand, ‘How would you want

somebody to talk to your mother? Or your wife? Or your husband?’ And that's

what we're asking them. That's where the, the natural comes. Once we get them

away from the ‘You have to be so stern…’ and there's cop talk… we, we actually

get them thinking, ‘Okay but what if I walked into your mom, how would you

want me to treat your mother?’ ‘Oh, well, that makes sense.’ That changes the

philosophy on what they're looking for. (Interview 5)

Maintaining the chain of command within the law enforcement hierarchy also necessarily

includes teaching and developing one's understanding of the hierarchy and the

importance for maintaining respect through appropriate address. Understanding positions

of authority maintains an interconnection of values and where one is placed in the

interconnection.

If they're unable to say, ‘Okay here's my chain of command, this is how I talk to

my lieutenant, my captain, my sergeant.’ If they're unable to do that and then go

out into the real world and talk to their family or somebody’s family, we typically

find that they aren’t successful. So, it's, that’s their challenge. (Interview 5)

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The important aspect of a chain of command within the academy demonstrates how it is

important to acknowledge communication formalities that are meant to build, nurture,

and maintain cultivating communication. It is important to acknowledge different types

of relationships to maintain a proper bridge within it. Understanding individual

differences leads to the next phase of ‘embracing diversity’.

Phase 6: Embracing Diversity

Embracing diversity refers to understanding differences and appreciating the

value that individual people offer a group. Embracing diversity was seen as a diverse

academy embracing new individuals as well as assisting recruits to perceive great value

in diversity. It is placed at phase 6 because cultivating communication assists with

appreciating differences. Individuality and diversity extend beyond cultural differences

into appreciating different experiences, skill sets, and personality attributes. Interview

concepts that were identified were leveraging individual perspectives, acknowledging

unique attributes yield unique skills, and treating all societal roles with respect.

Individuality was presented in terms of various types of skills and mindsets that were

carefully considered. Leveraging individual perspectives was presented in terms of

sharing different experiences from different spectrums because the different angles

viewing the justice system is valued. In addition to this, different age groups are also

appreciated for unique experiences.

A lot of that time is spent in the classroom and when we’re in the classroom, the,

the staff, the instructors I have come in, DAs, police officers, detectives, what

they do is they try and engage, they try and get the class very engaged by getting

them to participate and by that participation, I mean when we open up topics,

we’ll open it up and we’ll ask them, ‘well has anyone really experienced this?’

And then we really want them getting involved because, you know there's 21

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year… We go from about 20, 21 to, I've had a 51-year-old come through here, I

have a lot of people in their 30s and 40s. So what we recognize is they have a lot

of life experience to bring to the table. And we want them sharing that with

everybody else. Because everyone learns from listening, you know, not only to

the instructor, but by to the classroom itself, the recruits. (Interview 2)

I think the, the part with, with our staff is that everybody comes from different

types of backgrounds and different experiences, kind of different age group as

well. Um, so, you know, you can talk to one cop and another cop and they've all

had different experiences out on the streets, different types of calls, you know

some of been like, like the commander has been shootings, myself I haven't been

in a shooting, but I have been on critical incident. So, I think it's it's a combination

of everybody's experience that kind of comes together, um, to kind of create this

experience. (Interview 7).

Acknowledging how unique attributes yield unique skills relates to how the instructors

overcome common misjudgments related to physical characteristics. Instructors can help

individuals to leverage their unique attributes.

So, um what we do to specifically, uh, you know generate that kind of stuff, um,

you know, in the physical training side or the arrest control side, um [silent pause]

you know I think it's the challenges of working with different people and, and

different body sizes and start seeing that they can accomplish things that, you

know, normally they’d say, ‘Well this person, there is nothing I can do to get

them.’ But they can find one or two things that work. (Interview 3)

The instructors also work to establish recruits’ understanding of treating all people with

human respect to the greatest extent possible, even suspects and those with socio-

economic backgrounds that can make one uncomfortable.

I could be the gang banger or the drug dealer who is doing absolutely nothing

wrong for that minute... and they have to be able to decide, but, ‘are you going to

talk to me like I’m a dirt bag? Or ‘are you going to talk to me like, like a normal

person?’ (Interview 5)

It's like… you can be going into a home where it's filthy and there's just, it's just

horrible and you're gonna think I wanna CPS all these kids, and your FTO is

gonna go, ‘this hasn't reached that level yet, this is actually okay.’ You know, and

then you're gonna go into some homes where you're gonna go, ‘oh my God, this

place is clean…’ This is like it’s in the worst neighborhood, but you go in the

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house and there's pride in their you actually have parents that are just poor and

they're struggling and they're actually trying to do the right thing and you go,

‘okay, these are the people that I'm trying to… handle the neighborhood for’ You

know, I came up from a low socio-economic background, so, me going to some of

these neighborhood, I’m like, ‘this is not bad’[starts to laugh] you know?

(Interview 4)

As the instructors assist the recruits with minimizing assumptions and recognizing that

individual differences are valuable to a group, the recruits begin to authentically accept

and embrace the diversity amongst them and the instructors. This also helps to see all

people in a humanistic viewpoint. In this manner, being different is a shared

characteristic. There is a similarity that can be related to and it opens individuals up to

learning more about each other and appreciating what each person has to contribute.

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Phase 7: Bonding Force

Bonding Force refers to aspects that reinforces interconnections between

individuals, teams, and organization, and society. It relates to a magnetism that draws

people closely together. This phase was seen in the context of attaching units/individuals

to a forceful power and the context of a sense of power amongst numbers. Interview

concepts include sharing experiences, the battle buddy system, rite of passage, energy to

synergy, and building a collective force. Sharing experiences leads from embracing

diversity toward establishing an emotional connection.

So when we tell them things, again that idea of emotional connection, or buy-in,

sometimes, ‘this is this and that is that’. But now we bring somebody in from the

field, ‘hey, you know how we always talked about how important it is to do

this…’ or, or whatever. ‘Here's a recruit passed officer, they've had that moment,

they come back and they want to share.’ … you know they want to talk about

those things. So, um, we get those in the good and bad, you know. (Interview 3)

The battle buddy system was frequently discussed in various contexts. It is intended to

build trust between two individuals to the extent of risking one's life for his/her battle

buddy. In this manner, individuals are encouraged to become more selfless and consider

that protecting others can contain a greater good than protecting oneself.

What we see is and what we encourage is, when they have something called a

battle buddy, someone to hold them accountable for uh, things they need that next

day or, or whatever. (Interview 2)

That's the foundation and that's the idea of looking out for one another. So we

develop that into battle buddies. ‘I'm responsible for you, you're responsible for

me. I check your gear, shoes look fine, uniforms good…’ … So, really that's

where it all starts with that foundation of the system, checking your buddies,

checking your homework and going on from there. So what we evolve into over

time is now, that instead of me waking up to my alarm clock, I got one by my

bed, one over the other side of the room, and I got my battle buddy that calls me,

‘You up? I'm up. ’If I don't hear from him, I'll call him, so if his two alarms didn't

go off… You know we're eliminating… to the process of having systems in place

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to do that. So, I'm glad you mentioned systems, because I'm the systems creature

here. (Interview 3)

This level of bonding extends to the group. A rite of passage is also connected to sharing

trust and respect for having endured the same tough, training experiences. The most

stressful simulations and greatest physical challenges become rites of passage that

establish a sense of bonding between the recruits.

Think it's kind of a bonding thing too, because now it's, it's something that every

other academy class has experienced… So, I think it's kind of, um, I don't

wanna… it's not really an initiation, but you know what I'm saying? Kind of like

a… rite of passage, this is something that everyone's had to do and it's something

you got to do if you ultimately want to graduate and become a police officer… so

I think it's bringing them into, you know obviously it gets them one step closer to

graduation… (Interview 7)

Trust is established because they witness fellow recruits not backing down from the

experience. A resulting respect surfaces through knowing what the experience is like and

how others in the group surpass the performance that an average civilian would likely

display. Energy to synergy was explained by participants in reference to when each

individual in a team concerts effort simultaneously in a manner that somehow offers an

extra boost of energy, a collective energy or synergy.

So I think that energy kind of feeds off it, feeds off itself sometimes because 48,

49, 50, my five staff, um when were all doing it together, you actually, um, thrive

on everyone else's energy. Does that make sense? (Interview 2)

This leads into building a collective force in which a more conscious awareness of

synergy contributes to motivation. It is tied to knowing one’s self and role. A group

begins to work in unison, is synchronized, and inevitably has a stronger impact than any

single individual would have alone. In addition, a shared responsibility is recognized.

What one person does, frequently impacts others.

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In the academy setting, we take them out of the individual ‘I’ mode. Just like in

the military is not about ‘I’, it's about the team. It's about the overall collective.

It's about, you know, if one person messes up, everyone pay the price, kind of a

thing. Whether it’s someone leaves their gear at home, well then, the whole

platoon, you know, pays the price. (Interview 8)

As this synergy is formed, the group recognizes an interconnection and necessity to share

responsibility for survival purposes. The concept of me fades to the background toward

the concept of ‘us’. The recruits are programmed to contribute and collaborate. This state

leads to new opportunities to apply skills in new ways and to acquire new skills that

enable more dynamic capabilities.

Phase 8: Mastering New Skills

Mastering new skills refers to a new tier of expertise in which the skills that have

been acquired in the academy are internalized to a point of reflexivity, or performing an

intricate skill without consciously thinking about it. This phase offers a dynamic

perspective when considering the individual becoming a master as well as how the new

skills signify a master. As the mastering, new skills are shared amongst a group becoming

a team, a dynamic integration of the skills between new experts enables a stronger force

of collaboration. Interview concepts in this phase are reflexivity, multi-tasking skills,

learning from mistakes, and problem-solving. Moving beyond standard performance

requires diligent practice and determination to master a skill to the point of reflexive

action. Reflexivity is a level of mastery in a sense that this skill becomes a motor sensory

reaction.

So they'll do over 100 hours of, from the very basics of safety, firearms safety, to

loading, unloading, firing, and reloading real quick, um, in the most efficient

manner. But there are so many repetitions that, that's where their confidence

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comes in. They're almost start doing things… Um… out of reflex. Exactly.

(Interview 2)

Reflexivity requires many hours of practice and repetition. Practice and repetition are

both stated because it is after one attains a high skill level from practice, it is important to

continuously repeat the successful approach. An individual’s reflexivity contributes to a

group’s unison, or collective force. The more one is able to perform a skill accurately and

quickly, the more a group can synergize with accuracy and speed. If any member is

fumbling through an action, it causes distraction and nervousness. That could lead to high

risk mistakes. It is likely that becoming reflexive in multiple skills refines one’s

multitasking skills. Multi-tasking skills encompass both psychological and technical

skills in terms of assessing the interpersonal dynamics of a situation, applying appropriate

communication skills with victims, suspects, and partners, deciding if the use of force is

necessary and which use of force is appropriate, accurate deployment of the use of force,

and resolving the immediate problem.

They've got to be able to drive the car, listen to the radio, read the computer, type

on there, look around, see where they're going to. But then they have to get there

and be able to adjust their, the way they communicate with, with any, any given

person based on the situation that's presented to them. So we do a ton of scenario-

based training here… and we do that based on the fact that we can change up our

scenario. I could be the good guy, I could be the bad guy, I could scream, yell,

cuss, get in your face, or I could be the victim and they have to be able to react

and change that. (Interview 5)

I was using this stronger than others as um, a more as in a better performer in the

academy, is the term I use and part of that might be that they are a very good

multi-tasker. They have great communication skills, basically everything they do

is stellar. They are in excellent physical condition, they’re excellent firearms, you

know, shooter. They have excellent ACB skills (arrest, control, baton), um, they

have excellent, I don't know if I've mentioned driving skills yet. Um, they have

excellent conflict resolution skills, basically they are a complete package, I mean

there's nothing that they're lacking. You can have somebody else that might not be

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quite as strong in those areas. And, so that's what I'm trying to refer to when I say

strong person, as far as the multitasking goes. You can have a great driver, um,

but the question becomes can they drive, park the car, get on the radio, and have a

plan of how they are responding all in one complete process. Or do they have to

stop and think about it, which causes some issues if they're stuck in their car when

the bad guy comes out and starts coming towards them and they’re still not

mentally ready for their next step. Then they're caught in a horrible predicament.

So, um, you need to be able to do several individual skills well, but you also have

to be mentally sharp enough to think through several processes at the same time to

be truly successful. So you might have some that might not be great at every

individual task …but they can quickly formulate a plan and quickly know of the

10 different things that I need to be doing at once. (Interview 6)

It is noted in both interviews that multitasking skills are mandatory for survival in this

profession. Both examples demonstrate how multitasking does not only consist of

physical skills. In the law enforcement context, it necessarily requires sharp critical

thinking as an additional reflexive-skill in the multitasking repertoire. Again, when

working with a group, if multi-tasking skills are not prioritized, it can lead to disruptions

in group unison and high-risk mistakes. However, learning from mistakes is a skill that

takes an individual to higher levels of awareness and functioning and contributes to the

greater process of identifying with a transcendent experience. This may not be considered

a skill to some, but an ability to analyze previous experiences to sharpen one's skills, falls

within the quest for mastery. Learning from mistakes was a difficult concept to

categorize, but it is placed at this phase because the lessons are also shared with others to

improve everyone’s skills. Somewhat similarly to engaging teaching with learning styles,

it seems that sharing previous mistakes with others not only helps others learn from the

mistake, but also teaches others a value in admitting mistakes, or humility.

It’s… not showing that you know it all, but maybe helping to learn from some of

your past mistakes that you’ve made, and hopefully they don't make the same

mistakes. I think for me a big part of it is remembering, you know, how I was

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once in their shoes. Being able to empathize with them, and, uh, you know, not to

act like, ‘Hey I'm here, and I know it all. You’re gonna do it my way or, you

know, or it's wrong.’ And you know, I think that's what I've always tried to

remember is, is where I've come from and who I am. (Interview 7)

Learning from mistakes also leads into problem solving skills and learning how to fix the

problems that may cause mistakes. Problem Solving is categorized as a mastery skill

because similar to multitasking skills, it combines various skills, but in a customized way

for unique situations.

But there's so much leeway for creativity on how to handle these that between our

structure and the basics and the concepts they learn here, we know if they take

that out into the field and they learn some more in field training, we know were

not creating robots. We’re creating little problem solvers. And we're using their

life experience to do it and we're using their academy experience to stay within

the guidelines and the concepts. (Interview 2)

Again, each of the interview concepts in this phase are seen at a higher level than general

improvement of basic skills. Reflexivity, multitasking, learning from mistakes, and

problem solving as a more complex level of mastering skills. Critical thinking is elevated

at this level and leads the recruits toward applying their quest for mastery and the skills to

more complex situations and group efforts. As discussed in problem solving skills, it is

critical to not only master skills but know when and where to apply them, and many

times reflexivity is required when one needs to quickly adapt to a new situation.

Phase 9: Adapting Perspective

Adapting Perspective offers the next phase for applying mastery skills and a sense

of expertise. The phase surfaced from both an understanding of a perspective that adapts

and acquiring new perspectives. Interview concepts classified in this phase are stress

inoculation, simulation, and significant experiences. Stress inoculation requires mastery

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skills to be successfully adapted to stressful situations. It can include both psychological

and physical impositions. Despite all the simulations the academy produces, it is likely

impossible to cover all the unique situations that the recruits will face in their career. In

this manner the recruit needs to be able to know how to shift his/her perspective of a

familiar, stressful situation, identify with mastery skills developed in the academy, and

adapt the mental state of mind to the real life situations. It is the real life situations that

call on the skills that enable one to sustain and improve the quality of all life. Stress

inoculation transitions an understanding of the dangers and threats to life that the recruits

will be called to face.

So, hopefully the training that we gave them and the stress levels that we

introduce them to… When they do hit the streets, and they do experience that, uh,

they'll be able to handle that a little better than the person who wasn't stressed at

those levels of stress testing. (Interview 1)

The other big thing about that stress inoculation is, when you're in a situation

where you're so stressed out, and, and I only say this because I've been in a few,

[drum-beat tapping on the table], for instance, when someone starts shooting at

you, and you start shooting back, it's, it's a level way above, uh, reasoning or

thinking level, what happens is in that kind of, uh, extreme stress, is your body

starts doing, it kinda shuts off your brain, and your body just starts reacting. Fight

or flight type of decisions. (Interview 2)

This is a completely different environment and you need to be able to assimilate,

um, to a stressful environment in order to be successful here. (Interview10)

The concept of being able to assimilate under a stressful situation leads into the

academy’s simulation exercises referred to as simunitions. The simunition house (Sims-

house) exercises involve simulations with blank ammunition/firearms, hence the jargon

term, ‘simunition’.

So we talk a lot about using your cover and everything on the, umm, square range.

In other words, nobody shooting back at you. Now we have a simunition’s shoot

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house where we shoot simunition, or paint-type pellets, against people. So what

we’ll find in our training on the square range is that people really cheat from their

cover. Because they never have anybody shooting back at ‘em. So when we

finally get, so the training’s been there, they understand the concept, they know

what they're supposed to do, but there hasn't been any penalty or there hasn't been

that ‘aha moment’ for it. But the first time we get them in the, in the, Sims house,

and they pop out and they get shot, and those things hurt, they realize quickly, ‘I

don't want to get shot again.’ So they're more likely to emulate what you wanted

‘em to do because now it's a real event to ‘em rather than just, you know,

hypothetical or you know, they understood what they were doing before, but they

didn't do it, cuz you know they just hadn't connected really the value of it yet.

(Interview 3)

Simulation exercises continue to develop mastery-skills, but it was felt that it was

important to be already mastering skills, such as multitasking in order to reach this phase

that consists of stress inoculation and simulation. It appeared that stress inoculation and

simulation are more valuable when recruits have already been mastering skills.

Significant experiences are connected to stress inoculation and simulation.

So, I mean, I think, I think that's what we strive for in a lot of those cases is those

times when they can do the things that we want ‘em to do because they, they

really deeply understand, you know, how to do it right and how it makes sense.

Because you'll have a lot of people that just go through the motions, but until they

get to the point of something significant happens to ‘em, then, I think they are

better after that...Yeah, I mean they get, you know when the training becomes

real, they get in a real environment, you know we do a lot of that, that kind of

scenario-based stuff that, that comes about. (Interview 3)

A shift in one's perspective from a simulation to a real life situation is a heightening of

awareness that connects what has been learned to reality. Adapting perspectives was seen

as an important step for understanding the serious nature of the profession. It also offered

a logical link between mastering new skills and channeling leadership. This is because

once the individual can see situations with different perspectives, it enables an

understanding of significance of leadership.

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Phase 10: Channeling Leadership

Channeling leadership refers to how the sense of leadership in the academy has a

fluid type of consistency. Leadership is understood as a critical identity within oneself, as

well as others. The identity is channeled amongst a team. Of course, there are designated

leaders, but the application of leadership is not solid because the leader is a servant and

team members share a wavelength or understanding for supporting leadership goals and

accomplishments. Interview concepts in this phase are leader selection, alternating

leaders, and role-modeling. Leader selection is discussed in the following excerpt in

connection to alternating leaders and role modeling, but each aspect was seen as

important to understand exclusively. The participant explains that leaders are selected

based on challenging life experiences and demonstrating he/she is humble and not a

showoff.

Sometimes it's, it’s sometimes it's their life experience, other leadership positions

they've been in, sometimes it's adversity… Some kind of major adversity because

we ask ‘em about major life experiences… And sometimes the ones who had

been through the most adversity are the best, the best adaptive for my leadership

positions. Hard to explain, but a lot of times when you’ve been humbled, or

you’ve had that kind of experience, where you had to fight through a lot of

adversity, it puts you in a position where you can lead others. (Interview 2)

Um, [short silence] and at least, since I'm in charge here, I get to choose my

leaders, and I’ve told them from day one that I don't usually choose the ones that

are barking and trying to be the leaders, the ones that think that by barking out

orders they’re becoming leaders. I usually choose the very humble ones that are

just first doing it themselves as role models, and secondly trying to help out

others. Again, you'll see other people just trying to stand out and say, ‘oh I'm

helping’ but that's usually not the authentic ones. So, uh, bottom line is, by the

first, by the end of the first week, I kind of know my top five or six people to start

leadership…as the academy goes on, I'll see other people starting to rise to the top

and we’ll change leadership. We’ll make five new leaders or whatever. (Interview

2)

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Alternating leaders or sharing leadership roles offers a number of recruits the opportunity

to experience a leadership position. It is acknowledged that experiencing leadership is a

significant impact on individuals’ career opportunities, as well as a sense of passing the

torch on to others.

You know, really for the leadership is we, we assign the commanders assignments

to different people as leaders within the class, and it rotates on probably a 4 to 6

week basis. But it's more kind of the mentoring for us to get with these people and

develop them into leaders so that's something else they can put on their resume.

(Interview 7)

This generated support for a sense of channeling the responsibility of leadership. Through

alternating leaders and offering multiple people the chance to simultaneously experience

leadership seems to establish a collective understanding for the responsibility and

deserved respect. That is, when one experiences leadership, he/she is more likely to

cooperate with and respect other leaders. This is further supported in the aspect regarding

how the most outstanding recruits are team players.

Um, I think there is an awakening …of…teamwork, and a lot of people come in

here as individuals thinking they’re going to be the best they are going to be, you

know, the best recruit. But they don't realize that this is not about being the best

recruit it’s about possibly being a team player and working together as an

academy class to accomplish their goal. (Interview 6)

It is through teamwork that natural role models surface. If individuals believe that

leadership is about an independent-solo strategy, they are not understanding the

academy's context of leadership. Role modeling presents the opportunity for anybody to

demonstrate leadership skills whether or not one has the formal title.

I think the big part of teaching the leadership is just kind of leading by example,

cause we’re always out in front of the recruits and we realize that they're watching

everything that we do, everything that we say, um and, and in teaching classes.

(Interview 7)

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Role modeling encompasses the category of engaging teaching with learning styles

because role modeling becomes a fluid pattern of behavior. Recruits and instructors

continuously learn from role models and are trained in anew awareness to behave as role

models

Phase 11: Intensifying Awareness

Intensifying awareness refers to both an awareness that ‘intensifies one's

understanding’ and ‘action for deepening one's awareness’. Intensifying was thought of

in terms of both a more permanent state of mind as well as a higher level of applying

perspectives to reality. Interview concepts include heightened awareness/vigilance,

detailed reasoning, and deliberate long-term memorization. Consistent practice of

vigilance is a constant everyday exercise for the entire six months that trains the recruits’

minds for being on guard and having a sensitivity or expectation of an unusual situation.

‘Heightened awareness’/vigilance was of particular interest because the phrase is stated

in the preliminary definition of a transcendent experience. The participants described

teaching a heightened awareness to a point of constant consciousness is that the recruits

were to always be ready to identify a threat and know how to handle it.

As they walked the hallways, they just have to keep their heads up and looking

around for us, the academy staff, and they'll recognize us and they'll have to post

up and everything. The idea is to get them into a mental conditioning where we

use the four levels conditioning… But yellow is you're in an environment where

there may be a threat somewhere. You're not sure but, you know, it's like the deer

going to the pond, but you know they’re never just relaxed and drinking because

the lion or whoever could be close by. (Interview 3)

This practice is initiated on the first day of the academy but it is practiced as a standard in

the academy with the intention for attaining a constant and permanent awareness.

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Detailed reasoning is established as a separate interview concept because it is a factor that

is different and assists with working toward a more permanent awareness. When recruits

are given detailed explanations, they are able to better apply the importance of practice. It

is connected with the hallway protocol and establishing long-term understanding.

I think our processes have conformed somewhat to that and that [which] I had to

go through, many years ago in this academy and wasn't always told why I have to

do things. Um, I think we put a realistic spin. Well, you need to constantly have

your head on a swivel and address who's coming at you down the hallway. Um,

where before, it was never pointed out before, that the reason we did it was for

safety, it was just, ‘This is what you will do.’ So I think we’ve tried to keep pace

with the generation Xers and made processes that result in realistic expectations

of what they're gonna be doing in the field and what they need to be doing to

survive. (Interview 6)

I think it is more, more effective, I mean, you know, it I think it shows that the

person is, is trying to understand something. A concept, as an instructor, it just

makes us have to work that much harder and to adapt to that. So, I know some

people are just like, ‘Because I said it. That's why you're gonna do it.’ But you

know I realized that, that kind of way… because even with my kids, I've got a 15-

year-old daughter and 13, and the same thing, it's always, ‘why?’ And you just

gotta explain it, I think ultimately if you look at it that's gonna help them out

when they [recruits] hit the streets because that's what citizens want to know.

‘Well, why are you putting me in the back of a patrol car?’, ‘why are you doing

this?’ And, I think by, by us modeling, it's going to help them ultimately out on

the streets because they're gonna be able to explain to people, ‘This is why I'm

doing this.’ (Interview 7)

Therefore, understanding why or having a detailed reasoning helps one toward

intensifying awareness. Again, it is a new level of consistency and it links channeling

leadership to influencing conditions.

Phase 12: Influencing Conditions

Influencing conditions refers to both the challenges to heightening one's

awareness, as well as how an individual can influence or shape one’s environment. The

focus on the study is understanding how a law enforcement academy heightens awareness

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to the point of a transcendent experience. The interview concepts included adversity, bad

role models, an arrogant attitude, resistance to change, and making peace out of chaos.

Adversity comes in different forms including one's personal life adversity such as

traumatic experiences or socioeconomic challenges and it also comes in the form of other

people fighting against one's progress. Depending on the severity of adversity and an

individual’s strength to face it, adversity can inhibit one from perceiving a transcendent

experience. Adversity was discussed in phase 10, Channeling Leadership, in the context

of personal-life adversity as a strength for leadership selection. In this phase, adversity is

in the context of a difficult situation or conditions that can negatively impact an

individual or group effort. For example, an officer can become angry and overcome by

emotions because a suspect is antagonizing him/her and deliberately instigating an

emotional reaction.

Because we've all had that person that touches our buttons, on the street, and, you

know, I can still even think of an incident I had where someone had to stop me

because I was ready to pile-drive this guy because he had beaten his wife, and she

looked like she was in a prize fight. And then he had the audacity to say, that I

was being too rough with him, and then calling, you know, he started picking

apart my little things, that's like, ‘Add a year on…’ And I wanted to just… And

my partner was great because he was like, ‘Nooooo!’ … but then I had to get a

step back, and you're like, ‘Wow, this guy got in my head’ and I was ready to get

in a lot of trouble. You know all I could think of… was his wife just got beaten to

a pulp. (Interview 4)

This example not only demonstrates the condition or situation that can interfere with a

heightened awareness and what has developed in previous categories, but it also

demonstrates how recruits learn that a battle buddy or beat partner enables a greater force

for influencing challenging conditions. Similarly, making peace out of chaos is presented

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as an objective for influencing a situation and on the flip side, chaos would be an

influencing condition.

Our job is not to go out and cause chaos. Our goal is, you know, is to bring peace

out of chaos. We go into chao-, you know, chaotic situations and we leave it

peaceful, one way or another. Whether I leave with somebody in handcuffs, or I

mediate a family argument and, you know, it's done for the night or the day,

whatever it happens to be. So that's our job, you know, we handle problems we

create peace. (Interview 8)

Having bad role models was also discussed as deterring one from a path of applying one's

full potential. A bad role model can confuse an individual regarding what is right or

wrong and one must rely on core values and careful discernment to identify and avoid the

influence of bad role models.

Again, I think I've, I've been fortunate to have a lot of people that I've been able to

look up to kind of as role models and mentors and, you know, and I've also had

bad, bad, bad people as well, and what I try to do is, I try to take all the things that

I like and I use those things and the things that I didn't like, I try to avoid those

things. (Interview 7)

Having an arrogant attitude can also inhibit one from reaching beyond limits of average

awareness.

And arrogance sometimes it's just fear masking itself. Fear of failure, fear of

being exposed as not very bright or powerful, or whatever. Um, back to the Star

Wars reference, right? [The participant was referencing a discussion regarding a

need for balance in one's life.] You know, fear leads to anger and all those things

that come from that. You know, I see that in my own kids, you know, fear of

something bad happening to your child manifests itself in anger. So, um, and I

think a lot of our arrogance is sometimes as a profession comes from a fear, a fear

of to be not competent or whatever… For some people its true arrogance, they

feel like they are better than everybody else. But that's in, every, every job.

(Interview 10)

One's attitude can interfere with the collective skills and energy of a team. This includes a

resistance to change. If one is not willing to adapt new perspectives, new routines, and

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continuous improvement, that person can inhibit his/herself and those around him/her

from realizing full potential.

So that's where that resistance comes from, you know, they’re, they’re really

comfortable with how things were and now it's changed and they're not… so, and

you put them outside that comfort zone and you know there are some officers that

relish that. They live off that. (Interview 9)

Therefore, change is in influencing conditions and one can choose to adapt and actually

impact the success of the change or fall behind and be debilitated by it. Influencing

Conditions is enhanced by the earlier phases Adapting Perspectives and Channeling

Leadership. One is likely to have more influence on challenges when one can adapt

perspectives to handle sudden challenges and has a sense of control through leadership

empowerment. Together, the recruits begin to assert collective control through applying a

connected wavelength or understanding to make situational impact. This assertion leads

toward a more solidified unity within a team.

Phase 13: Navigating Relational Dimensions

Navigating Relational Dimensions refers to a new level of guiding one's

awareness and appropriate skills to different relational dynamics. It is a deeper (or higher)

level because one acknowledges a control panel in his/her thought processes that

connects to a system of relationships. It is at this level that the concept of a system

engineered for building relationships is understood and operated. One now applies the

buddy system or teamwork skills to other groups of people, both professional and social.

Interview concepts in this phase are balance, applying relationships, and

multidimensional dynamics.

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This requires a balance of self in the personal and professional realm. Navigating

relational dimensions requires never forgetting who one was before accepting the identity

as a peace officer, the people in the recruits/officer's personal/family life, and always

being present with the identity of a peace officer on-call at any time. When a new recruit

or officer becomes a master of balance within his/her life, he/she is better equipped for

building relationships.

You know, they really want, some folks have just been searching for a place to fit

for so long and they find it here. And, so, to them they are just drinking it in, we

can't pour it in fast enough for them. Um, you know, there should be a healthy

balance between making this your identity…uh, you know the term, ‘something I

did, not something I was.’ So we really try and watch for that and encourage

outside activity to not forget who you were before you showed up. This is, this is

a profession but at the same time you were still the same person you were before.

You have more knowledge, skills, and abilities but you're still you. (Interview 10)

The aspect of maintaining a grasp on one's complex identity and the ability to see

knowledge, skills, and abilities as separate components of who one is seems to enable one

to visualize a cognitive control-panel.

So we have that but at the same time you can't get so wrapped up in policing and

the profession where you're always at work, you know, your cell phones going

off, you're always looking at your e-mail, you're always thinking about the last

call you went on, how tomorrow you're gonna go to work or, you know, Monday

you're gonna go back to work. Everything revolves around getting back to work,

that's not a healthy balance. Um, I would say probably, a good example of that is

just living in your moment. You know, while you're at work, be at work, but when

you're at home, be at home. Be engaged in your family's life and outside pursuits

that you have. (Interview 10)

It is understood that maintaining a family life, or navigating it with a professional life

contributes to a holistic type of health. Applying relationships refers to identifying

different ways a relationship can be applied in another context and ultimately builds a

bigger network system.

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I think we wear a lot of different hats. So it's just a matter of what the recruit

needs. Sometimes they need help with the leadership, sometimes they're having

personal issues, I mean I've had a recruit that was having marital issues and you

know being married, I know that when I was going through the Academy it's

tough on the family. So I even offered, ‘hey, if you want your wife to call my wife

and they could talk and kind of, she, my wife could kind of go over some of the

things that she went through, um to help out.’ Ultimately, he didn't have that

happen, but uh, you know, you offer that kind of thing… (Interview 7)

This is just one example of how a single-family system can interconnect with another

family system and offer support and empowerment. This exemplifies multidimensional

dynamics because relating to a co-worker’s personal strife interconnects professional and

personal lives. This also brings consideration to how some organizations refer to itself as

a family. This led into developing professional culture.

Phase 14: Developing Professional Culture

Developing professional culture refers to how the beliefs and practices of law

enforcement organizations are developed and how the beliefs and practices develop a

collective entity. Culture is the spirit or personality of an organization and a profession.

Understanding an organization’s personality includes understanding how it is interpreted

in society. Interview concepts in this phase are paramilitary-discipline structure,

guidelines/standards, teaching and learning the culture, and protecting the organization’s

reputation. The paramilitary structure is a framework for the academy culture. It contains

a careful balance between establishing protocol, guidelines, and conformity, while

respecting an individual's independent, free thinking problem-solving skills.

Basically, paramilitary is that we have a chain of command. We do a lot of

military protocols like marching, like even the way they enter the office, they

have to be very, uh, consistent with how they asked permission to speak to us.

And a lot of these kids aren't used to that. We do have a lot of veterans who have

been through military organizations and at least a boot camp. A boot camp well,

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well at least my view is, we work you out hard, and we train you hard all day, you

have to keep your discipline, you have to keep your respect of the ranks. So our,

our academy is based on what do we call it? It's a paramilitary academy, but it's…

[Tapping a beat on the table] There’s stress, we also ease off them, too, because

we want, we wanna bring out the individuals in them also. There you go, that’s

my paramilitary definition. (Interview 2)

I don't think so, I, I think the majority coming in, think that it's going to be… it's

kind of like attending a college class and they learn rather quickly that it’s, it’s not

a college class, they get college units for it, but this is a paramilitary activity and

we have to hold them by the standards. Um we recently had a recruit coming in

two classes ago, I believe, and she actually went in the Navy after attending our

curriculum here after graduating…

And it was very interesting to have her come back and explain her experience in

the Navy and she pretty much said that her experience here was more trying on

her than her experience was in the military. (Interview 1)

Teaching and learning the culture also contributes to the dynamic of a behavioral norm

that integrates guidelines and interrelationship dynamics.

Our job and responsibility is to kind of tune them in to the culture of the

organization, the expectations, and, and outside of that, we also have the public.

Which is again, you know, I mean, their interaction with the public is going to

have a great deal of impact on the organization itself, but they're out of it. So, you

know, we're trying to develop great employees, but also great, you know,

customer service, or something like that, if you want to use it… (Interview 3)

In a more experienced level of engaging teaching and learning styles, individuals see how

learning and teaching are mandatory for behavior and interactions. Recruits understand

that they are not the only ones learning, the concept that teaching and learning roles are a

mutual dynamic becomes more consciously recognized and is highly valued. As certain

routines become more consciously recognized based on appreciation of the purpose, the

culture also becomes more consciously recognized and respected. This leads to a need for

understanding the importance of protecting the organization’s reputation. Each recruit is

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taught to be self-aware and develop an individual, professional reputation that ultimately

contributes to the academy’s reputation and the law enforcement profession's reputation.

Well obviously, if they're hired by us, it's gonna positively impact us because

they're working for our department. But um, I think that their experiences and

hopefully their positive experiences, you know, whoever they go work for, they

share those experiences with the department that they work with. Whether it's

coworkers or supervisors and, um, I think that builds upon our reputation as an

academy and I know we've been pretty successful, because we trained a lot of bay

area departments, all around here, they send their people to our academy. So I

think that all these experiences just helps our academy to be that much better.

(Interview 7)

A positive professional reputation contributes a sense of pride and dedication to the

culture. Again, a culture enables a stronger, collective recognition that the organization is

ultimately interconnected with the law enforcement profession and society and is a

concrete entity. As each individual understands this, there is a stronger sense that every

single action he/she performs, will be directly associated with the organization. The

organization is based in this culture and enables it to be a strong representative in societal

communication because it is like a personality that interacts with others

Phase 15: Supporting Community and Society.

Supporting community and society refers to a new understanding conveyed to the

recruit regarding the relationship between a law enforcement culture and communities

and society. This phase depicts the purpose of law enforcement and what they are trained

to do: to support and serve communities. Another element of this phase would be how the

community supports law enforcement efforts. Interview concepts within this phase are

serving to make a difference, community as a purpose, law as a moral code, and

community support. Serving to make a difference in a community comes from

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understanding that there are problems in communities that need to be attended to and the

recruits are reminded that they are at the academy because they want to make a

difference. They want to change current conditions.

I think because with law enforcement, you have, one, to take people that have

either their own perceptions of what a law enforcement officer does. You know,

and I want to give everybody the benefit of the doubt. That they're here for the

best reasons possible. They want to become police officers so that they can go out

into their community or community they want to serve and make a difference.

And, I mean, it's funny because we all kind of have this… I think that's why, most

people get into it, like, you know, you feel like there's something wrong and

you're frustrated, ‘Well why isn't something being done, and I want to be part of

that, and this is the vehicle in which to do that.’ Otherwise you become a

vigilante. (Interview 4)

Community as a purpose is very similar to wanting to serve to make a difference and

emphasizes that the law enforcement culture is not confined within itself, but it exists for

the community. The recruits are reminded that important to keep that in mind.

So that's what we start to instill in the platoon and, and the connection to, you

know, police work is… our goal of the academy is to teach them and prepare

them to go out and be law enforcement officers in the community. And so, again

it's not about going out and seeing how many citations you write and you can be

the best ticket writer in the world… it's about solving, it's about solving problems.

It's about going out there and finding the problems in the community and finding

ways to solve them. (Interview 8)

Law enforcement officers regard the law as a moral code. Therefore, enforcing the law

requires.

So you have to be you know you have to, we as a law enforcement officer, we

have a lot of moral decisions… we come across a lot of money, we come across a

lot of dope, we come across a lot of different things in our, in our job, that, you

know, if you didn't make those right decisions or have those morals you would,

you know, well, that's when bad cops come out and get fired or get arrested or

those kinds of things because they break the law and they don't have those morals

to enforce the law and make the right decisions. Integrity, you know doing the

right thing when no one's looking, kind of a thing, you know if no one's around,

‘Do I still have to do the right thing?’ Yes because you're supposed to have

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integrity, be a, you know, morally righteous person to do this job. And, you know,

that's just the characteristic of this job, that's what society expects of us, to do the

job. They expect law enforcement to be above the normal citizen, they expect us

to do the right things and do things that no one else would do. And that's what we

have to bring out and instill or get rid of here at the academy. We have to be able

to go through and, and weed out those people who aren't morally correct.

(Interview 8)

This profound reflection regarding a moral nature is tied to what society expects of law

enforcement. It emphasizes the relationship between law enforcement and society is

based on values like trust and integrity. Community support offers the realm of a

reciprocal relationship. That is, as law enforcement is able to support the community, the

community is able to support law enforcement. While what communities and society do

for law enforcement was not directly discussed, the present study is one example of

offering support to law enforcement though helping them to see a greater depth in the

development of recruits, each other, and the profession that occurs at an academy.. A

Developing Professional Culture and Supporting Community and Society leads to the

phase of Interconnecting Open Systems.

Phase 16: Interconnecting Open Systems

Interconnecting open systems refers to the discussion of systems in phase 13,

Navigating Relational Dimensions and now reaches a broader perspective regarding the

interface of relationships between various law enforcement agencies as well as civilian

organizations. Interview concepts within this phase are identifying with officers

nationwide, staff – recruits/academy – agency/community – society, and multi-

disciplinary interaction. Identifying with officers nationwide comes from the academy

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experience. This was an important interconnection because it does not only relate fellow

law enforcement officers, but also the different agencies and jurisdictions they represent.

…and so, but you leave here, you have that connection with other law

enforcement off, with other law enforcement officers because we all have gone

through it. We have all gone through that academy. Whether it's this one or the

other one it's all, almost, all the academies are the same. There's a few things here

that are different but you have that connection, you went through the academy…

you can always fall back to… Everyone has similar, uh, um, memories of your

academy, and so we have… whether you go to any agency in the state, you can

fall back, you can have some of these conversations with somebody else with the

training you had at the academy. And then it moves on from then, the field

training and everything else. (Interview 8)

Again, because officers can relate to each other after the Academy experience, it appears

that each officer becomes somewhat of a diplomat of their respective agency in the

context of various needs for multi-jurisdiction collaboration. This is separate from

developing professional culture because it is the culture that facilitates the interface

between different agencies and organizations. In other words, the culture (or personality)

is different than how the profession is a physical entity within the societal system. Staff –

recruits/academy – agency/community – society have been exemplified in many of the

interview quotes presented. It refers to the dynamics of the staff related to the chain of

command and how they relate to the recruits. This comprises the academy which has

close relationships with various agencies looking to hire the recruits. The various

agencies are connected through a developing professional culture that solidifies an entity

that interacts with communities and at the level of multiple communities, is elevated to

the context of society. Multidisciplinary interaction was expressed in a simple manner

regarding the various professionals that shared the academy building.

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You know all these different people that they know they need to respond

appropriately to… and then we also have all kinds of other people using… we've

got the fire department out here… civilian training…that goes on, um, plus the

civilian staff that runs the place. So if you have just one response with all these

different variables that single response is probably not going to work out for you

very well. (Interview 9)

This surfaces an awareness of collaboration with fire departments and various civilians

working for the government. As each system is its own entity, but has a fluid interaction

other systems that also have an exclusive, but permeable perimeter, that these are

Interconnecting Open Systems. Because of this interconnection, any success amongst any

of the systems is appreciated and shared.

Phase 17: Appreciating Shared Success

Appreciating shared success refers to how everyone within the law enforcement

culture and the systems they interact with appreciate and share success, as well as the

success that continues to appreciate in the context of a rise in value. In other words,

success adds value to the culture and the bigger system is embedded in. This topic

surfaced from participants’ discussions on long-term impact and is the reason it is

positioned toward the end of the process of evoking a transcendent experience because it

leads into the outcome. Interview concepts are storytelling, a sense of pride, and

graduates hired. Most participants discussed hearing stories of success as a measurable

outcome. Storytelling is an interview concept that was difficult to place because it is used

throughout the academy in various contexts such as Engaging Teaching and Learning,

Bonding Force, and Navigating Relationships, amongst others. Storytelling stood out to

as most important in the context of an observable outcome of transcendental

development. The instructors explained that hearing stories from other agencies/police

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departments, regarding the success and appreciation of the graduates that came from the

academy was the ultimate fulfillment of the efforts toward developing a recruit toward a

transcendent experience. A more accurate term, from the description of the participants,

is likely Perceiving Transcendence. It was not until a long, arduous process that a sense

of great accomplishment was recognized, and much of that recognition came from stories

Sometimes we do. If we hear a really good story… or, a lot of times what we'll do

is have them come back and tell the story. Like some shooting that the papers

we’re reading about or everybody heard about…yeah sometimes it’s A, good for

the students to hear all this stuff but B, it’s really good for that person that went

through it and talk about it because it's helpful for them too… so, we do do that,

we bring them back and, sure, were kind of living, what’s that term? [Drum beat

tapping] Living through them, living through their experiences because were

stuck here at an academy… yeah, that's it… vicariously, can’t remember that

name, the word. (Interview 2)

And, and she really wanted to thank Pete for spending all the time with her, being

as hard on her as he’d been and, and taking the time with her because the changes

that she made to be successful in here had turned around her. And they still speak.

And now if you’d ask me, you know, one person who we’d never see again, she

would be on the list of top fives. You know. And then, like I’ve said, we'll get

stuff like that here and there but Christmas Eve, late at night, you know, what I

mean? That was, that was really touching. So, you know, that's, it's those times

when we kind of see everything kinda coming together and you know we’ll have

some people that aren't successful. They don't graduate from the necessarily this

time, we have some people come back, but maybe some people give up on it.

(Interview 3)

In this context, it also surfaced an understanding that in order to see success, one must

acknowledge unsuccessful circumstances. In other words, success does not exist without

acknowledging failure. It would be interesting for an academy to actually tally how many

successful stories they hear every few months. Storytelling, a sense of pride, graduates

hired are all tied together in the following interview excerpts:

So, you know our goal is to graduate, have them go through everything and we

put a lot of our own professional, you know, pride in a lot of work into these

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recruits to get them to graduate and to pass these set standards, that we didn't set

standards, the state… set the standards and we know what the standards are. You

know, so as instructors we, you know, can only afford to take them as far as we

can, and it's up to them to pass. So when they do pass and they've had these

issues… not so much the guy who's the best guy in the class and graduates, we

expect him to graduate. It's not that, I don't, I don't feel as much pride as if there

was somebody else who had a lot of trouble and who overcame those issues and

because of our help, you know, and graduates. You feel like you have more

invested in them because of that. But as a whole group, you’re prideful of them

graduating. You are prideful when you hear them doing good out in the street,

when you find out they got hired somewhere, when you find out that, you know,

well, they had this great arrest or they did this and this and this. And you can

always say, ‘Hey, yeah, you know, he got that from me.’ You know, and some of

its true. I mean they are always, they're good person but you can always take a

little bit of pride in knowing that, you know, that you helped put out a good

product. That's what we’re doing were putting out a product, you know.

(Interview 8)

So A, I think they, by the time they graduate, [drum beat tapping] I think they're,

they’re proud of themselves, again, it's that confidence level that they know they

can get through almost anything [drum beat tapping], and to be honest, we're

proud of them, too. We obviously, we also start in our minds, start saying who the

best are, we're seeing the cream of the crop, and we're hoping Sac PD goes and

hires all the cream of the crop, all the best ones. But no matter where they go, we

have outside agencies and we have, and we try and help these people go and try to

find a job afterward but I guess A, that they do find a job and B, that when they

go to that job they do it really well so that we're proud of, uh, the product that we

had a little small part of creating. (Interview 2)

A sense of pride is a reward shared by individual instructors along with the academy and

ultimately builds into the academy's reputation, which contributes to the reputation of the

profession. This was a long-term impact of a lengthy process described by the

participants. It is also understood that the graduate feels a sense of pride for his/her

accomplishment and the skills he/she is able to offer society. This depicts a strong

interconnection of values and purpose. Instructors do not get a direct benefit from how

many recruits are ultimately hired, but it offers individual instructors a sense of success

and this is shared with the academy, again through reputation. It is noted by the present

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psychology researcher that this sense of success appeared priceless to the participants.

Appreciating shared success works dynamically between the individual graduate, the

instructor, the academy, the hiring agency, the law enforcement profession, and

community that is served. While it was not directly stated by the participants, it was

understood by the present study that success is a source of energy and persistence. This

leads to the context of how sharing success adds value, specifically to the instructors’

sense of purpose. A sense of appreciating shared success leads to a new level of

awareness, in which remarkable accomplishments enforce a realization of reality, in

which all those involved can clearly see the application of everything learned to the real

world and life, and the deeper purpose of a law enforcement vocation, which is to protect

and sustain life through mitigating and solving society’s problems

Phase 18: Realizing Reality

Realizing reality refers to reaching a peak of how maximizing individual talents

and skills through striving for one's greatest potential produces profound moments in

which an individual realizes that collaborative efforts are ultimately for peace and

survival, which is the bigger picture. Realizing reality consists of the interview concepts

of survival and life/death, right/wrong, sacrificing self, and new awareness/awakening

moments. Is important to acknowledge that reality can be defined by various individuals

in different ways, but law enforcement defines reality by life or death. The academy

instills a visual memory to minimize the influence of emotional trauma or panic in critical

incidents. When a recruit becomes an officer and works in the real world, he/she has a

reference point for staying calm and resisting panic. It is somewhat associated with stress

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inoculation, but the following example demonstrates how it involves realizing life and

death, as well as staying calm in a situation on the brink of life and death.

But it's one of those things you know sometimes as a recruit in the class, maybe

you're tired that day, you're, you know, ‘I'm not really watching this thing". But

we had an officer that was shot, um he was bleeding, he starts freaking out, he

looked down and he is like ‘well, this is really not that much blood’, and he

reflected back onto, ‘I remember Cpl. Diaz pouring that water out, and he said, if

it don't look like this then don't worry… I kinda go… well, okay, I'm gonna be

okay’. You know? (Interview 3)

Um, and that's another one of the awakenings is… umm this is not a game. This is

a life or death game. In that, when they are out there, if they are not on their game,

uh, they are not aware of their threats, then the consequences can be horrific….

But I think also along the way, through various courses they also perceive some

of those, um enlightening moments or awakenings, where it dawns on them that

they're going to have to confront that 6'5", you know, 275 pound, glass, steel, you

know, person, and then take them into custody for assaulting their spouse or

something of that nature and they're gonna need to, like I said, be on their game.

(Interview 6)

This level of understanding/realizing reality includes the possibility of losing one’s own

life or a fellow officer sacrificing his/herself for a partner and the officer must be clearly

aware of this risk in every decision at this point of realization.

Because when we take it away from the academy, and uh, and what we learn from

day one to the end of 24 weeks, by the end of 24 weeks, the idea is that these

people would step out into the law enforcement world and they would take a

bullet for you… and that's powerful. (Interview 5)

Once the recruits become fully aware that what they are training for is to survive while

protecting community, the Academy intends for them to continuously live at this

heightened state of awareness.

You know more and more cops are, you know, we are walking around with a

target on our back, and right, in this environment if we can make that… make this

environment somewhat stressful where they’re always watching their back, you

know, they're watching out for themselves or watching out for each other, you

know, the only thing we can hope is that, you know, that becomes a um, an

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automatic learned response, you know, and they start living at that heightened

state of awareness as opposed to, you know, now they're out of the academy, and

you know, they become, you know, a slug again, or they slip back into being

unaware of what's going on. (Interview 9).

To be actually living at this heightened state of awareness is an aspect that compelled

inserting this phase toward the end of the process of evoking transcendent experience

because it is now more prolonged. It is a more permanent state beyond Intensifying

Awareness. The understanding of a dangerous reality becomes a more permanent

consciousness at this point because it has been regularly practiced and is more reflexive,

or natural. Following Appreciating Shared Success, Realizing Reality integrates events

that signify progress while never letting celebration hinder risk awareness. Recognizing

persisting progress beyond realizing reality (life/death) brings individuals, a team, an

organization, and interconnecting systems to a wiser (based on time) perspective on

peaceful life and the role each are given to contribute to sustaining it.

Phase 19: Persisting Progress.

Persisting Progress refers to the heightened awareness that acknowledges the

investment of time in consistent accomplishments. At this level, it involves either an

individual’s investment in time, as well as that shared with partners, teams, or

organizations. The majority of participants agreed that a transcendent experience is

something that takes time and is likely not indicated by a single event, but rather a

combination and culmination of events. Interview concepts are determination/persistence,

evolving identity, continuous improvement, preparing for a paradigm shift, understanding

traditions are time tested, and heeding established wisdom. Determination and persistence

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are required from day one, but cannot be assessed until a significant amount of time has

passed, and the individual is still dedicated to progress and exceeding limits.

It's, you know, um, just, you know, you're like, ‘wow, now I completely

understand, based on this one event or maybe two small events that kind of

formulate one event. Now I know why you told me that.’ And I've had people e-

mail me over the years or call me and say, ‘you know, you might not even

remember this, but you know, something you said, something taught us,

something we did, um, you know, and I had this [situation]… and it just

completely became clear. (Interview 10)

Similarly, evolving identity refers to the time, experience, and sacrifice it takes for a

recruit to become a peace officer. Becoming a peace officer does not happen overnight

and it is an extreme challenge to undergo all that the academy demands.

And, and at the end, one of the things we'll always ask them is, ‘did you do your

best, did you try your hardest, you know, and are you a different person than you

were when you came in here? I mean, do you feel better about yourself now? And

have you grown as a person?’ And, you know, and I think the vast, vast majority

of them will leave here feeling positive about the experience and they've, you

know, they've made some changes, um, and we see that at the end of the academy.

(Interview 3)

I go, ‘your first, your first year to five years, you're gonna go through an evolution

because you're, you're gonna go through… you’re gonna see all this stuff. You’re

gonna be having this feeling with a certainty. (Interview 4)

Similarly, the academy itself works on continuous improvement and evolves over time.

I think that the program we have has been tried and tested and I mean we had a

captain out here this morning, who uh, his first academy course was in 1983…so

that's, he's been on for 30 years and I think the program was solid back then but as

time progresses every class comes through, there is little things that we can fine

tune in order to make the classes better. (Interview 1)

Preparing for a paradigm shift is connected to futures thinking and it requires individuals

to not only think about possible changes within a decade or two, but to actually prepare

for anticipated changes that can occur in 20 years.

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You can look back, that Rodney King, which is force wise, one of the seminal

moments that changes policing and how the police dealt with community. You

know, those guys were afraid, there's nothing you can do to convince me they

were not afraid. The rules they had were not effective. And then you go back to,

well why were they afraid? Because they're training wasn't good. Their training

was based on a paradigm that worked in the 80s, but the paradigm didn't work in

the 90s. So there's been a tremendous paradigm shift in policing and training.

(Interview 10)

Those pieces weren't in place, so, um you know, prepping people for the future is

not just for today or tomorrow and for the next event. Hopefully it's to get them

through their career successfully, where they can retire and lead a long nice

retirement. (Interview 10)

And, um, so I had them all over the board, you know I had these eight individual

personalities that I've gotta manage and I've got a be flexible in dealing with them

not based on who they were then in the short experiences, but based on now,

seven, eight, 10, 15 years down the road so my paradigm is constantly shifting.

'Well you didn't used to be like this'. Well, okay, so I'm not like that anymore,

whose fault is that? (Interview 10)

Future thinking about paradigm shifts brings Adapting Perspective to a new level.

Individuals need to be aware of how models or paradigms can change in society

particularly related to changes in law, and formulate a paradigm that will adapt to those

changes. It requires a persistence through time to actually apply critical thinking

adaptations skills as one is confronted with changes. In this evolving time context, it is

also important to maintain certain traditions that help hold a culture together and maintain

a grasp on established wisdom. The participants connected tradition and long-term

practices to wisdom. Age was never mentioned as a requirement for wisdom, but wisdom

was implied as a long term impact or outcome of a long process that instills motivation

for a purpose for protecting life.

Through time-tested, you know, you have things we've done here for the last 30

years. Traditions and those kind of things, some things have changed and…

changes with time, changes with policy, changes with new trends but, you know,

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it's still traditions and things that are built off it from 30 years ago. So… you

know, it's there is no sense that you have to reinvent the wheel all the time. It

works great we use it, and if there's an issue we change it you know. (Interview 8)

As time moves on, core values and how they are respected, practiced, and celebrated

within traditions are essential to an organization’s sustainability through the changes the

future presents. This concept is linked to heeding established wisdom, where values and

wisdom developed over centuries that lead to equality and justice should not be

challenged and rather used as armor when facing new situational conditions.

Perceiving Transcendence

Perceiving transcendence is presented as the ultimate outcome of the process of

evoking a transcendent experience, but it is not intended to determine an end to the

process. Again, the instructors saw a transcendent experience as a long-term process in

which skills are continuously applied, reinforced, and transferred to other contexts and

compounded at higher levels. This is simultaneous to heightening awareness of values,

self, others, organization, and adversarial threats that ultimately becomes a sustained

consciousness. The majority, if not all, of the participants could not relate to the concept

of a single experience. The participants enlightened the study with a new understanding

that it may be a misnomer to try to explain a transcendent experience, but it is more

accurate to understand how individuals come about perceiving transcendence, which is

closer to a consciousness, or way of seeing the world. The academy instructors conveyed

that it is not one experience but more of a new life-perspective that they try to evoke. The

idea of how a transcendent experience is evoked is better understood by the participants

as the idea of how one is brought to the consciousness that encompasses the 19 phase

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process described. Appreciating Shared Success, Realizing Reality, and Persisting

Progress are indicators of a shared, interconnected heightened awareness, particularly as

compared to both the recruits’ and instructors’ first day at the academy. Again,

Perceiving Transcendence is not the end of the journey, and as discussed in the Persisting

Progress phase, Perceiving Transcendence is a state of mind that works toward

continuous improvement and progress. As demonstrated in the previous 19 phases,

Perceiving Transcendence requires a lot of determination, open-mindedness, and

acceptance of others. It is a culmination and compilation of the phases rather than a final

step or single experience in a process of evoking a transcendent experience.

Theoretical Response to the Research Question.

As described in the Perceiving Transcendence sub-section, a transcendent

experience was discovered to be a perception, rather than a single experience, that is

reached through a 19 phase process. It is a sequence of these 19 phases that identify the

process of evoking a transcendent perception. In Figure 1, the blue arrows guide the

standard sequence from 1 to 19 and intends to depict a spiral shape. An interpretation of

the results is explored in the next chapter.

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Figure 1. Process for Perceiving Transcendence

Summary

This chapter introduced a description of the participants, a detailed description of

how the interviews were conducted, transcribed, and coded, and the results of analysis.

The results of the analysis were presented in an organization of 19 phases that lead to

Perceiving Transcendence. Interview concepts that comprised each phase were described

and the reader was led to see how each phase leads to the next in a proposed sequence.

The outcome of the process is Perceiving Transcendence. A spiral depiction in a succinct

theoretical response to the research question was presented. The next chapter offers an in-

depth interpretation of the process for evoking a transcendent perception within a closing

summary regarding the entire study as presented.

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CHAPTER 5. RESULTS, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Introduction to the Summary of Results, Conclusions, and Recommendations

This chapter offers a brief review of the results and explores implications of the

results. Next, a discussion on how the results expand insight on theories and studies that

were discussed in the Chapter 2 Literature Review is presented. This is followed by a

review of the limitations of the present study which leads into Recommendations for

Future Research. In summation, this chapter succinctly clarifies the results in reference

to the research question and concludes the documentation of the present study.

Summary of Results

The present GT study looked to contribute an empirical, or data-based,

understanding of a transcendent experience through responding to the question, What is a

law enforcement academy's process for evoking a transcendent experience? This study

contributes to understanding the phenomenon of transcendence in a workplace setting.

Congruent with the stated purpose in Chapter 1, the present study avoided religious

references and sources of data to facilitate scientific conversation on the topic of

transcendence and WS. This more scientific approach assists with informing and

developing workplace interventions for the public sector that faces challenges on spiritual

topics (e.g., King, 2007; McConkie, 2008; Schley, 2008). The practical purpose of the

present study was to present a spiritual framework for law enforcement training that

Feemster (2007) discussed. Furthermore, the study intended to offer new insight on

Maslow's (1971) discourse of transcendence, Bandura’s (1977; 1993; 2001; 2003) social

cognitive theory , transcendental leadership theory (Cardona, 2000; Crossan & Mazutis,

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2008; Crossan et al., 2008; Sanders et al., 2003), and Newman and Fuqua’s (2006) caring

organization model. The present study also sought to expand understanding and

conversation of Giacalone and Jurkiewicz’s (2004) definition of WS through a focus on

the experience of transcendence. The study employed GT to develop a theoretical

response to the research question: What is a law enforcement academy's process for

evoking a transcendent experience? The theoretical response offers support to and

development of theories and concepts that compose the field of WS. 19 phases were

established and explained in a theoretical storyline. It was discovered that a transcendent

experience may be a misnomer and Perceiving Transcendence is a more appropriate

phenomenon to pursue in future research. As the 19 phase process indicates, Perceiving

Transcendence consists of multiple experiences in a developmental dynamic.

Understanding this developmental dynamic can inspire a number of further studies.

Discussion of Results

The theoretical response to the research question presented a description and

depiction of a 19-phase process. The overall presentation of data was an extensive

narrative filled with interview detail and direct analysis. Therefore, the single figure

presented in Chapter 4 (Figure 1) is too simple to depict the complexity of the process.

Close attention was paid to the interview data when responding to the research question.

This led to deeper interpretations and an understanding of a more complex process than

the preliminary definition could provide. The preliminary definition is reviewed,

followed by an elaboration on the complexity of this process model.

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Preliminary Definition Implications

The preliminary definition, “A heightened awareness of values that connects self

to others, organization, society, and all parts of the human ecosystem that sustain life,

which motivates behavior for strengthening these connections and improving the quality

of all life” provided a context for analysis. As explained in Chapter 4, some of the

participants used it as a point of reference for explaining how they see this occur in the

academy. The research question asked: What is a law enforcement academy’s process for

evoking a transcendent experience? The participants felt more connected to the concept

of a heightened awareness than a single experience. They conveyed that they did not

relate this to single instances, but a development of a law enforcement officer’s

consciousness that they better associated with the preliminary definition. The purpose of

the study was not to acquire a new definition, but to understand a process as experienced

by the academy instructors to reach a heightened awareness relative to what the

preliminary definition described. The participants did contribute extensive detail

regarding how such an awareness is reached and the researcher organized the description

into a process. Through this, phrases could be added to the definition such as, “A

heightened awareness of values and skills acquired over a significant amount of time that

connects self to others, organization, society, and all parts of the human ecosystem that

sustain life, which motivates behavior for mastering and exceeding skills to strengthen

these connections and improving the quality of all life.” However, the process is multi-

dimensional (self, others, organization, society) with complex-dynamics between each

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and there is more than a simple sequence of the process. An explanation of five

metaphases that contain 4 phases can offer a deeper depiction of how a law enforcement

academy works toward heightening awareness and sustaining it to a consciousness.

The Metaphases

The five metaphases that manifested are: Breaking out of the Shell, Connecting

Wavelengths, Asserting Collective Control, Solidifying a Collective Entity, and

Perceiving Transcendence. In Figure 2, the 5 meta-phases are presented in congruence

with the format of the 19 phases demonstrated in Chapter 4 Figure 1.

Figure 2. 5 Meta-Phases of Perceiving Transcendence

The orange arrows in Figure 2 depict a complex dynamic between all four phases within

each metaphase. Breaking out of the Shell contains the first four phases/categories that

have an emphasis on the developing individual that is encouraged to open up early in the

academy experience. Connecting Wavelengths, marks a transition from a focus on the

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individual and what he/she had been containing within him/herself to a focus on building

a shared understanding within a group that works toward the dynamics of a team.

Asserting Collective Control refers to the transition of when the technique of

synchronizing individual skills amongst the team is mastered, the team is ready to join

forces that make a deliberate impact. Solidifying a Collective Entity refers to when

individuals, a team, and organization identify as a physical system that fits into society.

Perceiving Transcendence has been explained as the outcome of reaching and sustaining

this high awareness. Again, it is not considered to be the end of the Perceiving

Transcendence process, but it is a maximum application of experience, new skills,

collaboration, and higher-level understandings. It is presented as a metaphase because it

contains the last phases that begin to signify Perceiving Transcendence. While an

individual may have a profound life experience, it is likely impossible to qualify the

single experience as a transcendent experience because it is built upon multiple previous

experiences and personal growth/development between the experiences. This is important

because it offers a more nuanced interpretation notion of transcendence as opposed to the

commonly cited definition of WS that Giacalone and Jurkiewicz (2004) suggested, where

they refer to “employee experience of transcendence through the work process.”

Perceiving Transcendence is a consciousness that sees the connection of lives in a

system of life. That is what the instructors conveyed as a deeper, underlying goal of the

academy. Perceiving Transcendence offers a sense of existential control of one's impact

on the survival and quality of human experience of self, others, organization, and society.

New goals, new situations, and new demands for different skills progress an individual

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through multiple cycles throughout one’s life. Therefore, as depicted in Figure 3, the

orange arrows represent mini cycles of phases within metaphases and they cycle into the

core outcome phases. This is intended to depict how each metaphase has a direct impact

on the outcome. There is a 1-2-3 pathway, but it is not absolute and concrete. The more

experiences one has, the more he/she can deliberately navigate from one phase to

another. While the diagram demonstrates a 19 phase process for evoking a transcendent

experience, it is meant to produce the concept of multiple cycles that synergize the effects

of the phases within that has a stronger impact on Perceiving Transcendence. This

process is similar to developmental models that have both continuity and discontinuity,

depending on the individual and situation. This model is a phase by phase process, but

particularly after one has reached a transcendent perception, a dynamic fluctuation

between phases might occur., Reflection continued on the process and the dynamics of

the interviews, in which participants would sometimes lead into reflections that revealed

insight on questions five and six, though, the interview was on question two. This added

insight toward recognizing that individuals revisit previous phases, in different

combinations, that produce unique strengths in one’s perception.

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Figure 3. 19 Phases and 5 Meta-Phases of Perceiving Transcendence

Again, the three phases that were discussed last and are depicted in the center, fit into the

end-tail of the process, in terms of long-term impact and what the participant-instructors

discussed as commonly witnessed predictable outcomes. Understanding more about how

theoretical outcomes, or that which can be predicted, contributes not only to scientific

acceptance of a theory, but how the outcomes can strengthen the variables within the

theory can offer future considerations of this GT explanation For instance, how do

Appreciating Success, Realizing Reality, and Persisting Progress strengthen Exceeding

Limits or Embracing Diversity, or do they? A formal theory can be inspired based on the

phases and factors discovered in this study. In addition, different applications and other

theories can be connected to what these results suggest and are discussed in

Recommendations for Future Research.

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Discussion of Conclusions

The following section presents an evaluation of how the current study contributes

new insight on the theories discussed in Chapter 2: Maslow’s (1971) discourse on

transcendence, Bandura’s (1977) social cognitive theory principles and Bandura’s (2003)

suggestions for an organizational spiritual program based on the principles,

transcendental leadership theory (Cardona, 2000; Crossan & Mazutis, 2008; Crossan et

al., 2008; Sanders et al., 2003), and Fuqua and Newman’s (2002; Newman & Fuqua,

2006) caring organization model. A similar, brief evaluation is presented regarding the

quantitative and qualitative research gaps that supported the purpose of this study.

Indications that surfaced regarding the background of the research problem is addressed

directly. This section concludes with a general overview of the conclusions and leads into

a review of the limitations of the study.

Maslow

In Chapter 2, Maslow’s (1971) discourse on transcendence was presented.

Maslow (1971) discussed transcendence as a high level of consciousness that is signified

by relating to others and all life with an unselfish openness. He was challenged for not

considering how personal hardships relate to a higher consciousness (Frankl, 1966;

Pytell, 2006). However, Maslow (1971) considered the criticism and began to explain

that transcenders rise above challenges or deficiencies, shortly before he died and had

few opportunities to present his evolved theory (Koltko-Rivera, 2006). Maslow (1943)

initiated discussion on The Hierarchy of Needs and discussed that there was not a rigid

fixed order. Maslow (1943) also listed a number of conditions regarding freedoms that

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enable meta-motivation, or non-monetary motivation. In 1971, Maslow discussed B-

values extensively, but a new depiction is not offered nor are they included in his basic

model. In addition, the self-actualization model by Maslow (1943; 1971) has an

intonation that it is an individual process. However, Maslow (1943) did include the Need

for Love and Belonging in the Hierarchy of Needs which is associated with having others

nurture growth toward Self-Actualization. Maslow (1971) presented a table titled “Levels

of Organization Related to Other Hierarchical Variables” and also depicts how Being

Values are integrated and the similarities to his contemporary theorists are identified.

Maslow (1971) also explains that a transcender applies oneself to society’s objectives for

peace and harmony and improving the quality of all life.

The present study contains many similarities with Maslow's (1971) concept of

transcendence and offers a more elaborate explanation of the interrelationship of self with

others and all life. The Influencing Conditions phase offers a similar explanation to

Maslow’s (1971) revision that included overcoming adversity and becoming stronger for

it. The present study contributes an understanding of how a transcendent consciousness

could be evoked to complement Maslow’s (1971) description of what a transcendent

consciousness is (consisting of creativity, values, education, and synergizing with

society) and how it is evident in selfless behavior. Again, the 19 phase process depicts

how one reaches a heightened awareness as described in the preliminary definition

implications which contains and maintains great similarity to Maslow’s (1971) definition

of transcendence.

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Enhancing Individual is the origin in the Perceiving Transcendence process, while

Physiological Needs is the base of Maslow’s (1971) Hierarchy of Needs. The process of

Perceiving Transcendence is how a human organization reaches out and assists

individuals through a process of Perceiving Transcendence rather than individual human

needs. The present study emphasizes a collective, deliberate effort in the process rather

than suggesting that Perceiving Transcendence is innate or intrinsically developed in an

isolated individual. The present study deliberately looked at WS or organizational

transcendence and included the assistance of others at the beginning of the process.

Ultimately, there are many similarities between Perceiving Transcendence and Self-

Actualization. However, the present study offers elaboration and a more complex model

to depict how Perceiving Transcendence is reached through the assistance of an

organization.

Bandura

Bandura’s (2003) suggestion to apply his social cognitive theory to a spiritual

development model was discussed in Chapter 2. He suggested that looking at how

organizations promote a development from self-efficacy toward collective-efficacy could

lead to a scientific understanding of spirituality. Self-efficacy regards a belief in one’s

ability to accomplish goals (Bandura, 1977). Bandura (1977) had a strong emphasis on

how self-efficacy and collective-efficacy are learned. He suggested four sources for self-

efficacy: Mastery Experiences, Role-Modeling, Verbal Persuasion, and Emotional

Arousal. He does not offer a long-term process or sequence. As Vancouver (2012)

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pointed out, Bandura did not discuss conditions that may enhance or inhibit levels of

efficacy.

The present study took the lack of an overall process and conditions into

consideration while determining how an individual’s progressive accomplishments (both

mental and physical) connects to group efforts. The present study recognized the

presence of all four sources of Bandura’s (1977) self-efficacy in the process, but also

discovered they are found throughout the 19-phase Perceiving Transcendence process.

Mastery Experiences is found in Exceeding Limits, Mastering New Skills, Channeling

Leadership, Navigating Relational Dimensions, and Persisting Progress directly. Being

able to Embrace Diversity could also be considered a Mastery Experience. Role-

Modeling, Verbal Persuasion, and Emotional Arousal are similar in which there may be

certain phases in Perceiving Transcendence that have stronger connections with one of

the self-efficacy sources, but the Perceiving Transcendence phases also seem to have all

sources within each of them. Therefore, the present study offers an elaboration on how

the four sources may function in a long term process that not only interconnects an

individual’s confidence and accomplishment to that of a group’s, but also to an

organization and societal interfaces.

Bandura’s (2003) social cognitive theory was useful for understanding a spiritual

mechanism within an organization. Directly looking for an interface between self-

efficacy and collective-efficacy was avoided, but the provisional definition that was

presented in Chapter 1 was a point of reference. Through looking at how self is connected

to others, organization, and society, an explanation of this connection was constructed.

158

Applying the four sources of self-efficacy to each phase may offer greater durability to

the Perceiving Transcendence process.

Transcendental Leadership Theory

Transcendental leadership theory (Cardona, 2000; Crossan & Mazutis, 2008;

Crossan et al., 2008; Sanders et al., 2003) was presented in Chapter 2 regarding a concept

of leadership that relates to Maslow's (1971) discourse, but does not have any formal

research that it references. The authors discussed transcendence as a spiritual

phenomenon. Cardona (2000) connected self-sacrifice to spirituality. Sanders et al.

(2003) expanded Cardona’s (2000) concept to including consciousness, moral character,

and faith. Crossan et al. (2008) contributed a systems-thinking framework for

understanding the concept of transcendental leadership theory, which they explained as

leadership of self, others, and the organization. Crossan and Mazutis (2008) offered an

informal account of interviews with leaders from different industries to support their

propositions. They also built on the other works presented in this paragraph regarding

transcendental leadership theory as an integration of pre-existing leadership theories (i.e.,

transformational leadership, transactional leadership, strategic leadership, and spiritual

leadership). Furthermore, Crossan and Mazutis (2008) explained a necessity for this due

to rapidly changing environments.

The present study offers data to support transcendental leadership theory.

However, the present study suggests leadership is a shared role that helps to build

organizational culture. Channeling Leadership involves self, others, organization, and

society. It involves self-sacrifice in shaping each other for leadership. The process of

159

Perceiving Transcendence explains an interconnected system of self, others, organization,

and society. It describes how an organization navigates between phases of nurturing

individual potential, applying that to group potential, transitioning the group to a team,

establishing a collective organizational entity of the teams, and the interrelationships that

have positive impact on society that shares success, faces reality, and persists in progress.

A single phase, or aspect like self-sacrifice, within Perceiving Transcendence is not

equivalent to spirituality, but it is the collective consciousness of Perceiving

Transcendence that comes closest to describing a spiritual element. The present study did

not focus on leadership because it focused on understanding a system-process.

Fuqua and Newman’s Caring Organization Model

Fuqua and Newman (2002) also contributed a consideration for a systems

perspective that proved useful for the present study. They looked at a business model and

its subsystems in a humanistic manner. They pointed out that individual people create an

organization’s character. They recommended that consulting psychologists help to

strengthen an organization’s efforts for improving the quality of life for its employees.

Newman and Fuqua (2006) presented resources regarding business models that

consulting psychologists can use as a checklist for evaluating ethical practices and areas

for improvement within an organization. They presented 4 sub-systems: Purposive,

Psychosocial, Operational, and Methodological. Therefore, the authors suggested looking

at what an organization does and identifying a deeper level of how humanistic

dimensions are embedded in it.

160

The present study looked at an organization’s process, but did not use an

evaluative approach. Instead a GT approach was used that found each of Newman and

Fuqua’s (2006) four sub-systems present in Perceiving Transcendence, but they are

within a more fluid, integrated process than a simple checklist of subsystems. The present

study contributes an understanding of how a healthy organization helps individuals,

teams, and the organization grow toward Perceiving Transcendence and does not put this

effort solely on organization executives. The caring organization model is helpful for

identifying aspects that can be emphasized in Perceiving Transcendence interventions to

help better tie the process to customized organizational structure and goals. Specifically,

Newman and Fuqua (2006) identified areas for measuring Perceiving Transcendence that

helps to identify measurable goals for interventions according to business outcomes that

can be done with previously mentioned approaches (e.g., Kirkpatrick, 2007; Kraiger,

McLindon, & Casper (2004). Therefore, the caring organizational model offers greater

support for applying Perceiving Transcendence to individual business models and areas

for assessing effectiveness.

Current Research Gaps

Chapter 2 presented many current studies regarding WS. The present section

briefly reviews those studies and describe how the present study fills those research gaps.

Beginning with quantitative research, it was discussed in Chapter 2 that most quantitative

research has been conducted haphazardly without first working with an understanding of

what transcendence or spirituality in the workplace is based on data. For example, Fry et

al.’s (2011) study with the army’s Apache helicopter attack squadron’s boot camp,

161

deployed the Spiritual Leadership Questionnaire to evaluate a sense of spiritual

development. However, it was not explained how spiritual development in an Army boot

camp exists, nor was there any indication that the boot camp leaders had been trained in

spiritual leadership. Rather, it was implied that the concept of spirituality was formulated

from a personal discernment of existing literature. Fry (2003) briefly discussed Peter

Senge’s “Learning Organization” and abruptly led into a conversation of why spiritual

leadership is needed. The present study developed a grounded theory based on an

individual law enforcement academy’s accounts of how transcendence is evoked. The

present study suggests that it would be important to conduct an inventory of an

organization's ethical culture before imposing a concept of spirituality or transcendence

and evaluating it. If a similar Apache helicopter attack squadron were to be evaluated

based on the concepts within the process of Perceiving Transcendence, there might be

more significant, positive results because the organization’s ideal and realistic process

would be evaluated in the outcome of Perceiving Transcendence. Chapter 2 contained

other quantitative studies. However they are not included in this section because they

contained aspects of personal spiritualy and/or religion.

Qualitative Research in WS was explained in Chapter 2 that the literature is

scarce. A popular study that was detailed in Chapter 2 is Milliman et al.’s (1999) Spirit

and Community at Southwest Airlines: An Investigation of a Spiritual Values-based

Model. The value model depicts a cycle that contains organizational spiritual values,

business and employee plans and goals, human resource management (HRM) practice to

reinforce plans and values, and organizational performance and employee attitudes and

162

spirituality outcomes. The Southwest study was based on document analysis rather than

employees’ accounts and does not explain how the content analysis was conducted. In

addition, the study focused on the term spiritual values, which compels one to wonder

how some values can be classified as spiritual and others are not. Could cultural values be

supplemented for spiritual values? The Spiritual Values-based Model is simplistic and

has a theme of implementing values into a business system. Milliman et al. (1999)

offered examples for each of the four aspects in the article but it is similar to workforce-

planning models rather than demonstrating how a flow of consciousness interconnects

individuals to each other, organization, and society. Other WS qualitative studies

contained a personal spirituality or religious element, which this study deliberately sought

to avoid.

Limitations

There are a number of limitations, as discussed in Chapter 1, one limitation is the

focus of the study itself - how the topic is named and understood. In the present study, a

specific scope for a process of evoking transcendent experiences in a law enforcement

academy could be considered a limitation. However, it could be argued that the process

could be classified as something other than transcendence. For instance, the process could

be referred to as leadership development rather than the ethereal term of Perceiving

Transcendence. However, Perceiving Transcendence contains Channeling Leadership

within the process and the process describes how a consciousness is built, not how a

leader is built.

163

The naming of phases and the organization of the process aligns with the

preliminary definition, theoretical scopes, and individual interpretation. This might limit

a more comprehensive understanding. When developing phases and metaphases, words

like self-actualization, collective efficacy, mastery experiences, spiritual, and

organizational-spirit continued to prompt consideration. However, these terms were

intentionally avoided as much as possible to dig deeper for different wording to enable a

new perspective. Then again, because of the theoretical orientation, it was difficult to

resist seeing aspects of the theories when reflecting on the interviews. This indicates a

bias because of a strong connection with the theoretical base that the study surfaced from.

Recommendations for Future Research discusses the importance of conducting future

studies from a different theoretical orientation and other researchers may develop an

alternative definition based on their backgrounds, insights, and methods, to conduct

similar research that will contribute a more comprehensive or different context-based

understanding of transcendence in the workplace.

In preparation for the study, identifying appropriate interview questions was a

struggle. Different approaches were debated with the present study’s mentor multiple

times and ultimately the initial idea of designing the interview questions in accordance

with Dubin’s (1969) general principles of a theory was applied. Perhaps this approach

was not abstract enough, particularly for a phenomenon such as transcendence. The

interview questions were specifically created for responding to the research question in a

theoretical manner. The fact that the 19 phases or 5 metaphases should not be mistaken

for variables was acknowledged, and unlike a formal theory, the present theoretical

164

explanation does not have an intricate understanding of the relationship between the

phases and/or metaphases. Each of the phases could be expanded with further detail. For

instance, Influencing Conditions could surface additional types of adversity and how each

is best overcome. Similarly, the phases Appreciating Shared Success, Realizing Reality,

and Persisting Progress are likely not the only climactic indicators of Perceiving

Transcendence. These are all limitations of a GT study in general (Charmaz, 2006).

Another possible limitation in the present study is the preconceived notion that

law enforcement academy instructors would be rich sources of data for understanding

transcendent experiences in the workplace. An intention for the present study was to

surface a secular understanding of a phenomenon that was prevalently associated with

religion and spirituality, as noted by King (2007), McConkie (2008), and Schley (2008).

However, it may be argued that the law enforcement population is not a relevant or

appropriate demographic to inform this understanding. Law enforcement's openness in

acknowledging a need for a spiritual framework (Feemster, 2007) approximately four

years before the present study, began initiated deep interest in this line of research.

Therefore, the focus was on the law enforcement population to inform how a

transcendent experience is evoked in the workplace. However, in the explanation of a GT

study in Chapter 2, a focal point is that the present study intended to allow law

enforcement professionals to describe their experience of transcendence. Therefore, law

enforcement was the most appropriate demographic for this particular study. Future

research will need to look at other populations to compare contexts and advance WS

generalizability.

165

In addition, a law enforcement academy is a unique and exclusive context that

limits generalizability. The sample size was also small. An academy is a unique

workplace because it is an educational setting that is different from most other

educational settings. They train for a vocation that requires risking one's life. This is also

a workplace, so it was difficult to isolate standard workplace dynamics from what the

instructors are called to do and whether the development of the recruits can be classified

as evoking transcendent experience. However, the Perceiving Transcendence process was

constructed from the instructors’ experiences. It is questionable whether that depth can be

discovered in other workplace contexts. Furthermore, the exclusivity of context reduces

the generalizability of the findings, or at least demands intricate discernment before

generically applying any conclusions in the present study to other contexts.

Recommendations for Future Research

The Perceiving Transcendence Process model is complex, it supports and

complements the theories within its theoretical foundation. Hence, the process model, the

connected theories and previous research, and limitations present opportunities for future

research. This section will offer specific suggestions.

The Perceiving Transcendence Process model contains 19 phases that make up

five metaphases. An assessment questionnaire, perhaps a factor analysis, could be

constructed that helps to evaluate how an organization aligns with the process and what

existing programs could be integrated with a Perceiving Transcendence process. The

phases and outcome of Perceiving Transcendence would assist with content, construct,

and criterion validity. A SEM evaluation, similar to how Fry et al. (2011) evaluated

166

variables within Spiritual Leadership Theory, could be used to refine the results of the

present study. Existing WS/ethical culture and transcendence assessments, such as

Human Synergistics’ Life Styles Inventory (LSI), Group Styles Inventory (GSI), and

Organizational Culture Inventory (OSI) might be assessed for content, construct, and

criterion validity and applied to the study of one or more organizations that are following

the Perceiving Transcendence model presented in the present study. Individual

assessments could be conducted for each metaphase. Other GT studies of WS could be

conducted in other academies, police departments, and other agencies to compare to the

results of the present study.

The theories that informed the scope of the present study can also inspire

comparative research. For example, a content analysis could be conducted on Maslow’s

later work, such as The Farther Reaches of Human Nature (Maslow, 1971). The results

of that study could then be compared in greater detail to the results of the present study.

Similarly, the data from the present study might provide additional support for Bandura's

(1977) social cognitive theory which presently suffers from a lack of support from

empirical studies. Since Bandura (1977), numerous studies on self-efficacy and collective

efficacy have been conducted. A careful list of his studies could inform an inspection on

the connections between the Perceiving Transcendence process and Bandura’s (2000)

explanation of the bridge between self-efficacy and collective-efficacy. Transcendental

leadership theory does not contain formal data-based research but suggests the concept of

leadership is an integration between theories such transactional, charismatic, and

transformational leadership. The assessments used to measure the effectiveness of these

167

theories might be compared with an assessment for Perceiving Transcendence to build

criterion validity. The caring organization model (Newman & Fuqua, 2006) could be

used to evaluate applications of Perceiving Transcendence along with organizational

goals’ outcomes assessments (e.g., Kirkpatrick, 2007; Kraiger et al., 2004) through an

inventory of the four organization sub-systems. Each theory offers insight toward

evaluating the Perceiving Transcendence process and refining it toward a formal theory

and some can support evaluating pilot interventions.

As discussed first in this Recommendations section, the present study offers a

new, detailed perspective of transcendence based in data that can inform the construction

of a new assessment and help to evaluate concepts of spirituality and transcendence from

previous studies. The present study offers concepts that surfaced from observable and

describable behavior. Specific terms can be compared regarding scientific concepts, less

objective concepts, and how values are classified and measured. The present GT study

can also offer guidance on how to utilize GT research in explaining organizational

processes. The present study was systematic with detailed documentation of the process.

It also demonstrated the importance of understanding how an organization functions in its

highest performance level in order to identify how that process can be integrated with

organization objectives and goals. The present study recommends identifying how

individuals are interconnected to teams, organization, and society within the workplace in

an organization’s unique context before deciding what interventions are best and which

assessments would be the most relevant and valid.

168

To summarize, the present study offers many directions for future research. A

more abstract line of interview questions could be utilized, rather than a line of questions

organized for principles of a theory. Other theories can be used to inform the scope of

future research to offer new comparisons of results and the effectiveness of certain

theories in research. Those studies could provide addtional suport or even challenges to

the present study. All of these help to advance the field of WS.

Conclusion

The field of WS is calling for more research to build and support substantial

theories that will advance WS in science (Fry, 2003; Fry et al., 2005; Giacalone &

Jurkiewicz, 2004; Moore & Casper, 2006; Reave, 2005). The present GT study was

conducted to understand what a law enforcement academy’s process is for evoking

transcendent experiences to contribute to the advancement of WS through offering an

explanation of how spirituality or transcendence naturally exists in the workplace.

Explaining this process with the support of observable and descriptive data was

prioritized. It is expected that this study will contribute a more solid understanding of a

seemingly disembodied or other-world phenomenon. A material explanation enables

collaborative research that will strengthen theories that inform best practices.

Theories and previous research related to transcendence and workplace

spirituality contributed a background understanding of how transcendence could be

recognized in a law enforcement academy. Ten interviews with instructors and program

managers from a regional law enforcement academy were conducted. The analysis of the

interviews surfaced a 19-phase process with the outcome of Perceiving Transcendence.

169

Perceiving Transcendence replaced the initial concept of a transcendent experience

because the central concept of the present study was found to be more than a single

experience and is closer to a more sustained/permanent higher consciousness or

heightened awareness. An interpretation of the 19-phase process identified 5 metaphases

that contain the 19 phases. The dynamics within and between each metaphase offered

insight regarding how a WS program might be constructed to meet the needs of

individual organizations. Further interpretation offered an analysis of how the present

study’s results elaborated on and complemented the theories that informed the scope of

the present study. Similarly, an examination of how the present study advanced previous

theories identified a new perspective for practical and basic approaches toward studying

WS. The present study demonstrated how a GT approach directly responds to gaps within

theory and between theories. Recommendations for future research were organized

according to the complexity of the Perceiving Transcendence model, connections to the

theoretical foundation, previous research, and the limitations of the present study. The

present GT study offered a scientific and practical explanation for an enigmatic topic:

transcendence and how it is deliberately evoked and shared in a law enforcement

academy.

170

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