Date of Conferral

2-7-2025

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Psychology

Advisor

Dr. Derek Rohde

Abstract

Unresolved grief within organizational contexts has remained an underexplored area in literature, with most research focusing on grief related to personal loss rather than unique challenges leaders face during organizational transitions. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological hermeneutic study was to explore and understand the leaders’ lived experiences with unresolved grief for addressing intricate emotions, perceptions, and coping mechanisms within the context of organizational change. The grief model, the dual process model, and the sensemaking theory grounded this study. Ten human services industry leaders were participants in semistructured interviews. The thematic analysis revealed four themes: the emotional and physical toll of change, lack of organizational support, healthy and unhealthy coping mechanisms, and organizational disruption and injustice. Findings indicated unresolved grief had a significant impact on leaders’ performance, motivation, and sense of professional identity, with participants expressing feelings of frustration, isolation, and loss of psychological safety. Some leaders adopted constructive coping mechanisms, such as peer support and self-care, while others resorted to avoidance and substance use. Despite these challenges, some leaders demonstrated resilience by using their grief experiences as catalysts for personal and professional growth. A recommendation is to develop leadership programs to enhance leaders’ emotional intelligence and resilience. The implications for positive social change include the potential for human services leaders to navigate organizational change more effectively by recognizing and addressing unresolved grief to create more supportive environments that empower leaders to thrive.

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