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Winfield F. Tufts is a 2018 graduate of the PHD Program in Leadership and Change at Antioch University.

Dr. Winfield F. Tufts at his Dissertation Defense with Committee Chair, Dr. Laura Morgan Roberts [on screen above, attending virtually].

Dissertation Committee

  • Laura Morgan Roberts, Ph.D. Committee Chair
  • Carol Baron, Ph.D., Committee Member
  • William Davis, Ph.D., Committee Member

Keywords

Air Force, bosses, mixed methods, leadership, care, caring, caring leadership, military culture, military leadership, servant leadership, virtuous leadership

Document Type

Dissertation

Publication Date

2018

Abstract

On the surface, caring and the military appear to be opposites. The stereotypical image of the military giving and obeying orders does not conjure up images of leaders caring for their subordinates. In reality, caring for subordinates and caring for the mission could help leaders form stronger relationships with subordinates, because subordinates may have confidence that their leaders will not recklessly send them into harm’s way. Subordinates may develop confidence in their leaders based on their leaders’ care during non-combat environments. Yet, empirical studies of caring in the military are sparse. This study investigates how Air Force retirees characterize “great bosses” care for them and care for the mission. A mixed method study of 12 qualitative interviews with Air Force retirees, followed by a quantitative survey study of 226 Air Force retirees revealed that caring actions cluster into four themes: Caring for Subordinates Personally, Caring for Subordinates Professionally, Caring for the Mission with a Focus on Mission Execution, and Caring for the Mission with a Focus on Empowering the Unit. This study also examined how these subordinates responded to those bosses that cared for them through Stronger Job Performance and Stronger Relationship with the Boss. The dissertation findings operationalize caring, demonstrate correlations between caring actions and self-reported increases in performance and boss-subordinate relationship quality, and detail actions that an authentic, caring leader can take to pursue the flourishing of subordinates and mission success simultaneously. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA: Antioch University Repository and Archive, http://aura.antioch.edu/ and Ohiolink ETD Center, https://etd.ohiolink.edu/

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Dr. Winfield F. Tufts

ORCID Scholar ID # 0000-0002-6704-4636

Dr. Winfield Tufts is currently serving as Deputy, Electronic Warfare and Avionics System Program Office at Robins AFB GA. Dr. Tufts retired as a Colonel from the U. S. Air Force in 2006 after more than 26 years of active commissioned service. He has been a student of leadership since the mid-1980s. The focus of his research and practice is character based leadership development.

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