Accelerated Academic Degree Programs
Faculty
Brian Bridgeforth, Ph.D.
Associate Faculty
Biography
Academic Background:
Dr. Bridgeforth earned his Ph.D. in Applied Management Decision Sciences specializing in Leadership & Organizational Change with Walden University. His dissertation was titled, Leadership As Role and Relationship in Social Dynamics: An Exploratory Study Seeking a Leadership Archetype. Prior to earning his doctorate, Dr. Bridgeforth completed an MBA in e-business and an M.A. in management with the University of Phoenix and completed coursework toward an M.S. in organizational development and training with the University of Wisconsin. Dr. Bridgeforth’s undergraduate foundation includes a B.S. in accounting with Viterbo College and an A.A.S. in business administration & personnel from Mid-State Technical College.
Teaching Background:
Dr. Bridgeforth currently teaches with Post University and Mansfield University. Previously Dr. Bridgeforth held online and on campus positions with Centenary College, St. Mary’s University, the University of Wisconsin, Silver Lake College, Herzing College, Western Technical College, and Viterbo College.
Professional Background:
Leadership
Dr. Bridgeforth’s leadership experience has involved but not limited to service as an Academic Dean, twice as a program chair, a chief technology officer, human resources director, systems administrator, as an entrepreneur, and as a member of a board of directors. As an organizational development and change consultant, Dr. Bridgeforth has contributed to the growth and development of organizations, leaders, as well guiding the efforts of aspiring entrepreneurs.
Teaching Philosophy:
To change the world one learner at a time
Ambitions
“It would be better and healthier if the new respect for authority were more frequently found in combination with a spirit of inquiry, a ready willingness to think through what is authoritatively declared, and a refusal ever to accept anything simply because some reputable expert makes the statement” (Whyte, 1956, p. 66).
Offer learners the opportunity for collaborative learning by exhibiting behaviors such as enthusiasm, peer tutoring, contagious attitude, “being there,” creative thinking, and contributing positively to the learning community through experience, research, and sharing.
Values
"The beauty of knowledge and discovery is that it keeps us forever awake, alive, and connected with what is and with what matters in life" (Moustakas, 1994).
Teachers, as agents of change, facilitating human and organizational performance must care about followers’ issues before they can hope followers will be concerned with theirs. This truth extends to expectations between leaders and followers. People perform respective to the facilitator’s beliefs and expectations of them. Thus, a professional practice of teaching/facilitating holds in the highest regard the dignity, capability, and ambitions of each individual. The process of development involves being an inquiring partner seeking first to learn, then to share finding a congruence of vision, values, and action between individual, team, and organization. Its aim is finding balance between the needs of the organization and the individual with that of the community for the benefit of all.
Learning is fun! Organized to be interactive through facilitation courses require learners to complete readings and prepare assignments before class and thereby meaningfully contribute to self and colleague development though participation in discussions and activities.
Norms
“Experience without theory is blind but theory without experience is mere intellectual play” (E. Kant, quoted by von Bertalanffy, 1968, p. 101).
The process of learning is individual. If I am to share in the process of learning, it is my responsibility to understand that individuality and be flexible in communication and method.
In the spirit of the reflective practitioner, course facilitation is with the mission making the theoretical practical through the unification of research and practice through consultation, management, instruction, research, and writing.
In summation, if you wish for them to follow, model the way.
Research/Academic Interests:
Social Dynamics, Change, Leadership, Systems Theory, NLP, and Communication.
Professional Memberships:
Member, Academy of Management: 2006-Present
Publications/Presentations:
Writings
Leadership As Role and Relationship in Social Dynamics: An Exploratory Study Seeking a Leadership Archetype. (2009).[Dissertation].
Book Review: Managing People and Organizations in Changing Contexts. (2007). Emergence: Complexity and Organization (E:CO), 9(4).
Organizational Change – Strategic Execution Model (2007). Development by Design.
Revisiting Lewin, Rethinking Lessons Learned (2007). Development by Design.
Predicting Change Outcomes (2007). Development by Design.
Has Change Changed? (2007). Development by Design.
Leadership Is As Leadership Does (2006). Applied Management and Decision Sciences Conference, Dallas TX. Proceedings: http://www.amdsconference.org/
Advancing the Practice of Leadership: A Curriculum (2005). The Journal of Leadership Education, 4(1), 4-30. Available: http://www.fhsu.edu/jole/.
Toward A General Theory of Social Systems (2005). The International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy. 25(10/11), 54-83.
Human Resources Performance Capabilities Model (1996). Sterling Business Partners.
(Re-)Designing Human Resource Management A Conceptual Paper (1996). Sterling Business Partners.
The H-P Way (1996). Sterling Business Partners.
Presentations
Organizational Behavior (2006). Small Business Development Center, UW - La Crosse.
Prospecting (2006). Small Business Development Center, UW - La Crosse.
Leadership Is As Leadership Does (2006). Conference on Applied Management and Decision Sciences, Dallas, TX.