Bibliography: #BIB25446

web link	bahai-library.com/bibliography/BIB25446
reference type	Thesis
title	The Bahá'í Electoral Process : Servant Leadership or New Paradigm?
author	Poirier, Vicki Hu
authority control	Vickie Hu Poirier
year	2006
place published	Las Cruces, NM
abstract	How a society chooses its leaders influences the quality of leadership as well as the decision-making processes those leaders use. The electoral processes of nomination and electioneering affect who will choose to run for office, why they will run and the leadership traits that are necessary to win positions. After election, the contributions of money and manpower used to reelect the leader may adversely influence his/her decisions. Elected leadership does not always reflect the diversity of the population with respect to ethnicity and gender. Women, in particular, are often excluded from elected positions and find it difficult fully participate in local and national communities. This paper will examine, using an exploratory survey, a unique electoral and leadership model which exists in the Bahá’í community. Leaders are elected locally, nationally, and internationally totally without nomination, public discussion of candidates, and campaigning. All members have the power to vote for anyone in the Bahá' community in a genuinely universal participative process. The paper will explore the extent of servant and transformational leadership in the Bahá’í model, its conceptual basis, and the participation of women and minorities in the process. It will also illustrate how Bahá’ís view themselves, their relationship to their leaders and the process of choosing qualified leaders. The Bahá’í model has implications of leadership that transcend merely political applications. The attitudes and skills fostered in the Bahá’í model maximize human capacity in both leaders and followers and carry over into the workplace as well as the home. The model is based on spiritual principles that foster active participation and performance of all members in any organizational setting.
language	English
keywords	ELECTIONS
URL	http://bahai-library.com/pdf/p/poirier_bahai_electoral_process.pdf
number of pages	85
university	New Mexico State University
degree	B.A.

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