Publication Date

2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Committee Members

Mindy McNutt, Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Mary Ziskin, Ph.D. (Committee Member); Corey Seemiller, Ph.D. (Committee Member); Dan Noel, Ph.D. (Committee Member)

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Abstract

This exploratory qualitative case study examined conversational turning points and their role in transforming interaction within a self-managed team (SMT). While considerable scholarship has explored SMTs in organizational settings, research has yet to explore one of the longest-standing SMTs, the United States Supreme Court. Guided by a constructivist paradigm and grounded in discursive and ethnomethodological traditions, this study conversational turning points, defined as juxtapositions of remembered pasts and imagined futures, in the oral arguments of Mallory v. Norfolk Southern Railway Co. (2023). Data sources included the official transcript and audio of the oral arguments, supported by briefs and opinions from the case docket. A three-phase analytic process was employed to identify juxtapositions, generate interactional themes surrounding them, and determine the influences occurring within these interactions. Findings revealed five broad themes emerged, illustrating how turning points could advance dialogue, be ignored, or be redirected. Analysis also identified influences shaping the flow of interaction. These influences operated dynamically, sometimes amplifying and sometimes constraining reflexive opportunities. By extending Simpson et al.’s (2018) methodology and situating results within Complexity Leadership Theory, this study contributes to the growing body of interactional research on team “doing.” It underscores the value of examining discourse in situ and highlights the Supreme Court as an underutilized case of a long-standing SMT.

Page Count

154

Department or Program

Department of Leadership Studies in Education and Organizations

Year Degree Awarded

2025

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