Sam Weissrock, PhD

Teaching Philosophy

As a lifelong learner and former nontraditional student, I bring my wealth of academic and lived experience and passion for adult learning to my classroom. Professionally, I have more years of experience in healthcare leadership, healthcare administration, and mental health advocacy than I care to admit. Academically, I hold degrees in Industrial and Organizational Psychology with an emphasis on leadership and social change. My research focuses on the intersection of normative binary sex, leadership, and discursive messages, which can manifest as Self-fulfilling Prophecies through Pygmalion and Golem effects. Therefore, I challenge students to think critically and challenge ideologies that were gained through rote learning and socialization.

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Education

  • Walden University 2022

  • Walden University 2017

  • Indiana University 2014

  • Indiana University 2012

Academic and Corporate Learning and Development Experience

  • School of Public Health Management Systems Sciences

    Master of Healthcare Administration

    Master of Healthcare Policy

    Introduction to Healthcare System

    Description: In Person Lecturer and Online Professor, this course provides graduate students an introduction to the health sector as it currently operates in the US. A systems-theory based approach, informed by complexity theory, is used to present health systems as complex adaptive networks. Through a review of the history of the health sector the student will learn how the industry has evolved (adapted) to where it is today, and where it may be going in the future.

    Quality Healthcare Management

    Description: Online Introduce graduate students to key concepts and issues surrounding the adoption and use of information systems and the use of quality assessment processes within health care organizations.

  • School of Continuing Education and Human Development

    Educational Leadership, Evaluation, and Organizational Development

    Healthcare Finance and Accounting

    Description: Introduction to healthcare finance and accounting including health business basics; how services are paid; pricing decisions and profit analysis; planning and budgeting; capital investment decisions; reporting profits, assets, financing, and cash flows; assessing organizational financial condition.

     

  • Executive Development Program

    Program Management Master Class

    Description: Developed and facilitated master class in project and program methodologies including Project Management Institute best practices, agile, Scaled Agile, and waterfall

  • Principal designer of learning & development, process adoption, & change management impacting 4,000+ associates. Led Consultants, Analysts, and Learning & Development staff to develop & implement policies, programs, practices, & training to support all markets.

    Developed end-to-end strategy & implementation organization structure, talent, capabilities, & process.

    Conducted research efforts for planning, evaluation, selection, gap analysis, design, implementation, & product expansion.

    Designed & led corporate communication strategies.

Research Interests

  • Organizational Psychology

  • Leadership Development

  • Healthcare Equity & Mental Health

  • Neuroleadership

  • Critical Discourse Analysis

  • Self-fulfilling Prophecies

  • Normative Sex Equity & Ideologies

  • Linguistic Strategies

Publications

A Text Analysis of Meaning in Research on Gender, Language, and Leadership (2022)

Organizational Behavior and Theory Commons

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 12590.

https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/12590

Abstract

Focusing on gender and leadership research, the purpose of the study was to examine discursive messages used in research text regarding gendered leadership to explore the phenomenon of word usage and language structure. The study employed critical discourse analysis as the framework and methodology: a specific cross discipline approach to discourse analysis primarily concerned with language’s innate ability to change and take on new meaning over time. Leveraging texts available in scholarly, peer-reviewed publications dedicated to the intersection of gender and leadership in juxtaposition to the final issue of the same publication have previously focused on intersection of women in leadership, themes of power, performance, and gender. The research question about what discursive messages regarding gender, performance, and power are found in gender leadership research texts was examined at a microlevel, mesolevel, and macrolevel. The microlevel found that gender, performance, and power varied based on the research question applied to the text. The mesolevel found that power was demonstrated through quantitative research design, that required the consumer to trust the interpretation of findings or possess knowledge to interpret findings. Westernization emerged as a macrolevel theme, that suggested the need to take on western ideologies of success. The research question and findings of the study are important with implications for positive social change by highlighting subtle yet powerful messages that reinforce perceptions of inequality between men and women at work. The findings can compel researchers to structure studies that move beyond women-focused to reframe studies of male/female relations, expand conversations to encompass both sexes, and move gendered leadership research towards a more unified approach.

 

Society of Industrial & Organizational Psychologist (2022)

Peer-Reviewer: Presentation Submissions Peer-Review 

The Future of Psychology (2020)

White Paper, Research Contributor: Foresight Psychology

 

Graduate Research Journal (2015)

Chief Editor, Indiana University Southeast

 

Physics and the Environment (2014)

Student Editor: Textbook, (Forinash, K. 2017)

Morgan & Claypool Publishers, Online ISBN: 978-1-6817-4493-3 

Print ISBN: 978-1-6817-4492-6

SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS

  • There's plenty of talk in social media and news about how we are influenced. The equivalent of modern-day Einstein's are hired to “analyze,” “machine learn,” and “AI” our every click of the mouse!!! BUT...have you ever wondered about the power of the words read about work, leadership, or career mobility? Well, I have dedicated more than 15 years to understanding just that!

    While in my undergrad, I became obsessed with how writing styles in popular magazines, scholarly journals, and academic publications were guiding my perception and opinion as a reader. I became intrigued by the psychological, social, and neurological aspects of leadership and took that passion into my research on how language is used in leadership studies.

    Words, sentences, paragraphs…oh, my! I had no idea what an eye-opening journey I would take or the power of language to shape opinions, influence beliefs, or the strategies to avoid unintentionally becoming a negative self-fulfilling prophecy! My fourth-grade teacher, Miss McCormick, must be relieved that someone was kind of paying attention in her language arts class!!!

    Please join me in my presentation, Gentle Persuasion: Understanding the power of the written word in shaping our opinions and beliefs, where I will share eye-opening, and hopefully entertaining, information about how we communicate, unintentionally assert our opinions, and strategies to question our beliefs.

  • Mental health has never been more important or more talked about in the workplace. Sadly, there still remains a stigma about discussing mental health, and leaders are uncertain where to turn for information or how to approach the topic. However, much like in airplane safety demonstrations, leaders need to put on their oxygen masks before helping others. Join Dr. Sam Weissrock as she openly talks about workplace mental health, shares practical and actionable guidance and resources, and ways to foster a mentally healthy workplace. During this session, she will share:

    • The brain-body connection to stress

    • Strategies for leader’s self-care

    • Indicators of mental health issues or crisis

    • Caring for survivors, should the unthinkable happen

  • Item description

  • Drawing upon the inter-disciplinary studies of science, humanities and social science, Dr. Weissrock discusses many factors which appear to be disadvantages but were necessary for William to accomplish his amazing feat.

    Dr. Weissrock shows how every factor and moment of his life up to the windmill’s creation was necessary for success and for only one of these components to have been removed would have changed who he is and the outcome of his life.

    Factors Discussed:

    Gender Roles

    Education

    Integrative reality

    Interplay of personality, life goals and motivation

    Culture’s influence on cognitive structure

AWARDS and HONORS

Student Champion Award Recipient, University of Louisville (2023)

Outstanding Student Award Recipient, Continuing Studies, Indiana University (2012)

Academic Excellence Scholarship Recipient, Indiana University (2011)