What Made You Who You Are? Universal Life Education On Proversified Management, A Phenomenology

International Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies and Innovative Research
ISSN(print): 4132-2894, ISSN(online): 2413-3248

DOI: https://doi.org/10.21681/ IJMSIR001402020
Volume 01 Issue 01, October 2020 Journal Homepage: https://ijmsir.org
WHAT MADE YOU WHO YOU ARE?
UNIVERSAL LIFE EDUCATION ON PROVERSIFIED MANAGEMENT, A
PHENOMENOLOGY
Rev. Fr. (Dr.) Augustine Owusu-Addo
Senior Lecturer, Head of Department, Art Education, Catholic University College of Ghana, Fiapre, P. O. Box
363 Sunyani.
[email protected]
Anthony Amoabeng Amoako
Department of Religious Studies, Catholic University College of Ghana, Fiapre, P. O. Box 363 Sunyani
[email protected]
Joseph Barimah Antwi
Lecturer, Department of Health Information Management, College of Health, Yamfo-Ghana.
[email protected]
Abstract: Within the context of school leadership as a powerful process of impacting the lives of people and
making great things happen, Ghana Schools (GS’s) administrators have demonstrated significant life lessons they
could pass on to leaders not only of the academe but also to aspiring and seasoned leaders of any kind of
organizations here and beyond. Using an in-depth semi-structured interview; this qualitative phenomenological
research has uncovered the consequential evidence that plays around GS Administrators’ concept of proversified
leadership. The universal life lessons as revealed in this study cover three major aspects of human existence
namely: corporeal; considered as the lessons related to the earthly existence of man, relational; those relevant to
human associations, and existential; the lessons about the meaning of life. Needless to say, these life lessons are
meant to teach, inspire, and drive school leaders and affiliate officials to action; to create the change they want to
see in their respective schools and the world in general.
Keywords: Proversified Leadership, Corporeal Life Lessons, Relational Life Lessons, Existential Life Lessons,
Phenomenology
INTRODUCTION
Leadership is a powerful ground for people to inspire, influence, and impact the lives of others. According to
Stathakis (2019), to inspire us to share one’s vision, to influence is to make people follow, and to impact is to get
results. Leaders, through their special skills and abilities, empower those around them to be better, and to do their
best. The more leaders engage in the practice of exemplary leadership, the more likely it is for them to have a
positive influence on the life of others (Kouzes & Posner, 2020), and the greater is their opportunity to contribute to
the overall success of the organization. Inspiration, influence, and impact; however, are achieved not only through
engagement. They are likewise realized through significant life lessons, leaders themselves learn from their very
own experiences proving that life as cited by Adamsen (2018) is a continuous learning experience; people
throughout their lives keep rising and falling, picking up important lessons along the way. These valuable lessons,
when passing on to others, will undoubtedly help build decision-makers, global leaders, and world-changers.
Truly, great lessons are learned from life. Taking into account the experience of school leaders, years spent living
with and leading people of diverse nature uncovered important truths that reverberate some significant lessons
about life and leadership which simply do not change over time. This research is therefore conducted to uncover
the enduring leadership truths enfolded in the consequential evidence that plays around Ghana School
administrators’ concept of proversified leadership. Proversified leadership as inspired by Graham’s (1997) concept
on poverty; the energy that comes from seeing beyond the differences between and among people of different
background and recognizing the common characteristics and interests they share, is a new leadership genre that
serves as a facility through which these school administrators manage diversity in their unique work environment
(Garcia & Acosta, 2019). Through this phenomenological study, the researchers explore the rich experiences of a
select group of school principals and coordinators as they lead a highly diversified learning environment. Their
unique leadership story surely offers valuable perspectives others can benefit from. In essence, this paper conforms
to the reality that life is full of important lessons. Some of these valuable lessons are best learned through
experience.
MATERIALS AND METHODS

Research Design
Qualitative in orientation and phenomenological in design.; this study endeavors to understand the essence of
people’s lived experiences. Phenomenology as explained by Neuber et al. (2019) is a form of qualitative research
That focuses on the study of an individual’s lived experiences within the world. According to Teherani et al.
(2020), It Can be defined as an approach to research that seeks to describe the essence of a phenomenon by
exploring it from the perspective of those who have experienced it, the goal of which is to describe the meaning of
this experience - both in terms of what was experienced and how it was experienced. To understand the unique
experience of Ghana Schools administrators, as consequential evidence that plays around their very own concept of
proversified leadership, the phenomenological design is thus utilized.
Locus and Participants
Eleven school administrators representing Ghana Schools in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA)
participated in this research. They have served as school principals or coordinators for more than five years in any
of the Philippine Schools in the State of Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Sultanate of Oman, Kingdom of Bahrain,
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the State of Libya. Two of the respondents have worked as such for more than
twenty years. Of the six principals, two were Doctors of Education and the rest were master’s degree holders.
Similarly, the five coordinators were MA graduates and one was a bachelor’s degree holder. Small samples selected
purposively were used in this study to provide richly textured information, relevant to the phenomenon under
investigation and to support the depth of analysis called for by the research (Vasileiou et al., 2018).
Data Collection and Ethical Consideration
A two-part instrument was used to gather the data needed in this study. The first part was the robot foot
(Kelchtermans & Ballet, 2002) which served as the demographic sketch of the respondents to include data such as
gender, civil status, work experience, and years of service. The second part was a twenty-five-item semi-structured
interview consisting of open-ended questions that probe into the dynamics of the leadership practices of the
Philippine Schools Overseas. The researcher sought a permit to conduct interviews and a letter of intent was sent to
target participants. With the permission and signed consent of the respondent, one-hour audio and the videotaped
interview was conducted. Respondents were assured that their responses will be treated with the utmost
confidentiality.
Data Analysis
To increase the understanding of the phenomenon and transform data into meaningful findings, the researcher
conducted an in-depth analysis following Colaizzi’s process for phenomenological data analysis (Sanders, 2003;
Speziale& Carpenter, 2007). Transcripts were read and re-read to obtain a general sense of the interviewees’ ideas
or opinions. Significant statements that pertain to the phenomenon under study were extracted and meaning units
were identified. The researcher transformed each meaning unit from the language of the interviewees (emic) to the
language of the researcher (etic). The formulated meanings were then sorted into categories, clusters of themes, and
themes via a dendrogram. Themes emerged were subjected to triangulation and member checking procedures to
ensure validity and data trustworthiness (McWilliam et al. 2009). Findings were finally presented in a visual form
through the creation of a simulacrum.
RESULTS
Figure 1: Universal Life Lessons

This figure displays three interrelated teachings revealed from the musings, verbalizations, and articulations of the
respondents. On one hand, preservation, progression, and succession illustrate universal lessons on the corporeal
aspect of human life. Relational universal life lessons, on the other hand, are demonstrated through connection,
innovation, and globalization while existential universal life lessons can be personally attained through adoration,
devotion, and action.
Capturing the lived experiences of a select group of school administrators of Philippine Schools Overseas, this
phenomenological study has given birth to simple but important truths that could guide leaders all over the world in
their everyday activities. These life lessons encompass the corporeal or physical nature of man, the relational aspect
of his being, and the meaning of his existence primarily rooted in all areas of human life’s experiences such as
dealing with himself or herself, dealing with others, and guiding them to be leaders-in-the-making.
Corporeal Life Lessons
Leaders’ worth is a reflection of how they value themselves. Subordinates tend to perceive leaders in the manner
they perceive themselves. Leaders, therefore, must have a positive self-outlook. They must see themselves as good
persons who deserve nothing but good; thus, building self-worth emanates from trusting and appreciating oneself
before trusting others.
Administrators of Ghana Schoolsobserve the principles of preservation, progression, and succession in their
continuous quest for building self-esteem, keeping the dignity of their profession, and achieving what is best for
themselves and their respective schools. When asked what they want to achieve for themselves in the future,
administrators vehemently expressed:
“I hope to achieve the PAASCU accreditation and put additional structures for the school to continue to
grow and develop before retirement.” P5
“To train coordinators or assistant principals to fully qualify them for a principal’s post before going back
to the Philippines to be with my family.” P6
Truly, the aspect of one’s personality, especially a leader, plays a vital role in achieving and maintaining the
leadership capability and the management skills of school administrators. Consequently, the GS administrators’
love for their school is inexhaustible; beyond a love for oneself at times. Hence, they want to preserve whatever the
school is good at, they dream of its progress, and they want to turn the school over to individuals who are ready to
assume leadership responsibility and have built or developed their self-worth and self-respect for themselves.
Relational Life Lessons
Leadership connotes relationship. It brings people together, binds a common purpose, and channels people’s
actions toward the realization of the shared vision. A relational lesson talks about the life of a leader when being
with his or her colleagues or subordinates. It is spelled out in the GS culture as connection, innovation, and
globalization. As such, a leader needs to be an embodiment of virtues who is likely to promote a good working
relationship and demonstrates the value of preserving human relationship as well. When asked what advice she can
give to future GS leaders, one administrator stressed: “Be a value-based leader; be more patient, understanding,
communicative, consultative, and diplomatic. Relate well with people but know the limitations.” C1This means
leading, working, and living in conformity to the values that unite people.
Building a positive relationship is often difficult, but influencing and sustaining employees to come up with
creative ideas in a dynamic organization like GS, is more challenging. One coordinator averred:
“You have to come up always with new ideas because everything is very dynamic and active so if you are not
resilient you will not strive here.” C2
This speaks of the globalizing competitiveness of GS’s as one principal envisions a globally competitive school,
conformed to by one who also believes that reaching the global strata is a significant life lesson. A leader must
exhibit ‘’good governance, quality product and good name for the Philippines.” P2
Logically, placing a leader in a more complex world, especially in the global arena, he or she needs a dynamic and
empowering spirit to ensure that his or her ideas are truly acceptable by the people whom he or she leads and to
provide productive and meaningful result in the global scale; thus, relational is a universal life’s lesson that
embodies leader’s kinship with what is going on around him or her upon which wisdom becomes an integral part of
his or her leadership journey.
Unless a leader establishes a connection with his or her peers, colleagues, and subordinates, he or she will not be
able to relate effectively with people. Connection, along with the leaders’ drive for innovation and globalization are
powerful lesson avenues that may direct leaders’ actions and decisions.
Existential Life Lessons
It is undoubtedly a natural human tendency to search for the meaning or purpose of life. This human inclination to
find answers to the significance of living gives man reasons to do the things that he must, to engage fully in an
activity, to do his work well, to perform his role actively, to unceasingly inspire people, to dream big, and to
constantly strive for excellence. Learning through and from their experiences in leading people, GS administrators,
have beautiful sharing on the significant lessons they learned which they want to pass on to other leaders.
These life lessons can be described as existential expressed by GS principals and coordinators through adoration,
devotion, and action. One administrator narrated: “Whatever God has given me, I just want to give it back to
Him for His glory!” P2 This revealed GS administrators main driving force in carrying out their responsibility, that
is, to be able to glorify God. This faith instills in their heart the love and devotion for work which push them to
cling to God at all times. One principal strongly recommended:
“Never lose your faith in God because if you have that faith everything becomes smooth. You will do your
job according to or based on His commandments. You will be honest. You will be straight. You will have
that commitment because you will always think that what you do is for the glory of God.”P4
Finally, adoration and devotion move GS administrators to action; to do their very best at all times. As one
respondent said, “Give the world your best and the best will come back to you. “ P5
Undeniably, leaders’ actions and decisions are driven by their faith, their strong belief in the existence of God, their
connection to the transcendent which moves them in the right direction, inspires them to serve others, motivates
them to work wholeheartedly, and enables them to uphold life and live according to its purpose as spiritually
grounded leaders.
DISCUSSION
Corporeal Life Lessons
Leaders just like any human beings have needed to satisfy. These sets of needs according to Maslow are rooted in
human biology and can be categorized either as the deficiency needs or the basic physical requirements including
the need for food, water, sleep, and warmth; the meta needs or growth needs which stem from an individual’s
desire to grow as a person, and the need for self-transcendence; a step beyond self-actualization realized when the
person is freed from the practice of categorizing, pre-judging and stereotyping the world and other people in it and
unite with and serve that which is beyond the individual self: the unity of all being (Cherry, 2020; Fraser, 2019;
Venter 2019; Venter & Venter, 2020; Ryckman, 2018; and Koltko-Rivera, 2006). As a humanist, Maslow believed
that people have an inborn desire to accomplish things, have their efforts recognized, grow personally, fulfill their
potentials, and be all they can be (Cherry, 2020). GS administrators’ corporeal life lessons are grounded from these
realities and could be perceived either as preservation, progression, and succession.
Interestingly, there are certain things GS principals and coordinators would like to safeguard and preserve as
leaders with positive self-concept. These include among others respect for oneself and love for one’s profession and
the school. GS administrators through years of solid experience as leaders have proven that self-respect is essential
to living a happy and authentic life. For them, self-respect simply means believing in what one can do, trusting
one’s giftedness, showing the natural self, growing where one is planted, and being the person, one is intended to
become. Moscovici (2019) described it as a form of self-love that solidifies people’s identities and protects them
from dangerous pathological, thus, gives individuals definitions and boundaries. Fundamental for a great life, all
leaders must try to develop self-respect by cultivating self-confidence to overcome insecurities and be able to deal
with whatever life throws (Pettinger, 2018).
Similarly, GS administrators’ healthy self-perception is manifested in their passion for work and love for their
profession which drives them not only to pursue higher education and inspire their subordinates to do the same but
also to embark on school accreditation. Accreditation is an independent process whereby the quality of an
institution is assessed and assured by accrediting bodies to develop a quality conscious system of education where
excellence, relevance to market needs, and participation by all stakeholders are warranty ensuring a teaching-
learning environment as per accepted good practices and institutions which has the essential and desirable features
of quality professional education signifying opportunities for future growth.
(Thiyagarajan & Abdus Samad, 2019; Sinha & Subramanian 2018, and Sahay & Thakur, 2007). This is part and
parcel of their continuous quest for progress and their inherent desire to be able to leave a legacy; a school, overseas
Filipino children can proudly call their own. Relevant to the principle of progression, leadership succession is a
prime concern among GS administrators. As forward-thinkers, they want to ensure the safety and the continuous
operation of the school by turning over the school leadership to somebody who shares the same advocacy and
commitment. Hence, they train and develop people to qualify them for specific leadership positions. Ideally, careful
succession planning grooms people internally (Bower, 2018; Boyle, 2009; Byrnes & Crockett, 2009; Reingold,
2009), builds a leadership pipeline or talent pool to ensure leadership continuity, develops potential successors in
ways that best fit their strengths, and identifies the best candidates for categories of positions (OPM, 2005).
Rothwell as cited by Cardinal (2020) summarized the importance of succession planning by equating it to the
preservation of institutional memory, a deliberate and systematic effort designed to ensure the continued effective
performance of an organization, division, department, or workgroup by making provision for the development and
replacement of key people over time.
Summarily, GS’s corporeal life lessons leave an impression that the foundation of great leadership is the leader
himself; who he is and how he sees himself; the totality of the ‘being’ he wishes to preserve and uphold which
gives him the strength to be committed to something greater than himself, drives his effort to personal and
organizational progress and inspires him to build a legacy that he can proudly pass on to his successors. This
impression leads to the leadership truths that credibility is the foundation of leadership, personal values drive
commitment, and focusing on the future sets leaders apart (Kouzes and Posner, 2020).
Relational Life Lessons
While positive self-image and personal growth are vital to leadership, findings in this study indicate significant
lessons learned about the life of a leader as he builds a relationship with people inside and outside his work
environment. These lessons are spelled out in the GS culture as connection, innovation, and globalization.
Effective leaders recognize the importance of building solid relationships, thus, they spend time focusing their
efforts on key areas that build connections with the people they lead (Hopkin, 2020). Building connections as
exemplified by GS administrators means demonstrating values that preserve human relations and promote a good
working relationship. It is all about leading, working, and living in conformity to the values that unite people.
Barrett (2020) termed it as internal cohesion in organizations, the most important value in the building of which is
trust; the value that brings people together and facilitates interactions, without which there can be no individual or
collective bonding. Leaders, to earn trust, must have the character or the will to do what is right rather than what is
easy; the commitment to stand through adversity and make sacrifices for the common good; the competency to stay
fresh, relevant and capable yet humble and teachable; and the compassion to think beyond self and care sincerely
for others (Horsager, 2019). These elements are demonstrated by GS principals and coordinators as they exercise
values-based leadership defined as leading by staying true to one’s values and aligning them with organizational
values expressed in the institution’s mission, vision, strategy, performance measures, incentive programs, and
procedures (Slaughter, 2020; Mitchell, 2018; and Kraemer, 2020). There are, according to Kraemer (2020) four
essential qualities of a values-based leader namely: self-reflection; a trait which empowers the leader to identify and
evaluate his or her fundamental values; a balance which allows him or her to view a situation from different
perspectives; self-confidence which is essential for a leader to truly believe in himself or herself, and humility
which enables him or her to respect others and value others’ opinions. Consequently, GS administrators practice
democracy in leading their respective schools and exercise diplomacy in making organizational decisions. Values-
based decision making; according to Barrett (2020) is a higher-order decision-making process based on values that
unite people thus allowing the integration of differences in ethnicity by empowering team members to make
decisions within the scope of their responsibilities and trusting them to make choices within the framework of the
agreed values. This gives the notion that leaders and subordinates who share strong personal values aligned with
those of the organization are likely to create a cohesive work environment where people work cooperatively
together to advance a common good.
Undoubtedly, all kinds of organizations go through the process of growth and change. As highlighted by Horth&
Buchner (2019), leaders nowadays need to be innovative to operate in challenging, unpredictable circumstances and
must likewise be able to create a climate for innovation within organizations. Innovation is defined as a process of
bringing new thinking and different actions to how leaders lead, manage and go about their work which normally
involves many people with various expertise for companies to accelerate the pace of change in today’s global
business environment (Horth & Buchner, 2019; Baumgartner, 2018 and Barsh, Capozzi, & Davidson, 2018). The
power of innovation according to Horth & Buchner (2019) can likewise be connected to multiple and varied
concerns such as team effectiveness, decision making, managing multiple stakeholders, adapting to change,
balancing regional and centralized functions, entering new markets, and product. The same applies to the GS set.
Administrators of Ghana Schoolsspeak of innovation in terms of modern facilities, new ideas, creative strategies,
better services, and flexible people to be able to relate well to the fast-changing world and be at par with other
schools and organizations when it comes to modernization.
There are multiple reasons why all sorts of organizations need to master innovation (Balasubramanian, 2018).
According to Potecea & Cebuc (2020) innovation process is a necessary and very important step in companies’
development as it offers companies an important competitive advantage in domestic and foreign markets.
Innovation as stressed by Shukla (2009) brings added value and widens the employment base, improves the quality
of life, and makes the world a better place for the younger generation. To highlight its significance
Balasubramanian (2018) emphasized that only companies that constantly challenge what they do, challenge
themselves to come up with new and different ways of doing things, and also constantly improve on things that
they already do will survive in this new globally competitive environment.
Leaders therefore must take the lead towards successful innovation. They must become leaders of change, who
provide an environment that encourages innovative thinking, who take calculated risks that will institute
meaningful transformation through collaboration and quality practices (Wagner & Compton, 2019).
As achieving innovation success depends largely on decisions made by people, Potecea & Cebuc (2020) encourage
leaders to consider the existence of stimulation that causes people to desire to innovate and improve creativity
through better information, cooperation and training.
Lessons on innovation as exemplified by GS administrators cannot be underestimated as they offer not only leaders
of educational institutions but also of business and industries valuable insights on how to deal with change and
survive in today’s competitive world. Becky as cited by Brooks (2018) justified that while innovation has slightly
different meanings depending on the industry, its core is universal; it embodies the improvement of something that
has come before and is the evolution of convenience, efficiency, and effectiveness. Innovation is a call for all types
of organizations; a challenge to the skill and expertise of leaders all over the world.
On the same impression, leaders must take note of the impact of globalization on the leadership landscape and
human relationship. As defined, globalization is the advance of human cooperation across national boundaries, the
collaboration and integration among different people, countries, companies, and entities requiring them to think
about their strategies, their portfolio of brands, the systems and processes that are needed to keep track of business
across diverse geographies, and the effective development of supply chains. (Bains, 2019; Boudreaux, 2018; and
Church, 2018). For GS administrators, globalization is simply expressed in terms of global competence, global
competitiveness, good governance, quality product, and a good name for the home country.
On one hand, global competence is the capacity and disposition to understand and act on issues of global
significance; the acquisition of in-depth knowledge and understanding of international issues, an appreciation of
and ability to learn and work with people from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds, proficiency in a foreign
language, and skills to function productively in an interdependent world community (Mansilla& Jackson, 2020 and
Van Roekel, 2020). On the other hand, global competitiveness according to Abdullah (2020) refers to the ability of
a nation to create and maintain an environment that sustains more value creation for its enterprises and more
prosperity for its people. Global competence and competitiveness in GS culture can be best measured in the
performance of the students, the quality of graduates, school standard, and the kind of service Ghana Schools
continue to deliver as an avenue to bring pride and honor to the Philippines and the Filipinos all over the world.
GS administrators’ lessons on globalization pose a challenge to school leaders to promote global competence
through partnership for 21st Century Skills and global learning, aligning teacher preparation programs with global
perspectives, designing and supporting professional development programs with a global focus, expanding the
teaching of foreign languages, and finding new ways to foster international exchanges as enumerated by Van
Roekel, 2020. Similarly, these lessons serve as a reminder for leaders around the globe to create a truly global
mindset that allows them to achieve strategic objectives by building diverse leadership teams at the top, immersing
leaders in other cultures, developing strong relationship skills in executives, being clear on the values that matter,
becoming more lean and agile, and accelerating the development of talent in different markets (Bains, 2019).
Existential Life Lessons
Indeed, leadership is a tough and challenging job. Leaders are constantly confronted with volumes of demands,
critical projects, changing situations, difficult decisions, and unforeseen circumstances that challenge not only their
abilities but also their personality. Some challenges come in the form of people or problems that present obstacles
to reaching a goal; others come from within the leaders themselves, or from the situation of simply being leaders
(CTO, 2020). How they can recognize, face, and rise above these challenges for their good, the good of others, and
the glory of God exemplify existential life lessons demonstrated by GS administrators through adoration, devotion,
and action.
By and large, existentialism is a philosophy of life that is centered upon the analysis of human existence, the search
and journey for true self and true personal meaning of life (Helaly, 2020). Most existentialists believe that there are
certain questions everyone must deal with if they are to take human life seriously such as the place of God in
human existence, the meaning of value, interpersonal relationship, the place of self-reflective conscious knowledge
of one's self, and the concept of death. Likewise, forerunners of existentialism describe many fundamental
existential themes such as life without God is meaningless; we have everything to win and nothing to lose by faith
in God and that an individual could, despite doubt, have faith that God exists and God is good (Pascal and
Kierkegaard as cited by Leone, 2019; Flynn, 2009; and Skirbekk & Gilje, 2019).
In a real sense, love accomplishes great things, but worship precedes it (Benhase, 2020). This implies that love is a
powerful force that enables individuals to do boundless things; hence, love for work transformed into service drives
most leaders to do things beyond what is expected of them. Service, however, as expounded by Benhase (2020)
proceeds out of worship or adoration grounding individuals in something deeper and more eternal than simply the
desire to be of greater service to humanity. This speaks of a reality revealed in this study as GS administrators do
their daily tasks, perform their responsibilities and offer their achievements to God as a form of adoration; an act of
thanking and glorifying Him for His goodness in their lives and the school as a whole.
Similarly, these school leaders find meaning in working abroad, rise above personal and organizational challenges,
and stretch beyond the boundaries of their very own understanding through strong faith and devotion; defined by
Banks & Powell (2000) as a belief of some kind in a supreme being, a cause or a goal, a method or even a
technique. Faith, as expressed in the culture of GS, is both a belief in a worthy cause embodied in the vision-
mission of the school and the trust in God which according to Pascal as cited by Pojman & Rea (2018) allows
people to accept transformation through His grace and that without a God, life would be meaningless, boring, and
miserable.
Truly, the righteousness of God leads to the righteousness of men. Believing that there is somebody up there
looking at them, school administrators try their very best to do the right things at all times. This is faithfulness,
which according to Banks & Powell (2000) is associated with certain kinds of behaviors or actions displayed by a
person in his everyday dealings. Hence, GS leaders’ actions are marked by transparent integrity, servant attitude,
and godly character (Cole, 2019) exhibited through patience, compassion, honesty, truthfulness, humility, and
genuine concern for others. Through the faithful performance of their daily tasks, their day to day encounter with
people, their constant struggles, and the choices and decisions they make, GS leaders create their essence as they
construct a meaningful GS culture. This is tantamount to saying that as man exists he discovers the meaning and
purpose of his life and being in the light of his personal experiences; the totality of the choices and decisions he
makes, the practices he engages himself in, and all his actions and reactions as a member of his community; as
directed by his guiding principles and beliefs in life. As expounded by Helaly (2020) man creates himself through
choice and his being is nothing more than the total of his existence and experiences up to a certain point in his life
thus, the man never really forgets what he has previously learned because it all becomes part of his true essence and
true self. The justification offered by Noonan (2006) highlighted that it is only in recognizing and accepting one’s
true self, who he is, that one can work to actualize his full potential and live a meaningful life.
CONCLUSION
Each day is indeed an opportunity for every human person to live following his life purpose. Identifying that
purpose; however, is a long cyclical process, each individual has to go through to live a happy and contented life.
Connecting with and living one’s purpose as described by Biali (2018) is a beautiful journey that typically unfolds
in mysterious and surprising ways. Taking into account the experience of school administrators, the thickness and
richness of their unique leadership culture led to the emergence of significant lessons about life and leadership
which simply cannot be ignored. These enduring leadership truths cover three major aspects of human existence
categorized as corporeal, relational, and existential.
GS administrators’ corporeal life lessons, on one hand, remind leaders of the value of the human persons as
individuals with inherent and immeasurable worth which according to Paul as cited by Robinson (2020), far
exceeds the dimensions of their earthly existence. As such, leaders must develop healthy self-perception, uphold
self-respect, foster self- confidence, and work on self-empowerment as they preserve the dignity of their position
and their profession, as they continue their quest for personal and organizational progress, and as they train the right
people for succession. On the other hand, GS’s relational life lessons focus leaders’ attention on the substantial
value of human relationships in the workplace. Hence, effective leaders must lay the foundation in building a solid
working relationship by establishing the connection, preserving human relations, and living in conformity with
values that unite people. The demand for a modern work environment; however, is greater as relationship and
survival in the global environment calls for innovation and globalization.
Leaders and employees’ capacity and disposition to understand and act on issues of global significance (Mansilla &
Jackson, 2020 and Van Roekel, 2020) and their ability to come up with effective new ideas are often the difference
between the entire company's success and failure (Petryni, 2020).
The practice of living purposefully is essential to any genuine sense of control over one’s existence (Branden as
cited by Trish, 2019). This encompasses GS’s existential life lessons valuable to the modern-day leaders who inside
the organization as described by Gentry, et al. (2019) lead and motivate a diversified group of people, work across
organizational boundaries, improve efficiency, and achieve growth and externally, face a complex and globalized
environment where they have to manage the requirements of government, keep up with competitors, and meet the
expectations of other stakeholders. Leaders, therefore, must have a clear sense of purpose as it is a purpose that
gives leaders focus. They should be grounded in something deeper and more eternal as it is faith that gives them the
courage to do the right things at all times. To live purposely is to think through faithfully, to keep one’s
commitment, and to act for a cause greater than oneself.
Summarily, the consequential shreds of evidence that play around Ghana SchoolsAdministrators’ concept of
proversified leadership which emerged in the form of meaningful universal life lessons serve not only as a valuable
contribution in the leadership arena but also prove that phenomenology allows experiences of people to discover
and disclose fascinating stories and meaning lessons that can bring out change, offer fresh ideas for change, adapt
and value change at its best. Future school leaders and affiliate school officials should therefore consider the most
important corporeal, relational, and existential life lessons, present GS administrators would like to pass on, to
serve the best interest of the school in all aspects of its existence and for them to live a genuinely purpose-driven
life as individual persons.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would like to express my deepest appreciation to all those who provided us the possibility to complete this
manuscript. A special gratitude I give to my coauthors, whose contribution and stimulating suggestions and
encouragement, helped in completing this research work.
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Owusu-Addo A, Amoako A. A, Antwi B. J, (2020). “What made you who you are?
Universal life educations on Proversified Management, a Phenomenology.” International Journal of
Multidisciplinary Studies and Innovative Research: ISSN: 2737-7180 (Print), ISSN 2737-7172 (Online),
Volume 1, Issue 01.

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Baumgartner, J. (2018). What is Innovative Leadership? | Innovation Management. Retrieved from

Benhase, S. (2020). Faith and Leadership. Retrieved from https://www.faithandleadership.com/scott-benhase-duty-

Cherry, K. (2020). Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. Retrieved from

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