James Whittington (J.Lee) Ph.D.

J. Lee is Professor of Management in the Satish & Yasmin Gupta College of Business at the University of Dallas. He focuses his teaching, research, and consulting in the areas of Leadership, Organizational Behavior and Spiritual Leadership. 

His research has been published in The Leadership Quarterly, Journal of Management, Academy of Management Review, Journal of Organizational Behavior, Journal of Applied Social Psychology, Journal of Managerial Issues, Journal of Business Research, Journal of Business Strategy, and the Journal of Behavioral and Applied Management. 

His book, Biblical Perspectives on Leadership and Organizations was published by Palgrave-Macmillan in August 2015. He is also a co-author with Tim Galpin and Greg Bell of the book, Leading the Sustainable Organization. His newest book, Enhancing Employee Engagement: An Evidence-Based Approach was co-authored with DBA students Simone Meskelis and Enoch Asare, Gupta professor Sri Beldona.

Prior to joining the University of Dallas, he served on the faculty at Texas Wesleyan University and The University of Texas at Arlington. He has received multiple awards his excellence in teaching and research. While at UTA he was twice recognized as the Outstanding Undergraduate Professor and nominated for The Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. At Wesleyan, J. Lee was named the MBA Professor of the Year, received the Heads Above the Crowd award, and named a Guardian of the Golden Shears. 

At the University of Dallas, he has been recognized for his Commitment to Excellence in Research. He was recognized as a Distinguished Scholar in Organizational Behavior by the Southwestern Academy of Management. In 2011, he was selected by students and alumni to receive the Haggerty Teaching Excellence Award at the University of Dallas. While serving as Dean (2005-2008), J. Lee led the effort for initial accreditation of the University of Dallas College of Business by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International).

J. Lee’s industry experience includes over twenty years in manufacturing and distribution. He has held executive positions in marketing, logistics, and general management. His consulting experience includes executive coaching and leadership development engagements with Life.Church, Nokia, FedEx-Kinko’s, RadioShack, Siemens, Penson Financial Services, Vendor Resource Management, Reynolds Metals, Ball Container, Camp Fire Boys and Girls, Valor Telecom, City of Arlington, City of Southlake, and the US Army Corps of Engineers. 

He attended Austin College where he graduated with a BA in Economics and Political Science. He received his MBA and Ph.D. (Organizational Behavior) from The University of Texas at Arlington. J. Lee lives in Bedford with his wife Laura. They have four children and six precious grandchildren. 

Why did you become a professor?
I had several coaches and professors who invested deeply in me. I have tried to thank them in every way possible, but nothing has ever seemed adequate to express the gratitude I have for them. I decided the best way to thank them was to try to be others what they were to me. That's why I have devoted myself to being a teacher.

What do you enjoy most about teaching?
I want to make a positive difference in the lives of my students. I enjoy helping them discover and live into their God-given design and passion.

What do you hope students gain from your courses?
First, self-awareness – understanding their design and their strengths and giftedness. Second, I want them to develop the capacity to evaluate complex situations from multiple perspectives

What did you do prior to entering academia?
I had several managerial and executive positions in wholesale distribution, manufacturing, and professional service organizations. Those experiences continue to inform my teaching, consulting, and research.

What are you passionate about outside of the University?
First and foremost: My marriage, my children, and my grandchildren. I am also passionate about investing in younger people (coaching and mentoring) and helping younger couples develop thriving marriages.

What are your research interests?
The application of rigorous research to enhance the lives of employees and to create organizations where people can flourish and thrive. I am also interested in the way our personal faith can inform our work.

Managing Complex Organizations
Designing Applied Research
Leadership & Followership
The Engagement Factor
Power, Influence and Leadership
Leading Change
Managerial Behavior
Ethical Dimensions of Leadership

Leadership
Employee Engagement
Meaningful Work
The Impact of Faith in the Workplace

Biblical Perspectives on Leadership and Organizations (Palgrave Macmillan, 2015).

Whittington, J. Lee & Bell, R.G., 2016. “Leader-Member Exchange, Enriched Jobs, and Goal-Setting: Applying Fuzzy Set Methodology,” (Field study with Greg Bell) Journal of Business Research, 69: 1401-1406.

Whittington, J. Lee, McKee, Victoria, Goodwin, Vicki & Bell, Greg, “Applying Fuzzy Set Methodology to Evaluate Substitutes for Leadership” in Fiss, P., Cambre, B., & Marx, A. (Eds.), Research in Sociology of Organizations (RSO): Configurational Theory and Methods in Organizational Research, 2013, 279-302.

Whittington, J. Lee & Galpin, T.J, “The Engagement Factor: Building a High Commitment Organization in a Low Commitment World” Journal of Business Strategy, 31, 5, 14-24, 2010.

Whittington, J. Lee, Kageler, W., Pitts, T. & Goodwin, V.L., “Legacy Leadership: The Leadership Wisdom of the Apostle Paul” The Leadership Quarterly, 16, 5, 749-770, 2005.

“Led by the Spirit, Leading by the Spirit: Paul as Prototype of Spiritual Leadership” Dallas Ministry Conference, September 2016. 

“Two Ways of Leading: Evaluating Leaders through the Lens of Scripture” Dallas Ministry Conference, September 2016.

“A Cross-Cultural Study of an Integrative Model of Meaningfulness and Employee Engagement” (Field study with Meskelis, S., Beldona, S., Whittington, & Galpin, T.) Academy of International Business, June, 2016.

“Exploring the Spirituality-Meaningfulness- Engagement Relationship: A Cross-Cultural Analysis” (Field Study with Meskelis S. & Beldona, S.) Academy of International Business, June, 2016. 

“Employee Engagement: Evidence from the Field” The Joe Vincent Conference, Independent Insurance Agents of Texas, Austin, January 25, 2016.

“The Engagement Factor: Building a High-Commitment Workforce in a Low Commitment World” Keynote Address, Chicago Bridge & Iron (CB&I) 2015 Global Human Resource Conference, May 19, 2015.

“The Engagement Factor: A Comprehensive, Evidence-Based Model” The Joe Vincent Conference, Independent Insurance Agents of Texas, Austin, January 27, 2015.