Date of Award

2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

First Advisor

Howard Murphy, PhD

Abstract

U.S. special operations forces (SOF) operate in volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) environments that demand cognitive clarity, emotional regulation, and relational presence. While previous research on SOF readiness has addressed physical fitness, resilience, and sleep, little attention has been given to the psychological dimensions of rest and their implications for leadership. The purpose of this qualitative, transcendental phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of psychological rest and unrest in U.S. government SOF and the perceived influence of these states on their leadership. Guided by Moustakas’s transcendental method, in-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with SOF personnel. They were analyzed using the modified Stevick-Colaizzi-Keen approach to describe the essence of the phenomena. Findings revealed that U.S. government SOF are largely unfamiliar with, or only briefly experience, psychological rest. In addition, psychological unrest was experienced as a constellation of symptoms that affected holistic functioning. Participants reported that psychological rest has a fundamental impact on leadership effectiveness and is necessary for optimal leadership performance. Ultimately, authentic leadership was reflected in the perspectives of the SOF participants. It was characterized by maintaining behavioral and value consistency across contexts, leading by example, and building trust through transparency, vulnerability, and service. Overall, this study has multiple implications for applied practice, leadership development, and extant theory.

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