Date

Winter 5-13-2026

ESRP 9000 Professor

Lucas DeWitt, Ed.D.

ESRP 9001 Professor

Lucas DeWitt, Ed.D.

Executive Summary

This strategic research project (SRP) was designed to address middle leader competency gaps at BrainElla.com by establishing a capability framework. This project’s SWOT analysis identified middle leader competencies as a significant internal weakness for BrainElla.com. Moreover, the “Peter Principle” occurs when employees are promoted based on their performance in previous roles until they reach a point at which their competence is insufficient to meet current job expectations (Benson et al., 2019; Hermkens & Romme, 2020). Applying the Peter Principle as an analytical lens to BrainElla.com’s hierarchical structure, I deduce that the strategic problem is that some middle leaders have been promoted or hired beyond their competency levels, creating a capability gap. Therefore, the purpose of this SRP is to create a plan to establish middle leader domains and competencies at BrainElla.com that are grounded in the organization’s strategic intent to improve capabilities and achieve its desired outcomes and objectives. As a solution, this SRP proposes developing a capability framework. Frameworks serve as a supporting structure that organizes diagnostic, descriptive, and prescriptive inquiry within a specific context and define how core concepts and relationships can be measured and comported (Partelow, 2023). Capability frameworks are organizational representations of the specific capabilities and competencies required to accomplish strategic goals (Nottbrock et al., 2024). The action plan for this SRP consists of four sequential steps to develop the capability framework, engaging expert Delphi panelists in an iterative process to achieve consensus on the final framework domains and competencies. This SRP recommends embedding the adopted capability framework in BrainElla.com’s workforce planning, development, and learning initiatives.

Document Type

Strategic Research Project-NSU Access Only

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

College

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education

Concentration

Educational Leadership

Language

English

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