Spirituality and Leadership in Organizational Contexts
Summary
Spirituality in organisational contexts encompasses the pursuit of meaning, purpose and interconnectedness within the workplace. It underpins leadership approaches that integrate values such as authenticity, compassion and ethical stewardship. Theoretical frameworks range from transformational and servant leadership to dedicated spiritual leadership models, each emphasising the alignment of individual belief systems with collective goals. Empirical evidence suggests that leaders who cultivate a shared sense of transcendence and belonging enhance employee well-being, intrinsic motivation and organisational performance. Practices such as reflective dialogue, mindfulness and community-building rituals serve as mechanisms for embedding spiritual values into everyday work. Global interest in this field reflects its applicability across sectors— from healthcare and education to social enterprises—where spiritual leadership has been shown to bolster resilience, innovation and inclusive cultures in the face of complexity.
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Spirituality and Leadership in Organizational Contexts publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in spirituality and leadership in organizational contexts across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Workplace spirituality: Individual and collective pursuit of meaning, purpose and interconnectedness at work.
Spiritual leadership: An approach that integrates vision, altruistic love and faith to promote follower spiritual well-being and organisational effectiveness.
Servant leadership: A leadership philosophy prioritising service to followers by addressing their growth, autonomy and well-being.
Meaning-making: The cognitive and affective process through which individuals interpret events to construct purpose and coherence.
References
- Religion, Spirituality, and the Workplace: A Review and Critique. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior (2023).
- ‘Good Work’ and Alternative Food Initiatives: A Workplace Spirituality Perspective. British Journal of Management (2024).
- Religious identity in the workplace: A systematic review, research agenda, and practical implications. Human Resource Management (2019).
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