EXPLORING INTERLINKAGE BETWEEN SPIRITUAL LEADERSHIP AND SUSTAINABLE WORKPLACES: A CONCEPTUAL DISCUSSION

Pardo, Marcela; Ghedine, Tatiana; Nunes, Daniela

doi:10.1590/S0034-759020240402

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Revista de Administração de Empresas

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ARTICLES • Rev. adm. empres. 64 (4) • 2024 • https://doi.org/10.1590/S0034-759020240402 copy

EXPLORING INTERLINKAGE BETWEEN SPIRITUAL LEADERSHIP AND SUSTAINABLE WORKPLACES: A CONCEPTUAL DISCUSSION

Explorando la interrelación entre liderazgo espiritual y ambiente de trabajo sostenible: Una discusión conceptual

Authorship SCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

ABSTRACT

Although organizations are aware of the 17 goals proposed by the 2030 UN Agenda, there is little understanding of how to achieve sustainability. In this context, it is believed that spiritual leadership (SL) may be capable of directing initiatives to address sustainability challenges in organizations, by promoting a sustainable workplace. Thus, this theoretical essay aims to understand the connection between SL and the development of a sustainable workplace. We bring three contributions: it demonstrates how SL can be considered a driving force for organizational sustainability; we explain how SL impacts not only at an individual level but also on teams and the organization as a whole, through spiritual well-being, leading to commitment and productivity; we propose a conceptual scheme showing how the previous findings form a sustainable workplace promoted by SL. Given the scarcity of such theoretical insights in the existing literature, our contributions represent an opportunity to advance knowledge on this research topic, paving the way for future empirical investigations.

Keywords:
spiritual leadership; sustainability; sustainable workplace; spiritual well-being; commitment.

Leadership Styles	Concept	Fundamentals	Authors
Transformational Leadership	A leadership style that seeks to inspire and motivate followers to surpass their own limitations and commit to ambitious goals and objectives through the establishment of a trusting relationship with the followers, generating not only individual performance change but also a transformation in the overall organizational culture.	- Creation of an inspiring vision - Transmission of ethical values and high ideals - Development of individuals.	(Bass & Avolio, 1990Bass, B. M., & Avolio, B. J. (1990). Developing transformational leadership: 1992 and beyond. Journal of European Industrial Training, 14(5). https://doi.org/10.1108/03090599010135122 https://doi.org/10.1108/0309059901013512... , 1994Bass, B. M., & Avolio, B. J. (1994). Transformational leadership and organizational culture. The International Journal of Public Administration, 17(3/4), 541-554. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2212-5671(15)01217-4 https://doi.org/10.1016/S2212-5671(15)01... ; Yukl, 2013Yukl, G. (2013). Leadership in organizations (8th ed.). Pearson.).
Servant Leadership	A leadership style that focuses on putting the needs of others first. A servant leader prioritizes the well-being and development of their followers rather than seeking only personal success, promoting an environment of trust, respect, and collaboration.	- Values such as empathy, humility, ethics, and commitment to the common good.	(Udani & Lorenzo-Molo, 2013Udani, Z. A. S., & Lorenzo-Molo, C. F. (2013). When servant becomes leader: The Corazon C. Aquino success story as a beacon for business leaders. Journal of Business Ethics, 116, 373-391. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-012-1449-5 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-012-1449-... ; Yukl, 2013Yukl, G. (2013). Leadership in organizations (8th ed.). Pearson.).
Ethical Leadership	A leadership style in which leaders rely on strong ethical principles and moral values to guide their actions and decisions, serving as a role model for team members and contributing to the construction of an ethical and healthy organizational culture.	- Transparency in communications - Respect for diversity Promotion of equal opportunities - Decisions based on ethical criteria and values	(Fry & Kriger, 2009; Wang et al., 2017Wang, D., Feng, T., & Lawton, A. (2017). Linking ethical leadership with firm performance: A multi-dimensional perspective. Journal of Business Ethics, 145, 95-109. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-015-2905-9 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-015-2905-... ; Yukl, 2013Yukl, G. (2013). Leadership in organizations (8th ed.). Pearson.).
Authentic Leadership	A leadership style based on authenticity and congruence between the leader’s values, beliefs, behaviors, and actions. This allows the leader to create a positive and encouraging workplace, where people feel valued and encouraged to be authentic in their contributions.	- Authenticity and transparency of the leader in their actions and communication - Congruence between the leader’s ethical values, beliefs, and behaviors.	(Avolio & Gardner, 2005Avolio, B. J., & Gardner, W. L. (2005). Authentic leadership development: Getting to the root of positive forms of leadership. The Leadership Quarterly, 16(3), 315-338. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1016/j.leaqua.2005.03.001 https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1016/j.le... ; Chang et al., 2020Chang, W., Busser, J. & Liu, A. (2020). Authentic leadership and career satisfaction: The meditating role of thriving and conditional effect of psychological contract fulfillment. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 32, 2117-2136. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCHM-06-2019-0551 https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCHM-06-2019-05... ; Fry & Kriger, 2009; Yukl, 2013Yukl, G. (2013). Leadership in organizations (8th ed.). Pearson.).
Spiritual Leadership	A leadership style that is based on the connection between spiritual values and principles and the practice of leadership. This leader is guided by a higher purpose that goes beyond financial and material results, creating a workplace based on ethical values, mutual respect, balance, and harmony, transcending personal interests, and seeking the spiritual well-being and development of followers and the organization.	- Congruent ethical and moral values Inspiring purpose Inner life - Personal and spiritual growth - Holistic approach that considers the spiritual dimension of individuals and recognizes its importance in the organizational context.	(Duchon & Plowman, 2005Duchon, D., & Plowman, D. A. (2005). Nurturing the spirit at work: Impact on work unit performance. The Leadership Quarterly, 16(5), 807-833. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.leaqua.2005.07.008 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.leaqua.2005.07... ; Fry, 2003Fry, L. W. (2003). Toward a theory of spiritual leadership. The Leadership Quarterly, 14(6), 693-727. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1016/j.leaqua.2003.09.001 https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1016/j.le... ; Fry & Kriger, 2009; Yukl, 2013Yukl, G. (2013). Leadership in organizations (8th ed.). Pearson.).

Main Connections	Analyses of Social Cognitive Theory Vs. Spiritual Leadership	Authors
Self-efficacy and trust	Both highlight the importance of self-efficacy and self-confidence in facing challenges. A spiritual leader seeks to develop self-efficacy in their followers, encouraging them to believe in their abilities and potential, which enhances their motivation to tackle tasks and goals.	(Fry & Egel, 2021; Oh & Wang, 2020; Samul, 2020aSamul, J. (2020a). Spiritual leadership: Meaning in the sustainable workplace. Sustainability, 12(1), 267. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12010267 https://doi.org/10.3390/su12010267... ; Yang et al., 2019Yang, F., Huang, X., & Wu, L. (2019). Experiencing meaningfulness climate in teams: How spiritual leadership enhances team effectiveness when facing uncertain tasks. Human Resource Management, 58(2), 155-168. https://doi.org/10.1002/hrm.21943 https://doi.org/10.1002/hrm.21943... ).
Behavior modeling	Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) emphasizes learning through observation and behavior modeling of others. A spiritual leader, by demonstrating ethical values and behaviors aligned with sustainability, acts as a role model for their followers, inspiring them to act similarly and achieve positive outcomes.
Values and purpose	Spiritual leadership involves the integration of individual and organizational values. SCT acknowledges the importance of values in shaping people’s beliefs and motivations. A spiritual leader seeks to align individuals’ and teams’ values with organizational values, creating a shared purpose that drives engagement and commitment.
Self-determination and self-regulation	SCT emphasizes the importance of self-determination and self-regulation of behavior. A spiritual leader encourages their followers to take responsibility for their actions and make ethical decisions aligned with sustainability.	(Fry & Kriger, 2009; Samul, 2020bSamul, J. (2020b). The research topics of leadership: Bibliometric analysis from 1923 to 2019. International Journal of Educational Leadership and Management, 8(2), 116-143. https://doi.org/10.17583/ijelm.2020.5036 https://doi.org/10.17583/ijelm.2020.5036... ).
Positive social impact	Both recognize the importance of positive social impact. A spiritual leader seeks to create a sustainable workplace and promote initiatives that benefit the community and society, which increases followers’ motivation and sense of purpose.	(Fry & Egel, 2021; Samul, 2020aSamul, J. (2020a). Spiritual leadership: Meaning in the sustainable workplace. Sustainability, 12(1), 267. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12010267 https://doi.org/10.3390/su12010267... ).

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