Spirituality As A Determinant Of Transformational Leadership: Moderating Effects Of Religious Orientation

Abstract

This study empirically tests the relationship between spirituality, transactional leadership, and transformational leadership. Spirituality is conceptualized as an attitude or basic human need. Consistent with transformational leadership theory (Bass, 1985), it measures transformational and transactional leadership behaviors. As the study of spirituality in the workplace is still emerging (Giacalone and Jurkiewicz, 2003; Giacalone, Jurkiewicz, and Fry, 2005; Paloutzian and Park, 2005a) and the scientific study of the psychology of religion is a well established discipline (Allport and Ross, 1967; Gorsuch and McPherson, 1989; Hood, Spilka, Hunsberger, and Gorsuch, 1996; Paloutzian and Park, 2005b), it integrates a mature measure of religious orientation into a model to give support to the relationship between spirituality and leadership style. Results from a sample of 186 senior executives from industry and academia indicate that religious orientation strengthens the relationship between spirituality and transformational leader behaviors. Results also support the moderating role of religious orientation in the relationship between transactional leadership and transformational leader behaviors. The paper concludes with future research directions and managerial implications.

Mediator Role of Organizational Commitment to Performance

“…Spiritual Leadership on Performance Fry (2003) argues that the concept of spiritual leadership is very important in facing the challenges of an organizational environment in the 21 st century which is full of rapid changes. Rapid changes in social, political and economic fields create a feeling of uncertainty in the work environment and job opportunities, this makes companies required to retain employees by recognizing their spiritual values (Twigg & Parayitam, 2007). The purpose of spiritual leadership is to meet the basic needs of leaders and followers, namely spiritual well-being through calling and membership, to create a vision and value conformity at the individual level, to empower teams and organizations and to encourage higher organizational commitment and productivity (Fry & Cohen, 2009).…”

Investigating the Mediating role of Goal Clarity in the Relationship between Spiritual Leadership and project Success: Evidence from Software Industry

“…Spirituality attract the researcher consideration rapidly (Biberman and Whitty, 2000). Basic reasons are both individualrapid and fundamental changes in the economic, social and political areas builds a sensitivity of uncertainty in the lives of peopleand organizationaldue to the changing in the employee opportunities and work environment-firms need to be retain their employee to acknowledge their value (Twigg and Parayitam, 2007).SL emphasis on making "vision and value congruence across the strategic, empowered team, and individual levels" (Fry 2003, p. 693). In the SL theory, Fry (2003) discovered three dimensions of spiritual leadership; (a) vision, which states to "a picture of the future with some implicit or explicit commentary on why people should strive to create that future" (Kotter 1996, p. 68); (b)in hope and faith, the belief regarding the expectations from vision, mission and purpose can be achieved successfully; where (c) altruistic love have the sense of well-being through care, wholeness, harmony, love, appreciation of self and others (F. Yang et al, 2019).…”

Evolving a Model of Sustainable Leadership: An Ex-post Facto Research

“…Transformational leadership comprises idealized influence or charisma, inspirational motivation (ability to inspire and motivate followers), intellectual stimulation and individualized consideration (Bass, 1985, 1998). Twigg and Parayitam (2007) and Green, Kodatt, and Duncan (2011) studied the relationship between a leader’s self-assessed spirituality and the followers’ ratings on the leader’s transformational leadership and found high correlation between the two. Despite some unconventional results many recent studies (Fry & Cohen, 2009; Karakas, 2010; Rozuel & Kakabadse, 2010; Smith & Malcolm, 2010) have reported positive impact of spiritual leadership in organizations.…”