Spiritual leadership: fulfilling whole‐self needs at work

Abstract

The work community is becoming the most significant community for many people. We are coming to expect our work ‐ where we spend most of our time ‐ to satisfy our deeply held needs for wholeness and to help provide spiritual support for our values and our aspirations for personal as well as economic growth. Reports on original research which supports a growing literature attesting to the centrality of work in meeting both economic and spiritual needs. Spirit refers to the vital, energizing force or principle in the person, the core of self. Respondent managers understand spirit in its secular connotation as defining self meaning and motivation for action. Begins a definition of a model of leadership based on this kind of spiritual relationship, one founded on morality, stewardship and community. Also lists some critical issues that this emerging leadership model faces.