Spiritual Leadership and its Application in Faith-Based Organizations: A Phenomenological Study of Spirituality in the Workplace

The purpose of this study was to explore how spiritual leaders in faith-based organizations inspired their employees through the application of values and behaviors relating to spirituality that can produce either a negative or positive change in workers' behavior and environment. This phenomenological study explored how spirituality influences others through values, attitudes, and behaviors in a manner that integrates a sense well-being, "calling," and membership in the workplace. The three streams of theory, research, and practice that informed this study included spirituality, spiritual leadership, and faith-based organizations. The research sought to answer 3 overarching questions: (a) What is the essence of leading at a faith-based organization? (b) How does an individual incorporate his or her own spirituality into leadership practices? (c) How do leaders' values, attitudes, and behaviors integrate a sense of well-being, calling, and membership? A phenomenological research method was used, which involved interviews, observations, field notes, and artifact collection. Data were coded and analyzed. Four themes emerged from the results: (a) spiritual leaders have a deep commitment to utilizing positive spiritual practices to promote positive changes in the behavior of individuals or the culture of an organization, (b) spiritual leaders are influenced by their personal experiences through service to others in the workplace, (c) spiritual beliefs for both spiritual leaders and faith-based organizations are an essential component of functionality and longevity, and (d) spiritual leaders establish trust in the organizations they lead by using positive attributes associated with servant leadership and spirituality.Ed.D., Educational Leadership and Management -- Drexel University, 201