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Open research questions in Workplace Spirituality and Leadership

66 unresolved questions extracted from the limitations and future-work sections of 1,481 Workplace Spirituality and Leadership papers in our library. Each links back to the study that raised it.

What the literature leaves open

  • Recommendations for future research involve testing the Spiritual Self-Leadership model with various audiences to ensure its usability and generalizability. First, testing the model with a wide sample of ATCKs within Canada could further confirm the findings of this study. This sample should include those from FBOs and non-FBOs including multiple organizations and professions, as well as various ages and cultures. Second, the model should be tested with others of similar backgrounds to ATCKs, particularly those who have experienced cross-cultural mobility as children or adults. The third demographic is the general Canadian public, particularly those in the organizational context. Determining if organizational leaders find this model helpful in cultivating their inner life as a basis for leading spiritually could have far reaching implications for leadership theory and practice. Fourth, conducting an international study could determine the model’s applicability in other countries and cultures. The practical recommendations arising from the application of the Spiritual Self-Leadership model involve the development of materials and curriculum for individuals and groups. These materials will be tailored for various audiences and situations. First, for ATCKs and others with similar backgrounds of cross-cultural mobility, a workbook designed for personal reflection and application will be developed. This workbook will include an overview of the model and its principles, followed by an in-depth description of each principle and its elements, providing space for journaling to facilitate personal reflection and application into their lives. Second, a similar workbook will be developed for organizational leaders and others who wish to cultivate their inner life and spiritual self-leadership. 8 Supplemental materials will also be developed for use by ATCK practitioners. A facilitator’s guide and teaching materials will be developed to equip facilitators for leading spiritual self-leadership sessions in workshops and transition retreats for ATCKs, both in person and online, or for mentoring one-on-one. Other supplemental materials developed for organizational leaders and HR practitioners will include documents outlining the best practices of how to create space for cultivating spiritual self-leadership for their followers…[and] detailing options for introducing and promoting spiritual self-leadership within the organization, such as forming ERGs, facilitating workshops, allocating a physical space for individual reflection and spiritual practices, and spiritual leadership training (Lyons, 2025, p. 260). Finally, materials for academic institutions will be developed that provide all of the aforementioned materials, as well as a syllabus, course proposal, and class resources.

    Cultivating Spiritual Self-Leadership: A Pathway towards Authentic Spiritual Leadership · 2026 · DOI

  • To the clergy and religious superiors, the study recommends that group supervision strategies frameworks should include comprehensive training on communication strategies, decision-making processes, and stress management. Interventions theological aligned with psychological and principles should be designed to support community members in navigating relational challenges while upholding the values of mutual respect and community life. Supervision practitioners should prioritise communication skill-building modules that emphasise active listening, empathy, emotional expression, and constructive feedback. These elements are vital for fostering transparent and constructive community members, reinforcing psychological wellbeing and community cohesion. dialogue between thereby CONCLUSION REFERENCES that emphasises Decision-making skills, in the context of group supervision strategies, constitute a powerful predictor of psychological wellbeing. The study results echo existing community psychology literature, which effective participation in decision-making is foundational to resolving conflicts, building trust, and sustaining long-term community satisfaction. The findings align with Catholic teaching, which views dialogue, mutual collaborative discernment as essential to the life of religious communities. The results demonstrate that decision- making-focused supervision has a powerful and statistically significant effect on psychological wellbeing among Catholic religious community members. Evidently, not all supervision approaches are equally effective, highlighting the importance of the quality, content, and delivery of supervision sessions. These findings emphasise that improving community decision-making is not only beneficial understanding, and Barna Group. (2024). The state of pastors report 2024. Barna Group Publications. Bernard, J. M., & Goodyear, R. K. (2019). Fundamentals of clinical supervision (6th ed.). Pearson. Carroll, J. W., & Gautier, M. L. (2018). A generation of Catholic sisters: Leadership, authority, and narrative. Georgetown University Press. Catholic Diocese of Eldoret (2024). Pastoral Statistics. Eldoret: Catholic Diocese of Eldoret. Chepkwony, R. (2021). Mental health challenges among clergy in Kenya: A systematic review. African Journal of Mental Health, 18(3), 112- 128. Chutiyami, M., Cutler, N., Sangon, S., Thaweekoon, T., Nintachan, P., Napa, W., 513 | This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. East African Journal of Arts and Social Sciences, Volume 9, Issue 1, 2026 Article DOI : https://doi.org/10.37284/eajass.9.1.4571 J.

    Effect of Decision-Making Skills on the Psychological Wellbeing of Members of Religious Communities in the Catholic Diocese of Eldoret, Kenya · 2026 · DOI

  • valid and Another priest described how supervision addressed power dynamics, stating, "Supervision permitted us to name power issues that everyone knew existed, but nobody talked about. We discussed how some voices carried more weight than others, not because of wisdom or experience but because of personality, confidence, or informal alliances. Once we named these dynamics, we could implement structures to ensure more equitable participation" (Priest 9, Personal Interview, 2025). He explained that identifying power dynamics had led to concrete structural changes, including structured turn-taking and written inputs to ensure introverted members could contribute. The convergence of quantitative and qualitative data demonstrates that group supervision strategies significantly enhanced decision-making processes and associated psychological wellbeing through multiple interconnected mechanisms. The high mean scores ranging from 4.23 to 4.39 across all decision-making skills items were substantiated by participants' detailed descriptions of transformed participation, improved processes, better conflict resolution, and enhanced decision quality. The relatively low standard deviations (0.78 to 0.81) indicate consistent positive experiences were explained through qualitative narratives showing improvements occurred across diverse that participant demographics and decision contexts. that The quantitative finding that encouraging collective and inclusive decision-making achieved the highest mean score (4.39) gains explanatory depth through Sister 9's account of implementing transparent reduced ministry assignment processes resentment while maintaining authority structures, and through Priest 14's description of structured dialogue techniques enabling consensus despite initial disagreement on significant apostolate decisions. These qualitative examples reveal specific mechanisms through which inclusivity was operationalised rather than remaining an abstract principle.

    Effect of Decision-Making Skills on the Psychological Wellbeing of Members of Religious Communities in the Catholic Diocese of Eldoret, Kenya · 2026 · DOI

  • Based on the results, discussions, and conclusions obtained, the following research recommendations are proposed. In addressing the issue of commitment, organizational leaders should pay attention to employee achievements and create a pleasant and comfortable atmosphere within the organizational environment, as well as foster a sense of pride in being part of the organization, which can improve employee performance. In terms of organizational culture, improvements are needed because employees are not always able to complete tasks with optimal quality and have not yet succeeded in creating a conducive work environment. Therefore, leaders should instill values that can encourage organizational improvement in the future. To support improved employee performance, organizations should provide motivation that fosters enthusiasm for better work toward achieving organizational goals. The Work Motivation Program should be designed to stimulate employee motivation to perform better, for example, by offering rewards for achievements not only in financial but also in non-financial forms, such as effective communication, clear career development paths, and recognition of accomplishments. 89 Journal of Applied Business and Technology (JABT) 2026: 7(2), 78-90 For future research, it is recommended to expand the research scope and include additional variables that may influence employee performance.

    The Role of Spiritual Intelligence Moderation in Improving Organizational Commitment and Employee Performance at Ministry of Religion Regional Office · 2026 · DOI

  • Based on the findings and conclusions of the study, the following recommendations are offered: Ignatian International Journal for Multidisciplinary Research Vol 4 No 6 June 2026 www.icceph.com 584…

    KNOWLEDGE, PRACTICES, AND CHALLENGES IN LIVING OUT THE FOUR CORE VALUES AMONG SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS OF ST. LOUIS SCHOOL OF DON BOSCO, INC. · 2026 · DOI

  • Originality/value This study, which was carried out within a specific French context, concerns areas that have received little attention or have not been studied at all to date, such as REW in SMEs or in the public sector, and demonstrates for the first time the distinction between official postures and effective postures.

    Managing religion at work: a necessary distinction between words and deeds. A multiple case study of the postures facing religious expression in French organizations · 2021 · DOI

  • It is concluded that so far, no data are supporting a single factor of SI measured by SISRI-24, and previous studies, including the original study, show that the measurement with this scale is highly problematic.

    Is There a General Factor of Spiritual Intelligence? Factorial Validity of the Polish Adaptation of Spiritual Intelligence Self-Report Inventory · 2021 · DOI

  • The extent of research work, both conceptual as well as empirical, as evidenced, does indicate the growing and sustained interest in the subject of spirituality and spiritual intelligence, but there is limited research in the area of leadership development and sustainability in the higher education system.

    A new model of practical spiritual intelligence for the leadership development of human capital in Indian Universities · 2020 · DOI

  • Three key issues were identified in the literature: a lack of consensus as to how spirituality is understood, including whether it can be measured; the broadening scope for spirituality in social work practice, including growing recognition that spirituality has a role beyond direct practice in social policy and advocacy work; and the impact on social workers or holistic practice models which acknowledge the spirituality of service users and consequences of this for social work education.

    Charting the Development of Spirituality in Social Work in the Second Decade of the 21st Century: A Critical Commentary · 2020 · DOI

  • Research limitations/implications Supportive structures effective for academic leadership practice must be created, further studies on male ALs’ roles in promoting the leadership ascent of female ALs and promoting work-life balance will improve ALs’ visibility and salience in steering institutional growth.

    Academic leaders’ double bind: challenges from an Indonesian perspective · 2019 · DOI

  • Purpose Workplace spirituality (WPS) has emerged as a key concept in management literature but has, thus far, remained inadequately explored in research studies.

    Putting workplace spirituality in context · 2019 · DOI

  • Conceptualizations of CallingJust as multiple perspectives about the nature of calling exist within the theological literature, there is also lack of consensus within the psychological literature as to how calling should be conceptualized and measured (Praskova, Creed, & Hood, 2015).

    Trajectories of Calling in Undergraduate Students with Varying Career Expectations · 2015

  • Psychologists, too, have begun to acknowledge the moral formation functions of religion and spirituality (Leffel, 2011), though few studies have examined changes in character resulting from change.

    Virtue development following spiritual transformation in adolescents attending evangelistic summer camp · 2014

  • The increasing incidence of spirituality and religion at work (SRW), however, creates an interesting balance for organizational administrators to strike: how should SRW needs be accommodated when crafting policy, given the legal reality of Title VII and the tradition of American workplace secularism? We discuss this tension and suggest that relying on legal compliance or historical organizational secularism is insufficient.

    No Harm, No Foul? Organizational Intervention in Workplace Spirituality* · 2008 · DOI

  • Abstract In spite of growing interest in spirituality and religion, and the prominent position given to religion in social work's educational policies and ethical standards, no studies have explored the profession's level of spiritual sensitivity.

    Moving Toward Spiritual Competency · 2006 · DOI

  • Although occupational calling is prevalent and salient among scholars, few studies have yet examined whether and why it relates to career sustainability.

    How do scholars with calling navigate the path to sustainable careers: a career construction perspective · 2026 · DOI

  • Future studies should examine these variables to better understand the conditions under which spiritual leadership enhances both flourishing and performance. Future research should investigate the interaction between leadership and broader organizational support systems to develop a more holistic understanding of what drives flourishing in the workplace, especially during times of crisis. Finally, future research should investigate flourishing and leadership in non-crisis contexts to establish a baseline in more stable settings.

    Spiritual leadership, flourishing, organizational commitment, and productivity of nurses in healthcare crisis contexts · 2026 · DOI

  • As the correlation has not yet been investigated in Mauritius, which is a multicultural and multi-ethnic country, this study aims to bridge this knowledge gap using a purely positivist epistemological approach.

    Unravelling the Nexus Between Human Values and Competencies to Religion Among Educational Stakeholders in Mauritius Using Structural Equation Modelling · 2024 · DOI

  • Whether environmental variables predict religious development and whether religious development, in turn, leads to greater well-being for individuals from broader environments remain unknown.

    Perceived Religious Pressures as an Antecedent to Self-Reported Religious/Spiritual Development and Well-Being for Christians · 2023 · DOI

  • Despite the prevalence of work alienation in service organizations and the recognition that it can lead to several negative outcomes, little is known about how managers can address service employees’ feelings of work alienation.

    Spiritual leadership and work alienation: analysis of mechanisms and constraints · 2022 · DOI

  • Abstract The relationship between religion and subjective well-being has received research attention in recent decades with mixed results, particularly related to life satisfaction, fewer traumatic outcomes, and happiness.

    Religion and Subjective Well-being · 2022 · DOI

  • Originality/value This article explores the use of mindfulness meditation as a non-secular coping strategy, and focuses on an understudied area of educational administration research: Jamaican school principals' well-being.

    “God is my doctor”: mindfulness meditation/prayer as a spiritual well-being coping strategy for Jamaican school principals to manage their work-related stress and anxiety · 2020 · DOI

  • In this paper, at first based on theoretical and research literature detecting factors and indicators and their informants were rated on 5-scale Lickert based on significance and also proposed some answers to the open question.

    Identification of spiritual leadership factors and indicators in secondary schools · 2019 · DOI

  • Given that religiously affiliated institutions account for more than one in five colleges and universities in the United States, it is concerning that relatively few studies have addressed succession planning in this sector, and in Christ-centered higher education in particular.

    Preparing for Leadership Turnover in Christian Higher Education: Best Practices in Succession Planning · 2019 · DOI

  • Recent research suggests that religious leaders’ humility is crucial to their own psychological wellbeing as well as the wellbeing of the communities they lead, yet little is known about how humility is understood and cultivated by the leaders themselves.

    Humility and religious leadership: a qualitative study of theology and practice · 2019 · DOI

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66 open questions have been extracted from the limitations and future-work passages of 1,481 Workplace Spirituality and Leadership papers in our library. Each one below links back to the study that raised it, so you can read the original claim in context.

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