The perceived influence of Christian leadership competencies during COVID-19

Autor: Martie Bleeker, Emmerentia N. Barkhuizen, Roslyn de Braine
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2024
Předmět:
Zdroj: South African Journal of Business Management, Vol 55, Iss 1, Pp e1-e11 (2024)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 2078-5585
2078-5976
DOI: 10.4102/sajbm.v55i1.4537
Popis: Purpose: Surviving the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic required much of leaders. It highlighted the complexities of faith in the workplace. Christian business leaders drew on their faith to influence employees’ work intentions and behaviours through specific leadership competencies. This study aimed to gain insights into the leadership competencies of Christian leaders during COVID-19 and its perceived influence on colleagues’ values and workplace behaviour through the leaders’ integration of faith and work. Design/methodology/approach: The study used a qualitative, grounded theory approach with semi-structured interviews to collect data. Participants (N = 14) were full-time Christian leaders selected through purposeful, convenient, and snowball sampling. Findings/results: The findings indicated that Christian business leaders exhibited distinctive leadership competencies attributed to their faith. These competencies allowed them to express their beliefs to co-workers in ways that surpassed verbal communication. Practical implications: Organisations should consider implementing leadership development programmes focusing on integrating faith and values into leadership practices. Providing Christian leaders with tools and resources to align their leadership approach with their spiritual beliefs can enhance their ability to create a positive and ethical workplace culture. Contribution/value-add: Although no study has directly explored religion’s role in dealing with pandemics, understanding the impact of beliefs such as Christian religiosity on work can complement management and organisational practices. The findings contribute to leadership studies by laying the groundwork for future investigation into the role of faith integration in leadership behaviours and outcomes.
Databáze: Directory of Open Access Journals