Abstract
The aim of the present study is to identify the dimensions and components of spiritual leadership based on extra-role behaviors. The research method is applicable-developmental in terms of its purpose, qualitative in terms of its implementation method, and of content analysis type. The statistical population of this study includes 10 academic experts as well as managers and experts in the industrial field of Kerman province with at least 10 years of management experience and a minimum of a master's degree. The sampling method in this study was purposive and the snowball method (chain referral). A part of the statistical population that was available and possible to communicate with was selected as a sample. This sampling continued until theoretical saturation was reached. The research collection tool is a semi-structured interview. Data analysis was carried out using the content analysis method, which includes open and axial coding with MAXQDA 2018 software. The results of the study showed that spiritual leadership is based on extra-role behaviors consisting of 10 dimensions and 26 components, which include: altruism, chivalry, faith, conscientiousness, membership, organizational commitment, performance feedback, dutifulness, civic virtue, respect, and honor.
Introduction
Neil & Biberman (2003) reported a sudden increase in books, conferences and workshops on spirituality in the workplace since around 1992, and an academic discipline in spiritual leadership has emerged. In recent years, there has been increasing attention to spiritual leadership and its significant benefits for individuals, groups, organizations and communities. Spiritual leadership can be seen as an emerging construct of a broader understanding of spirituality in the workplace (Sanaei & Khalaji, 2019). Spiritual leadership is a process in which leaders and followers influence each other in parallel, as relationships evolve over time. Spiritual leadership is also a process that has the power to change social systems and reform institutions (Javaherizadeh, 2016). Spiritual leadership, by creating sensitivity to oneself, others, and the supernatural in the individuals of the organization, makes them interested in their jobs and work; then motivates them to their work duties; and as a result, provides for their spiritual survival (Thakur & Singh, 2016).
Lack of attention to the psychological aspects of the organization causes reluctance to accept individual differences and lack of attention to interpersonal relationships; meanwhile, lack of control over one's own emotions, lack of control and management of one's own and others' emotions, lack of attention to organizational extra-role behaviors, and lack of participation of individuals in decision-making jeopardize the interests of the organization (Mohammadi & Ghasemi, 2020). Extra-role behavior is perceived as a concept and in the role domain, it is closely linked to the behavioral performance of citizenship, and whatever these behaviors are perceived as behaviors within the role domain, better citizenship behavior is seen by individuals, and when employees define citizenship behavior as behavior beyond the role and participate in increasing relationships with others and generally act beyond the scope of their assigned duties, the result of this process is the progress and promotion of the organization, provided that they perceive regulatory justice to a large extent in the organization (Narenjithani et al, 2018). Accordingly, the researcher addresses the main question: what are the dimensions and components of spiritual leadership based on extra-role behaviors?
Theoretical Framework of Spiritual Leadership
 Spiritual leadership is the set of values, attitudes, and behaviors used to motivate oneself and others in a way that fosters spirituality and individual well-being through meaning, purpose, and belonging to oneself and others. Therefore, it requires, first, creating a vision in which the leader and followers feel meaning, purpose, and importance; and second, establishing and creating an organizational culture based on the values ​​of altruism, whereby the leader and followers feel a sense of belonging, being understood, being appreciated, being referred to, being cared for, and being appreciated by themselves and others (Khari & Sinha, 2018).
Extra-role behaviors
The concept of extra-role is one of the oldest political and social concepts, and has been the focus of many political and social thinkers since the time of ancient Greece. Different theorists may have different views on the importance of this concept, but in any case, its special place in the human intellectual system indicates its outstanding importance (Buil et al, 2022). Extra-role behaviors include a set of behaviors that have been called, in various ways, pro-social behaviors, organizational citizenship, helping, or combined performance (Haji et al, 2023). Extra-role behaviors are a set of behaviors considered outside the scope of mandatory behaviors of individuals in the environment. However, they play a fundamental and pivotal role in creating the desired psychological and social space in the workplace. These behaviors have become a broad and extensive field in organization and management research for at least the past 28 years (Buil et al, 2022).
Ghanbarzadeh & Jafarian Yasar (2024) investigated the role of spiritual leadership in social responsibility and social capital of first-year secondary school teachers in Dareh Shahr city. The findings showed that spiritual leadership has a direct and significant relationship with social responsibility and social capital of teachers and is able to explain 25.3 percent of the variance in social responsibility and 13 percent of the variance in social capital of teachers. Other findings also showed that there was a direct relationship between spiritual leadership and social responsibility (r=0.392) and between spiritual leadership and social capital (r=0.242), at a level lower than 0.05. The result is that strengthening spiritual leadership in schools increases teachers' responsibility and social capital; education officials and planners should hold classes and courses to promote spiritual leadership knowledge for teachers.
Mousavi (2023) conducted a study entitled Investigating the Relationship between Spiritual Leadership Dimensions and Job Motivation from the Perspective of Shahrekord Education and Training Staff. The findings showed that there is a significant relationship between the seven dimensions of spiritual leadership (vision, altruism, faith in work, meaningfulness in work, and organizational membership) and the job motivation of education and training staff, but there is no relationship between the other two dimensions of spiritual leadership, namely organizational commitment and performance feedback, and employee motivation. In fact, the more spiritual leadership components are applied at a higher level in the atmosphere of an educational organization and the decisions, procedures, policies, and educational missions are formulated and implemented based on the spiritual leadership dimension, the higher the level of job motivation among the employees of this educational organization.
Research Methodology
The research method is applicable-developmental in terms of its purpose, qualitative in terms of its implementation method, and of content analysis type. The statistical population of this study includes 10 academic experts along with managers and experts in the industrial field of Kerman province with at least 10 years of management experience and a minimum of a master's degree. The sampling method in this study was purposive and the snowball method (chain referral). A part of the statistical population that was available and possible to communicate with was selected as a sample. This sampling continued until theoretical saturation was reached. The research collection tool is a semi-structured interview.
Research findings
Data analysis was carried out using the content analysis method, which includes open and axial coding with MAXQDA 2018 software. The results of the study showed that spiritual leadership is based on extra-role behaviors consisting of 10 dimensions and 26 components, which include: altruism, chivalry, faith, conscientiousness, membership, organizational commitment, performance feedback, dutifulness, civic virtue, respect, and honor.
Conclusion
The present study was conducted with the aim of identifying the dimensions and components of spiritual leadership based on extra-role behaviors. The results of this study are consistent with the results of Ghanbarzadeh & Jafarian Yasar (2024), Mousavi (2023), Davari et al, (2023), Haji et al, (2023), Ramezani et al, (2022), Nazari & Moosavi (2022), Fallah et al, (2022), Yusefi et al, (2022), and Vu & Fry (2020). Ramezani et al, (2022) showed that the identified components had a significant relationship with spiritual leadership style. Also, the indicators of faith, virtues, spiritual atmosphere, motivation, cultural and structural were ranked first to sixth in the antecedents of spiritual leadership. Regarding the consequences of the spiritual leadership style, the indicators of moral climate, organizational health, commitment, and content were ranked first to fourth, and finally, the development of divine spirituality, the development of sustainable organizational spiritual health, the development of sustainable global spiritual health, the development of sustainable human spirituality, and the development of existential spirituality were ranked first to fifth among the new strategies of the spiritual leadership style.
Considering the results obtained, the following suggestions are presented:
- Investing in technical and management training, providing internship and coaching opportunities, and encouraging the acquisition of professional certificates.
- Clearly and precisely defining the procedures and criteria for hiring, promoting, rewarding, and disciplining employees and ensuring their fair implementation.
- Defining the organization's core values ​​(such as honesty, trustworthiness, and responsibility) and including them in the organization's code of ethics.