How do teachers perceive meaningful leadership? Overview of a qualitative exploration
Ahmet Göçen 1 *
More Detail
1 Harran University, Faculty of Education, Turkey
* Corresponding Author

Abstract

Leaders’ self-realization and their intra-group behaviors at work are influenced by elements such as a sense of meaningful purpose and intrinsic motivation. This study aims to construct a model of meaningful leadership, based on the values, aspirations, and attitudes of a leader and how these qualities help them develop positive organizational cultures. The research, based on constructivist grounded theory design, utilized semi-structured interview technique with 15 teachers, examining their perceptions of meaningfulness and leadership. These interviews revealed ten core dimensions of meaningful leadership: An ultimate purpose in life, sharing meaning, understanding, linking the past, present, and future, wisdom, peacefulness, a sense of ethics, serving others, inner motivation, and fostering unity. These dimensions can be considered essential when identifying meaningful leaders. This proposed model of leadership, with a focus on meaningfulness, can play a pivotal role in an organization by contributing to self-realization of members and ensuring the unity of purpose. In educational organizations, a meaningful leadership approach can leverage leaders’ efforts by providing an intrinsic motivation source for all school members.

Keywords

References

  • Ashmos, D. P., & Duchon, D. (2000). Spirituality at work: A conceptualization and measure. Journal of Management Inquiry, 9(2), 134-145. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F105649260092008
  • Barbuto Jr, J. E., & Wheeler, D. W. (2006). Scale development and construct clarification of servant leadership. Group & Organization Management, 31(3), 300-326. https://doi.org/10.1177/1059601106287091
  • Bartels, B. E. & Jackson, C. E. (2021). Meaning-centered leadership: Skills and strategies for ıncreased employee well-being and organizational success. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.
  • Batubara, J. (2018). The meaningfulness of life in multiethnic perspective as the foundation for personal guidance. JOMSIGN: Journal of Multicultural Studies in Guidance and Counseling, 2(1), 72-81. https://doi.org/10.17509/jomsign.v2i1.10831
  • Baumeister, R. F., Vohs, K. D., Aaker, J. L., & Garbinsky, E. N. (2013). Some key differences between a happy life and a meaningful life. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 8(6), 505-516. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2013.830764
  • Birks, M., & Mills, J. (2015). Grounded theory: A practical guide. Sage. https://doi.org/10.13140/2.1.2982.0484
  • Buble, M., Juras, A., & Matić, I. (2014). The relationship between managers’ leadership styles and motivation. Management: Journal of Contemporary Management Issues, 19(1), 161-193. https://hrcak.srce.hr/124612
  • Cambridge Dictionary (n.d.), https://dictionary.cambridge.org
  • Carton, A. M. (2018). “I’m not mopping the floors, I’m putting a man on the moon”: How NASA leaders enhanced the meaningfulness of work by changing the meaning of work. Administrative Science Quarterly, 63(2), 323-369. https://doi.org/10.1177/0001839217713748
  • Chalofsky, N. (2003). An emerging construct for meaningful work, Human Resource Development International, 6(1), 69-83. https://doi.org/10.1080/1367886022000016785
  • Chalofsky, N., & Krishna, V. (2009). Meaningfulness, commitment, and engagement: The intersection of a deeper level of intrinsic motivation. Advances in Developing Human Resources, 11(2), 189-203. https://doi.org/10.1177/1523422309333147
  • Charmaz, K. (1996). The search for meanings-Grounded Theory. In. Smith, J. A., Harré, R., & Van Langenhove, L. (Eds.), Rethinking methods in psychology (pp. 27-49). Sage.
  • Charmaz, K. (2006). Constructing grounded theory. Sage.
  • Chun-Tie, Y., Birks, M., & Francis, K. (2019). Grounded theory research: A design framework for novice researchers. SAGE Open Medicine. 7, 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1177/2050312118822927
  • Dantley, M. E. (2003). Purpose-driven leadership: The spiritual imperative to guiding schools beyond high-stakes testing and minimum proficiency. Education and Urban Society, 35(3), 273-291. https://doi.org/10.1177/0013124503252672
  • DeMara, C. (2018). Meaningful Leadership: How to Build Indestructible Relationships with Your Team Members Through Intentionality and Faith. DeMara-Kirby & Associates, LLC.
  • Fairholm, G. W. (1996). Spiritual leadership: Fulfilling whole‐self needs at work. Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 17(5), 11–17. https://doi.org/10.1108/01437739610127469
  • Frankl, V. E. (2006). Man's search for meaning. Boston Beacon Press.
  • Frémeaux, S., & Pavageau, B. (2020). Meaningful leadership: how can leaders contribute to meaningful work?. Journal of Management Inquiry, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1177/1056492619897126
  • Gårdheim. C. (2016). Unleash Your Creative Spirit!: The Guide to Building Your Dream Life. Balboa Press.
  • Giles, T. M., De Lacey, S., & Muir-Cochrane, E. (2016). Coding, constant comparisons, and core categories. Advances in Nursing Science, 39(1), E29-E44. https://doi.org/10.1097/ANS.0000000000000109
  • Göçen, A. & Terzi R. (2019). Eğitim örgütleri için anlamlı iş ölçeği [Meaningful work scale for educational organizations]. Gazi Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 39(3), 1487-1512.
  • Graham, K. (2011). Leading with purpose: a case for soul leadership, Development and Learning in Organizations, 25(4), 5-7. https://doi.org/10.1108/14777281111147026
  • Greenleaf, R. K. (2008). Who is the servant-leader?. The International Journal of Servant-Leadership, 4(1), 29-37.
  • Guba, E. G., & Lincoln, Y. S. (1982). Epistemological and methodological bases of naturalistic inquiry. Educational Communication and Technology Journal, 30(4), 233-252.
  • Herrera, S. A. (2017). Exemplary leadership: A mixed-methods case study discovering how female chief executive officers create meaning (Order No. 10271696). Available from ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global. (1891739615). https://search.proquest.com/dissertations-theses/exemplary-leadership-mixed-methods-case-study/docview/1891739615/se-2?accountid=11301
  • Hodge, S. K. (2017). Meaning makers: A mixed-methods case study of exemplary chief executive officers of engineering technology organizations and the behaviors they use to create personal and organizational meaning (Order No. 10271689). Available from ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global. (1891735353). https://search.proquest.com/dissertations-theses/meaning-makers-mixed-methods-case-study-exemplary/docview/1891735353/se-2?accountid=11301
  • Holbeche, L., & Springett, N. (2004). In search of meaning in the workplace. Roffey Park Institute.
  • Hunter, A., Murphy, K., Grealish, A., Casey, D. & Keady, J. (2011). Navigating the grounded theory terrain. Part 1. Nurse Researcher, 18(4), 6-10. https://doi.org/10.7748/nr2011.07.18.4.6.c8636
  • Jackson, C. E. (2017). Meaning-centered leadership: How exemplary technology leaders create organizational meaning (Order No. 10278375). Available from ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global. (1897559824). https://search.proquest.com/dissertations-theses/meaning-centered-leadership-how-exemplary/docview/1897559824/se-2?accountid=11301
  • Kalshoven, K., Den Hartog, D. N., & De Hoogh, A. H. (2011). Ethical leadership at work questionnaire (ELW): Development and validation of a multidimensional measure. The Leadership Quarterly, 22(1), 51-69. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.leaqua.2010.12.007
  • Kerns, C. D. (2013). Clarity of purpose and meaningfulness at work: Key leadership practices. International Leadership Journal, 5(1), 27-44.
  • Kinjerski, V. M., & Skrypnek, B. J. (2004). Defining spirit at work: Finding common ground. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 17(1), 26-42. https://doi.org/10.1108/09534810410511288
  • Klenke, K. (2005). Introducing spirituality, International Journal of Organisational Analysis, 13(1), 4-7. https://doi.org/10.1108/eb028994
  • Korotkov, D. L. (1998). The sense of coherence: Making sense out of chaos. In P. T. P. Wong & P. Fry (Eds.), The human quest for meaning: A handbook of psychological research and clinical applications (pp. 51–70). Lawrence Erlbaum.
  • Kriger, M., & Seng, Y. (2005). Leadership with inner meaning: A contingency theory of leadership based on the worldviews of five religions. The Leadership Quarterly, 16(5), 771-806. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.leaqua.2005.07.007
  • Lee, J. J., Clarke, C. L., Carson, M. N., & Yang, S. C. (2018). How do Korean nursing students build knowledge? A constructivist grounded theory study. BMJ Open, 8, 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2018-022050
  • Lips-Wiersma, M., & Morris, L. (2009). Discriminating between ‘meaningful work’and the ‘management of meaning’. Journal of Business Ethics, 88(3), 491-511. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-009-0118-9
  • Maslow, A. H. (1969a). The farther reaches of human nature. Journal of Transpersonal Psychology, 1(1), 1–9
  • Maslow, A. H. (1969b). Toward a humanistic biology. American Psychologist, 24, 724–735
  • Matsuo, M., Arai, K., & Matsuo, T. (2019). Empowering leadership and meaningful work: the mediating role of learning goal orientation. International Journal of Training and Development, 23(4), 328-338. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijtd.12165
  • Mautz, S. (2015). Make it matter: How managers can motivate by creating meaning. New York: AMACOM.
  • Milliman, J., Czaplewski, A. J., & Ferguson, J. (2003). Workplace spirituality and employee work attitudes: An exploratory empirical assessment. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 16(4), 426-447. https://doi.org/10.1108/09534810310484172
  • Morin, E. M. (2008). The meaning of work, mental health and organizational commitment. (Studies and research/ Report No. R-585). Montréal: IRSST.
  • Mostafa, A. M. S., & Abed El-Motalib, E. A. (2020). Ethical leadership, work meaningfulness, and work engagement in the public sector. Review of Public Personnel Administration, 40(1), 112-131. https://doi.org/10.1177/0734371X18790628
  • Nonaka, I., & Takeuchi, H. (2011). The big idea: The wise leader. Harvard Business Review, 89(5), 58-67.
  • Parry, K., & Bryman, A. (2006). Leadership in organizations. In S. R. Clegg, C. Hardy, T. B. Lawrence & W. R. Nord (Eds.), The SAGE handbook of organization studies (pp. 447-468). Sage.
  • Patton, M. Q. (2014). Qualitative Evaluation and Research Methods. Sage.
  • Patton, M.Q. (1999). Enhancing the quality and credibility of qualitative analysis. Health Sciences Research, 34, 1189–1208
  • Phipps, K. A. (2010). Servant leadership and constructive development theory: How servant leaders make meaning of service. Journal of Leadership Education, 9(2), 151-170.
  • Robertson, K. M., O’Reilly, J., & Hannah, D. R. (2020). Finding meaning in relationships: The impact of network ties and structure on the meaningfulness of work. Academy of Management Review, 45(3), 596-619. https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.2015.0242
  • Salkind, N. (2010). Triangulation. Encyclopedia of Research Design. Sage.
  • Shenton, A. K. (2004). Strategies for ensuring trustworthiness in qualitative research projects. Education for Information, 22(2), 63-75.
  • Sosik, J. J. (2000). The role of personal meaning in charismatic leadership. Journal of Leadership Studies, 7(2), 60-74.
  • Strauss, A., & Corbin, J. (1998). Basics of qualitative research (2nd ed.). Sage.
  • Thornton, L. F. (2018). What is Meaningful Leadership?. https://leadingincontext.com/2018/07/18/what-is-meaningful-leadership-part-1/
  • Thory, K. (2016). Developing meaningfulness at work through emotional intelligence training. International Journal of Training and Development, 20(1), 58-77. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijtd.12069
  • Ulrich, D., & Ulrich, W. (2010). Leaders who make meaning meaningful. https://iveybusinessjournal.com/publication/leaders-who-make-meaning-meaningful/
  • Van Knippenberg, D. (2020). Meaning-based leadership. Organizational Psychology Review, 10(1), 6-28. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F2041386619897618
  • Varney, J. (2009). Leadership as meaning‐making. Human Resource Management International Digest, 17(5), 3-5. https://doi.org/10.1108/09670730910974251
  • Yang, F., Huang, X., & Wu, L. (2019). Experiencing meaningfulness climate in teams: How spiritual leadership enhances team effectiveness when facing uncertain tasks. Human Resource Management, 58(2), 155-168. https://doi.org/10.1002/hrm.21943
  • Zou, W., Zeng, Y., Peng, Q., Xin, Y., Chen, J., & Houghton, J. D. (2020). The influence of spiritual leadership on the subjective well‐being of Chinese registered nurses. Journal of Nursing Management, 28(6), 1432-1442. https://doi.org/10.1111/jonm.13106

License

This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.