Spirituality and Leadership: Exploratory Study of Two Women Leaders in Naga City

Abstract

Dimensions of the development are usually classified into economic, political, cultural, and technological paradigms. An emerging dimension of development – spirituality – is initially explored in this study by exploring its dimensions and relationship or influence with the leadership of two women leaders in Naga City as applied in their development work. The study was a case study of two women leaders in Naga City and the research was conducted from February to March 2008.

Interviews were conducted to profile the spirituality and leadership of the two respondents. The Phases of Consciousness from Leadership Through Values by Brian P. Hall and Helen Thompson (1980) was used to determine the leader’s set of values with the premise that values are expressions of spirituality. Two assessment tools were used in determining the respondents’ leadership styles and dimensions: the Six Leadership Styles from Primal Leadership of Daniel Goleman (2002) and the Lead Like Jesus Personal Assessment by Ken Blanchard and Phil Hodges (2005). Versions of the two tools were also given to the respondents’ co-workers and subordinates to confirm the former’s primary claims in their spirituality and leadership.

The two women leaders are both Bicolano mothers. They received Catholic secondary and tertiary education and formation from Catholic schools. Both were student leaders and were exposed to social involvement. They are both members of the Christian Life Community (CLC).

They have held non-government and government positions, both in the local, regional, and national levels. They worked in Manila serving marginalized sectors and returned to Bicol to serve the marginalized Bicolano communities. Currently, the first leader is a practicing lawyer and the second is a consultant.

Both leaders have a high level of spirituality. They hold nine common values, with a faith-based concept of spirituality. Their spirituality sprang from their family backgrounds, education, and personal experiences. Both leaders have a high level of leadership. However, one leader has a democratic style of leadership, with co-workers/subordinates confirming the dominant style. The second leader believes she is a visionary, but her co-workers and subordinated claim that she has an affiliative leadership style.

Based on the results, a person’s spirituality is first influenced by her parents or the family she grew up in. the person closely adopts her lifestyle from the family’s lifestyle. She starts observing leadership roles and styles of her parents. The parents’ response to life situations is very much remembered by the child. The child is taught a set of values by observing their parents while in the house and in the community.

The school is the second institution to influence the person. Leadership roles of a person start in school. Membership in organizations provide the person the opportunity for leading, serving, and volunteering. Catholic schools offer religion or Christian living subjects to understand the faith. Catholic universities offer theology and philosophy to deepen this faith. In college, structures of the university and student-led organizations provide the opportunity to build a value system and to express her spirituality in leadership roles. Volunteerism begins at this time. In tertiary education, exposure in social involvement is heightened by joining service-oriented groups in the campus advocating for environmental protection, education, and social welfare.

The student’s experience in school influences her chosen professional career or path. Her experiences may lead her to a commercial service profession or to a social service profession. Whatever she chooses, she develops more of her spirituality and leadership in her professional experiences, organizational experiences, and social involvement. She also develops a leadership style by observing and modeling from others. Both primary respondents were working during critical times in contemporary Philippine history (Martial Law and the first Edsa Revolution).

Respondents composed of co-workers and subordinates have validated or affirmed the values (on spirituality) and leadership of the two women. The two women are still seen to be leaders in their field even if they are no longer connected with the organizations or institutions they used to work for. The social involvements of the two women clearly manifested their spirituality and leadership to the people they serve and worked with.

For the two women leaders, spirituality and leadership are interdependent. They said that one could not have one without the other. Both women have matured spirituality, with influential and inspirational leadership qualities. For them, “spirituality is the foundation and leadership are the expression.” For them leadership has more impact when a leader’s spirituality is founded on the faith in God. Spirituality can never be expressed without a sound leadership to influence people.