Date of Award
Spring 2026
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Organizational Leadership
First Advisor
Dr. Debra J. Dean
Second Advisor
Dr. Joshua Henson
Third Advisor
Dr. Bruce Lilyeah
Abstract
This dissertation was grounded in the premise that spiritual leadership behaviors significantly influence organizational culture within faith-based nonprofit organizations yet remain insufficiently understood as lived experiences across organizational levels. While prior scholarship has established theoretical links between spirituality, leadership, and organizational outcomes, fewer studies have examined how such leadership is perceived by both leaders and followers within real organizational contexts. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore how spiritual leadership behaviors were experienced and interpreted in relation to organizational culture, mission alignment, morale, and work meaning within a faith-based nonprofit setting. Data were collected from fifteen participants through a live, audio-recorded semi-structured group interview, with additional evidence obtained through analysis of organizational documents, public communications, and observable cultural artifacts to provide contextual depth. Guided by Fry’s Spiritual Leadership Theory and Schein’s model of organizational culture, data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis and triangulated across multiple sources to enhance credibility and trustworthiness. Findings indicated that spiritual leadership was experienced unevenly across hierarchical levels, with participants describing strong relational leadership, care, and mission connection at the immediate supervisory level, in contrast to perceptions of distance, limited transparency, and misalignment associated with executive leadership. Organizational culture was characterized by cohesive team-level environments alongside broader departmental fragmentation. Despite these tensions, participants expressed deep commitment to the organization’s mission and a desire for leadership that more consistently embodied stated values through authenticity, humility, and relational engagement, reinforcing the importance of aligned, values-driven leadership practices.
Recommended Citation
Yancey, J. J. (2026). How Leaders and Followers Make Meaning: Perceptions of Spiritual Leadership and Organizational Culture. [Doctoral dissertation, Southeastern University]. FireScholars. https://firescholars.seu.edu/org-lead/72