Why is it important to study the connection of spirituality to leadership? And why is it important to study ethics? There is an increasing body of literature on the spiritual dimension of leadership. To know what motivates us or what nourishes us will give us insight into how to cultivate this force of motivation. Spiritual practices used by religious leaders may be used by secular leaders who are searching to improve their leadership. It is important and useful to develop one's inner life to be able to draw upon the strength that can be found there (Sparks, 2007). Sergiovanni (1992) stated that leadership is shaped by a person's interior world . One's interior world contains a picture of what effective and high quality leadership is. We use this picture to compare and contrast what we see in the exterior world. The task is to cultivate the interior world to perfect that picture and to discover ways to draw strength from it.
According to Strike (2007), this inner picture must reflect the morals and norms established by the society or organization in which the leader is serving. A contrast of ideology in what is commonly accepted will bring conflict in the decisions made by a leader. An example of this could be the entry of a black student into a school prior to the civil rights movement and today. Prior to the Brown vs. Board, it was socially acceptable not to admit a student into a school solely on the color of their skin. However, given the same situation today, it would be unethical, and illegal, not to admit a student solely on the color of their skin. To be considered ethical, leaders must uphold the law and more importantly, refect their aligned social and personal morals with their decisions.
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