Walk The Talk: Bringing Spirituality to Workplace through Transformational Leadership and Emotional Intelligence in Higher Education Institutions

ABSTRACT Leadership stayed at the pinnacle in the arena of organizational behavior research since decades and attained significant consideration of scholars pursuing to define multifaceted dynamics of leadership and their influence on spirit at work. Studying workplace spirituality in academicians has a high value that definitely requires attention. This study attempts to explore association amongst transformational leadership and workplace spirituality of academicians through the lens of emotional intelligence in public sector universities of Pakistan. In this study, the hypothesized model was measured by using Structural Equation Modelling – Partial Least Squares. The response from 252 academicians specified that link between transformational leadership and workplace spirituality is statistically noteworthy where emotional intelligence plays a significant role as mediator. The findings enhance positive effects of transformational leadership style consistent with workplace spirituality contributing significantly to leadership literature in the higher education sector and suggest that institutions may implement practices that help in building the environment of workplace spirituality. Keywords: Emotional intelligence; transformational leadership; workplace spirituality; higher education institutions; mediation. ABSTRAK Kepimpinan kekal di puncak dalam arena penyelidikan tingkah laku organisasi sejak beberapa dekad dan mencapai pertimbangan penting para sarjana yang mengejar dinamika kepemimpinan beragam dan pengaruh mereka pada semangat di tempat kerja. Mempelajari kerohanian di tempat kerja ahli akademik mempunyai nilai tinggi yang pasti memerlukan perhatian. Kajian ini cuba untuk meneroka persaingan antara kepimpinan transformasi dan kerohanian tempat kerja ahli akademik melalui lensa kecerdasan emosi di universiti sektor awam Pakistan. Dalam kajian ini, model hipotesis diukur dengan menggunakan Model Persamaan Berstruktur - Sebilangan Besar Kuadrat. Respon daripada 252 ahli akademik menyatakan bahawa hubungan antara kepimpinan transformasi dan kerohanian di tempat kerja secara statistik perlu diperhatikan di mana kecerdasan emosi memainkan peranan penting sebagai pengantara. Penemuan ini meningkatkan kesan positif gaya kepimpinan transformasi selaras dengan kerohanian tempat kerja yang menyumbang dengan ketara kepada kesusasteraan kepimpinan dalam sektor pendidikan tinggi dan mencadangkan agar institusi boleh melaksanakan amalan yang membantu dalam membina persekitaran kerohanian di tempat kerja. Kata kunci: Kecerdasan emosi; kepimpinan transformasional; kerohanian tempat kerja; institusi pengajian tinggi; pengantaraan