Shared spiritual leadership in a Reform synagogue setting

Abstract

This instrumental, qualitative case study was conducted to investigate the sharing of spiritual leadership by a rabbi and his professional staff team. The research took place in a mid-size Reform synagogue. The study was guided by two conceptual frameworks: (a) the spiritual leadership theory of Ashmos and Duchon (2000), and (b) the shared leadership model of Carson, Tesluk, and Marrone (2007). These frameworks enabled the researcher to examine spiritual and shared leadership both as individual phenomena and as they intersected. Three research questions guided this study: 1. How is spiritual leadership shared in the synagogue? 2. What elements of spiritual leadership belong exclusively to the role of the rabbi? 3. How does shared spiritual leadership influence the growth and development of this synagogue? Selected through purposeful sampling, the eight subjects were members of the synagogue's clergy and professional team. Data collection included interviews, focus groups, observations, and document reviews. Data analysis took place throughout the data collection process and continued through the conclusion of the study. Field notes, member-checking, and audit trails added to the rigor of the study, ensured authenticity and increased the credibility of findings. Data were analyzed through open, in vivo, and axial coding. Constant comparison, inductive analysis, analytic memo-writing, and triangulation of results were used to reduce and refine themes. Nine themes emerged that led to four conclusions (abbreviated here): (a) Horizontal and vertical leadership styles were evident in shared spiritual leadership; (b) The leadership style and personality of the rabbi was significant in determining how he shared spiritual leadership; (c) Shared leadership was dependent on the composition and interactions of the team members; and (d) Shared spiritual leadership was a process that included a dimension of the sacred. Keywords: rabbis, shared leadership, distributed leadership, clergy teams, spiritual leadership