Leadership, spirituality and empowerment: examining the experiences of women of color in fortune 500 companies

Abstract

Purpose

This paper investigates the meaning of spirituality and empowerment from the perspective of women of color (WOC) in Fortune 500 companies how it impacts their leadership.

Design/methodology/approach

Detailed data were collected through in depth semi-structured interviews documenting their experience as lived in the context of their daily work environments. Twelve WOC in leadership positions were interviewed, and transcripts analyzed using thematic analysis. Their narratives provide insight into the experiences of discrimination and bias and the stress and disenfranchisement that result from these experiences.

Findings

Analysis shows that for these women, spirituality was more than a philosophical orientation but comprised a core facet of their identity, empowering them to cope with adversity and uplift others through a leadership style defined by compassion, trust, strong interpersonal relationships and purpose.

Practical implications

Implications for creating more compassionate and inclusive environments that draw on principles of empowerment and spiritual leadership are provided.

Originality/value

This study contributes uniquely to the literature by exploring the perspectives of understudied women leaders who identify as African American, South-Asian and Latina on spirituality and empowerment and their impact on their leadership.

Citation

Sengupta, A., Follmer, K. and Louis, D. (2024), "Leadership, spirituality and empowerment: examining the experiences of women of color in fortune 500 companies", Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/EDI-11-2023-0380