Leading a scientific group while holding a transpersonal perspective
Consciousness, Spirituality & Transpersonal Psychology December 17, 2024 Tamara Đurović
Scientific leaders who hold a transpersonal perspective—embracing post-materialist, spiritual, or contemplative views—approach leadership with distinct values and practices. Based on interviews with six such leaders, six themes emerged: they never aspired to leadership nor identify as leaders; prioritize caring relationships; select team members for personality traits over intellectual capacity; ensure wellbeing of both individuals and the collective; face ego-driven dynamics that undermine spiritual aspects in academia; and engage in spiritual practice that positively affects leadership. Transpersonal inspiration guided their values, attitudes, and practices. The findings aim to fill a gap in literature and enable future comparisons with mainstream scientific leadership.