Leading like the Prophet: American Muslim Millennials Finding Purpose at Work

Abstract

This qualitative research study aims to understand the spiritual motivations for leadership among American Muslim millennial organizational leaders. There has been limited research into the role of leadership development and the intrinsic motivation of young American Muslim professionals. The theoretical framework of this study aligns with Fry’s (2003) spiritual leadership theory. Spiritual leadership theory invites people to find intrinsic motivation in their values, beliefs, and visions while being inclusive of other motivational theories in the workplace. Fry (2003) developed a model of spiritual leadership that recognized one’s spirituality as a crucial motivating factor that can lead to better organizational outcomes, such as employee motivation, reduced turnover, and increased productivity (Fry, 2003). This study takes a descriptive approach to researching these practices. Descriptive methods focus on the lived experience and wisdom of human beings; they provide insight into the perspectives of participants (McCabe, 2020). This study found that leadership in Muslim Student Associations (MSAs), role models, and spiritual practices all motivate participants. The MSA provides an opportunity to find one’s spiritual purpose and to develop leadership skills by serving on the board or various committees. Role models provide context for young leaders to incorporate spiritual purpose into their leadership roles. Moreover, spiritual practices motivate by helping young leaders seek God’s assistance in decision-making to overcome stressful situations. This study contributes to leadership and motivation by showing how qualitative data from young Muslim leaders correlates to theories on spiritual leadership and millennial leadership development. It also validates the impact of Muslim Student Associations on college campuses in building organizational leaders.