Leadership’s Search for Meaning: Empirical Evidence on Resonant Leadership and Organizational Commitment
Abstract
This study approaches the search for meaning in leadership through the holistic subdimensions of resonant leadership: compassion, mindfulness, and hope. It evaluates the interaction of the two constructs from a multidimensional perspective by examining organizational commitment with its subdimensions of affective, continuance, and normative commitment. The population of this study, which is a quantitative research design, consists of employees working in private-sector organizations in the Marmara Region. In the study, convenience sampling was preferred, and employees from different sectors were reached via face-to-face and online methods using a questionnaire. Analyses were conducted on a complete and valid data set obtained from 405 voluntary business employees. The study reveals that resonant leadership significantly affects all subdimensions of organizational commitment, particularly affective commitment. The findings offer an original perspective by considering the holistic functions of compassion, hope, and mindfulness as components of leadership, not only as human emotions but also as strategic elements that influence the psychological dynamics of organizations. This holistic approach, which integrates fields such as management psychology, human resource management, organizational psychology, and organizational behavior, has important implications for enhancing employees’ psychological experiences within organizations.