Spiritual leadership and adaptive performance among health workers: the roles of optimism and trust

Abstract

PURPOSE: This study examines how leaders could use spiritual values to influence the adaptive performance of health workers to deliver quality care to patients through the mediation and moderation effects of optimism and trust, respectively. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: We employed a quantitative approach to collect data from 356 health workers and used the partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS -SEM) technique to test the hypotheses in the study. FINDINGS: The study found that health leaders' application of spiritual values positively influenced the adaptive performance of health workers in delivering quality patient care. Moreover, health workers' optimism was identified as a mediating variable in the relationship between spiritual leadership and adaptive performance, indicating that optimistic attitudes partially explain how spiritual leadership translates into improved adaptability. While trust among health workers was positively associated with their adaptive performance, it did not moderate the relationship between spiritual leadership and adaptive performance. This suggests that although trust is important for performance, it does not strengthen the influence of spiritual leadership on adaptability. ORIGINALITY/VALUE: This study offers new insights into the mechanisms and boundary conditions through which health leaders can leverage spirituality to enhance health workers' performance in delivering quality healthcare. By examining the sequential roles of optimism (as a mediator) and trust (as a moderator), the study integrates elements of positive psychology into the framework of spiritual leadership theory. This approach deepens our understanding of how intervening personality traits can shape the relationship between leadership styles and employee performance, thereby highlighting the psychological pathways that support improved outcomes in healthcare settings.