Practical application of spiritual intelligence in the workplace

Purpose – To explain why spiritual intelligence can make a difference to the way in which people manage work and lead others in the workplace. Design/methodology/approach – Contends that, while many people think there is nothing spiritual about work and the workplace, there are many areas of working life in which spiritual intelligence can be applied. Findings – Highlights the importance of spiritual intelligence in: personal security and how that affects personal effectiveness; building relationships and inter‐personal understanding; and managing change and removing the roadblocks. Practical implications – Provides plenty to interest specialists in human resource management. Originality/value – Demonstrates that, while rational intelligence manages facts and information, using logic and analysis to make decisions, emotional intelligence is needed to understand and control one's emotions and feelings, while being sensitive to the feelings of others.