A Scoping Review of the Benedictine Rule of Leadership: A Contemporary Analysis Based on Galbraith and Galbraith

Abstract

The focus of this review is The Benedictine Rule of Leadership, written by Galbraith & Galbraith (2004). It seeks to explore how a leadership framework dating back several centuries can remain relevant in present-day contexts. Based on the Rule of St. Benedict, the research highlights five central leadership principles: vision and purpose, empowerment and growth, culture and community, humility and integrity, and problem-solving and fairness. In a scoping literature review, thematic analysis was applied to academic sources found regarding the relationship between these principles and present-day ideas about leadership, such as servant leadership, ethical leadership, and authentic leadership. As shown by the findings, the Benedictine approach to leadership represents not only an interesting historical phenomenon but also a highly practical leadership ideology based on the interrelationship between ethics, personal integrity, and sustainable development. Although rooted in religion, this approach has universal applicability to various organizational settings where the establishment of trust, motivation, and stability is crucial. As can be seen, the relevance of this approach to modern organizational reality cannot be ignored, although there are potential limitations and challenges of applying Benedictine leadership in diverse, secular, or multicultural organizations.