Rosenzweig, M. (2023). Beyond IQ & EQ: How transpersonal coaches can help business leaders develop spiritual intelligence (SQ) [Unpublished Master’s thesis]. Alef Trust & Liverpool John Moores University.

Purpose: Interest in the intersection of leadership and spirituality is growing. Whilst scholarly literature in this field has primarily focussed on ‘what’ business leaders can do to practically apply spirituality at work using spiritual intelligence (SQ), little research exists on ‘how’ leaders can be supported in their development of SQ through tailored coaching initiatives, such as transpersonal coaching (TPC). The purpose of this paper is to explore how transpersonal coaches can effectively help business leaders in their development of SQ. Design/methodology/approach: Spirituality, intelligence, SQ, and transpersonal coaching are discussed in the context of contemporary leadership development. Qualitative, semi-structured interviews with eight transpersonal coaches were conducted and analysed using grounded theory methodology. Findings: Different cognitive, emotional, and spiritual/experiential strategies are proposed which coaches can draw on to help leaders develop SQ and, as a result, inspire a transpersonal mindset shift, greater emotional integration, and more resourceful behaviour among executives. Originality/value: This study provides coaches, consultants, business leaders, and those charged with executive education with a foundational understanding of the role and development process of SQ for effectively leading oneself, others, and business through complex and uncertain times. A conceptual framework of the SQ development process is provided.