Spiritual Compass, Ethical Anchor: Redefining middle leadership in Malaysian education

Abstract

This research uses the Fuzzy Delphi Method to explore the spiritual and moral foundations of leadership among middle leaders in Malaysian schools. Seven experts evaluated four key concepts via questionnaire, revealing a high agreement level (96%), with Spiritual Growth and Self-Awareness deemed most important. The findings underscore the need to incorporate spiritual and ethical elements into leadership development programs. By integrating Al-Ghazali's concepts with contemporary leadership principles, the study enhances middle leadership development in Malaysia's educational system, supporting a comprehensive framework to improve leadership efficiency in academic institutions.