A qualitative study was conducted with organizational leaders based on their self descriptions in order to address these questions: How do organizational leaders experience spiritual intelligence? What is the content of their spiritual intelligence experiences? The study sought to ascertain whether spiritual intelligence functions in organizational leaders, how it functions, and to what extent it functions. Spiritual intelligence is used by organizational leaders to lead their organizations effectively, to enhance organizational productivity, and to influence the organizational culture.

Six organizational leaders ranging from 30-69 in ages, and between 2-12 years in leadership experience, who each oversee a minimum of five subordinates were interviewed using open-ended, face-to-face interviews that sought to ascertain the essences of their spiritual intelligence experiences. The data was analyzed using qualitative methodology and reported. The results demonstrated that each leader experiences spiritual intelligence differently, and that the content of each leader's experience—as it is reflected in the essential themes—also differs. The results also demonstrated that (a) spiritual intelligence functions in the day-to-day responsibilities of organizational leaders; (b) spiritual intelligence functions differently for each leader; and (c) spiritual intelligence plays a prominent role in the leadership practices of spiritually intelligent leaders.