Toward an integrated model of leadership styles contributing to thriving at work

This study proposes an integrated model of leadership affecting thriving at work, in the Youth and Sports General Directorate of Fars Province, Iran. Primarily through a systematic review, the indicators of leadership styles and thriving at work were identified. Following that, the study pursued four phases; in phase1 the best–worst method was used to determine the importance of thriving at work indicators. In phase2, based on the finding of phase1, the most effective leadership indicators affecting thriving at work were decided through the multi-Moora method. In phase3, the selected leadership styles indicators were structured through ISM. Finally, in phase4 the findings of phases2–3 were verified and the causal relationships between them were examined. The results revealed that, to employ thriving employees, the Youth and Sports General Directorate had to rely on the selected indicators of transformational leadership, customer service leadership, level5 leadership, transactional leadership, sustainable leadership, and servant leadership. These observations clarified that the final model constructed for a leadership style contributing to thriving at work would have to be composed of several other styles including transformational leadership, empowering leadership, customer service leadership, level 5 leadership, transactional leadership, sustainable leadership, and servant leadership. Considering the relationships among the 14 indicators, it should be noted that the YSGD, to have thriving employees, must first and foremost enhance “the leader’s trustworthiness”.