I feel that the spiritual influences on personality are the most imperative aspects. Spirituality, for me, is a practice to connect with the inner self and create a meaning in the life. It is still a neglected aspect of personality development (PD); the awareness, nonetheless is growing courtesy to the mushrooming art of living programs and meditation centers.
The importance of the spiritual development of personality is necessitated by the mounting work pressure, interpersonal conflicts, deterioration in the relationship, and increased stress levels. Researchers have affirmed that the spiritual development facilitates a holistic development of the personality thereby nurturing the identities of individuals in personal and professional responsibilities. Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs theory, one of the most preferred theories of motivation, is also a pointer to the importance of PD in a spiritual sense. Self-actualization( e.g. personal growth and fulfillment) that he has talked about whiffs that people ultimately lend themselves towards the spiritual development to understand the "inner self."
Furthermore, spiritual control on personality facilitates strength and zeal in an individual that is further reflected in his/her actions. By making a person responsive to multiple perspectives and opinions, spirituality pops up creative thinking and multi-dimensional approach at the workplace. One's tryst with the "inner self" makes an individual a good team player. As present-day organizations are in the dire need of team leaders who can take multiple opinions on board to implement the most constructive ones, spiritual development paves the way for the professional excellence of individuals.
Last but not the least, researchers aver that spiritual inclination helps people to manage the stress in constructive ways. They become attuned to maintaining the balance between different aspects of their lives that help them to stay calm and compose in adverse conditions.
References
Maslow, A. (1943). A Theory of Human Motivation. Psychological Review , 370-96.
Tisdell, E. (2003). Exploring Spirituality and Culture in Adult and Higher Education. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
