Who We Become Under Transformational Leaders: Self-Expansion to Karma-Yoga

This study examines how transformational leadership fosters Karma-Yoga a spiritual work orientation rooted in the Bhagavad Gita’s nishkama karma (duty without attachment to outcomes) through the psychological mechanism of self-expansion. Self-expansion is the process by which followers internalize leaders’ values and broaden their self-concept to include collective purpose and ethical responsibility. Using survey data from 342 employees in an Indian R&D organization, PLS - SEM shows that self-expansion mediates the link between transformational leadership and Karma-Yoga. Findings highlight an identity-based pathway whereby leaders not only enhance performance but also cultivate followers’ moral and spiritual orientation toward duty, service, and integrity.The study contributes in three ways. Theoretically, it integrates self-expansion theory with indigenous spiritual constructs, showing how leadership fosters moral interiority rather than compliance. Empirically, it validates Karma-Yoga as a distinct outcome of leadership influence. Practically, it underscores leaders’ role in nurturing ethical-spiritual cultures where employees embody integrity and accountability.