Dr. Srećko Koralija o.p. presented at the 9th Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Leadership Symposium

12 may 2026

From 6 to 9 May 2026, the 9th Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Leadership Symposium was held in Chania, Crete (Greece). The symposium focused on the overarching theme of Leadership, Human Flourishing, and Wellbeing. The keynote speakers were: Dr. Gretchen Spreitzer, Professor of Management and Organizations, University of Michigan; Dr. Paul Frijters, Professor of Wellbeing Economics, London School of Economics and Political Science; and Dr. John Antonakis, Professor of Organizational Behavior, University of Lausanne.

Dr. Srećko Koralija o.p., Director of the DRI and Scientific Coordinator of LIRP, presented the paper “AI, Ethical Burden, and the Lonely Leader: Implications for Human Flourishing at Work” which is the result of ongoing research, with his co-authors Dr. Lisa J. Knowles (Cyberminds Research Institute) and Dr. John D. Rudnick (Thomas More University). 

This theoretical paper examines leadership loneliness as a critical dimension of workplace wellbeing in AI-augmented environments. It demonstrates that leadership loneliness is a distinct phenomenon that directly affects leaders’ capacity to flourish at work. Drawing on the BANI framework (Brittle, Anxious, Nonlinear, and Incomprehensible) and the VUCA framework (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous), their paper discusses how AI influences leadership decision-making and the selection of various leadership styles across pre-crisis, crisis, and post-crisis phases.

The study employs theoretical synthesis and qualitative modeling and makes three contributions. First, it expands the understanding of loneliness by examining its emotional, physical, collective, and existential dimensions, and identifies leadership loneliness as a distinct form of loneliness intensified by AI integration into decision-making processes. Second, it highlights the importance of cultural, ethical, and contextual factors in AI adoption, particularly the risks associated with bias, erosion of trust, and the digital divide. Third, it demonstrates how leadership models can guide AI integration during critical phases to enhance decision-making while balancing ethical considerations, emotional intelligence, and innovation.Taken together, these contributions position leadership loneliness as a critical yet often overlooked determinant of human flourishing in AI-augmented workplaces. The paper applies the Lean Six Sigma Breakthrough Equation (y=f (x) + ε) to model the Human Flourishing Indicator.