THE IMPACT OF LEADERS’ EDIFYING ACTIONS ON DAILY ORGANIZATIONAL CLIMATE TO SHAPE HIGH-PERFORMANCE, WELL-BEING, AND CONNECTION

This qualitative positive outlier study examined how leaders’ daily edifying actions shape organizational climate in ways that sustain high performance, protect well-being, and strengthen connection. The study focused on leaders of teams with clear performance expectations, shared accountability, and sustained pressure. Edifying leadership was defined as observable and repeated leadership action that raises standards while strengthening trust, confidence, and individual or collective capacity. The study was grounded in organizational climate, climate strength, psychological safety, and recovery research and explored how performance, well-being, and connection operate as integrated climate conditions rather than separate priorities. Semi-structured, behavior-focused interviews were conducted with 19 leaders across athletics, education, nonprofit, healthcare, and business. Reflexive thematic analysis identified routines through which leaders clarified expectations, reinforced accountability, protected energy, built trust, invited voice, and recalibrated climate when drift appeared. The findings informed the Edifying Leadership Climate (ELC) framework, a practical model that connects climate theory to daily leadership behavior. The framework is intended to help leaders build climates where high performance, connection, and well-being are developed together. Keywords: organizational climate, edifying leadership, high performance, well-being, connection, leadership development, climate strength, Edifying Leadership Climate