Emotional intelligence and leadership styles of nurse managers in Ha’il, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

This study explores the link between emotional intelligence (EI) and leadership styles among nurse managers working in government hospitals in Ha’il, Saudi Arabia. Using a descriptive-correlational design, data were collected from 154 nurse managers through a validated 52-item questionnaire that assessed EI and six leadership styles: transformational, democratic, autocratic, transactional, laissez-faire, and strategic. The findings showed that nurse managers had moderate levels of EI. Among the leadership styles, transformational leadership was used most often, while laissez-faire was least common. EI was moderately and positively correlated with strategic leadership (r = 0.51) and showed weak positive correlations with democratic, autocratic, transactional, and laissez-faire styles. However, there was no significant correlation between EI and transformational leadership (r = 0.19, p = 0.18). Linear regression analysis indicated that EI significantly predicted democratic, autocratic, transactional, laissez-faire, and strategic leadership styles, with the strongest predictive value for strategic leadership (R2 = 0.28). These results challenge the traditional belief that EI is closely associated with transformational leadership. Instead, they suggest that EI’s influence on leadership may depend on specific contexts. The study highlights the important but complex role of EI in shaping nurse managers’ leadership approaches. To develop effective and adaptable nurse leaders for today’s healthcare environment, leadership programs should focus on enhancing EI alongside organizational support.