The Effect of Emotional Intelligence on Transformational Leadership Styles of INGO Leaders in Ethiopia

Abstract

The world is passing through tough times with unprecedented challenges due to a lack of competent leadership that is mainly caused by the poor emotional intelligence of leaders. Evidence from previous research studies has indicated that emotional intelligence (EI) is a strong predictor of leader success. The focus of this study is to examine the effect of emotional intelligence on transformational leadership style and other leadership styles. Additionally, the association between emotional intelligence and gender was examined. The data were collected from a sample of 71 INGO leaders in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia employing simple random sampling. The standardised multifactor leadership questionnaire and emotional intelligence questionnaire were used to collect the data from the respondents. Multiple Regression analysis was conducted to determine the effect of Emotional Intelligence on Leadership Practices and the results indicated that emotional intelligence has a positive and significant effect on Transformational Leadership. Females tended to be more emotionally intelligent than males. The study concluded that leadership styles tend to be influenced by emotional intelligence. The evidence presented in the study underlines the necessity of capitalizing on emotional intelligence to promote transformational leadership in various organizations.