Transformational leadership and emotional intelligence: an exploratory study

TLDR

The study examined whether managers’ emotional intelligence predicts their use of transformational leadership. Managers self‑rated emotional intelligence and attributional style, while 187 subordinates rated their leaders’ transformational leadership. After adjusting for attributional style, higher emotional intelligence was linked to greater idealized influence, inspirational motivation, individualized consideration, and constructive transactions, but not to transactional leadership styles.

Abstract

Investigated whether emotional intelligence (EQ) is associated with the use of transformational leadership in 49 managers. Managers completed questionnaires assessing their own emotional intelligence and attributional style; their subordinates ( n = 187) provided ratings of their transformational leadership. Controlling for attributional style, multivariate analyses of covariance showed that three aspects of transformational leadership (i.e. idealized influence, inspirational motivation, and individualized consideration) and constructive transactions differed according to level of emotional intelligence. In contrast, no multivariate effects emerged for transactional leadership (i.e. laissez faire or management‐by‐exception). Some suggestions for future research are offered.