Leadership Emotional Intelligence and Organizational Performance: The Mediating Role of Workplace Relationships and the Moderating Role of Leader Personality

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dc.contributor.advisorLakew Alemu
dc.contributor.authorEmmanuel Moges
dc.date.accessioned2026-10-14T05:48:50Z
dc.date.available2026-10-14T05:48:50Z
dc.date.issued2026-02-01
dc.description.abstractIn this study, the researcher examined how workplace relational quality (the quality of an employee's relationship with their manager; leader-member exchange or LMX) mediated the association between leadership emotional intelligence (EI) and organizational performance. We also looked at how individual differences in managers' personality traits (i.e., the "Big Five") would moderate the association between leadership EI and organizational performance. A theoretically grounded and empirically tested moderated mediation model was constructed based upon social exchange theory and the theory of LMX. A sample of 400 employees from 3 large private companies in Ethiopia provided data for the study. These companies included Get-As International PLC, Dugda Construction PLC, and Habesha Cement Share Company (S.C.) (hereafter referred to as "the companies"). Leadership EI was measured by use of Wong & Law's Emotional Intelligence Scale (WLEIS); workplace relationship quality (LMX) was measured using the LMX-7; organizational performance was measured using a balanced scorecard adapted to local conditions; and personality was measured by use of the Big Five Inventory - Ten Item Version (BFI-10). Our results indicate that EI has a significant effect on both LMX and organizational performance. That is, H₁ indicated that EI had a positive effect on organizational performance (β = .502, p < .001). Also, H₂ indicated that EI had a positive effect on LMX (β = .829, p < .001). Finally, our results demonstrated a significant and positive correlation between LMX and organizational performance (H₃: r = .433, p < .001). The mediation hypothesis (H₄) could not be supported due to high multicollinearity between EI and LMX (r = .829). Finally, among the Big Five personality traits, only Openness to Experience moderated the EI – performance relationship (H₅e: β = −2.685, p = .039). Overall, these findings support the idea that EI is strategically important for developing effective management teams within the Ethiopian private sector.
dc.identifier.urihttps://etd.aau.edu.et/handle/123456789/9138
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherAddis Ababa University
dc.subjectemotional intelligence
dc.subjectleader-member exchange
dc.subjectorganizational performance
dc.subjectBig Five personality
dc.subjectmoderation
dc.subjectmediation
dc.subjectEthiopia
dc.subjectprivate sector
dc.titleLeadership Emotional Intelligence and Organizational Performance: The Mediating Role of Workplace Relationships and the Moderating Role of Leader Personality
dc.typeThesis

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