Emotional Intelligence and Transformational Leadership Effectiveness: An Empirical Study of Faculty Members in Private HEIs

Abstract

The present study examines the impact of emotional intelligence on transformational leadership effectiveness as perceived by faculty members working under academic leaders in Private Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in the National Capital Region (NCR), India. A descriptive research design was adopted, and primary data were collected from 380 faculty members selected through stratified random sampling using a structured Likert-scale questionnaire. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was employed to examine the proposed relationship between emotional intelligence and transformational leadership effectiveness. The findings revealed a statistically significant positive impact of emotional intelligence on transformational leadership effectiveness (χ² = 43.062, df = 9, p < 0.001), leading to the rejection of the null hypothesis. The results indicate that emotionally intelligent leaders are perceived to be more effective in motivating employees, fostering commitment, aligning individual and organizational goals, and creating a positive work environment. The study concludes that emotional intelligence is a significant predictor of transformational leadership effectiveness and highlights its importance in enhancing leadership effectiveness in private higher education institutions.