Effect of Emotional Intelligence-Based Leadership Traits on Employee Motivation in the Nepalese Higher Educational Institutions

Abstract

This paper analyzes the effect of leaders’ traits based on emotional intelligence leadership framework of Goleman on employee motivation in Nepalese higher educational institutions. The study focuses on four key leadership traits of emotional intelligence; self-awareness, self-regulation, empathy, and social skills in concern to employee motivation. Data were collected through questionnaire survey from a sample of 223 teaching and non-teaching employees of higher educational institutions of Lalitpur and Kathmandu districts. The employs descriptive and casual comparative research designs and using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis and regression analysis techniques. The findings from correlation analysis indicate that all four emotional intelligence traits are positively and significantly associated with employee motivation. The regression results revel three traits social skills, empathy and self-awareness effect employee motivation positively and significantly, however self-regulation failed to predict employee motivation significantly. Among four examined leadership traits, social skills have emerged as the strongest influencer of employee motivation. The empirical findings of the study has indicated that traits of emotional intelligence leadership are effective for enhancement of organizational effective as these foster motivated workforce in higher educational institutions. These findings provide valuable insights in enhancing leadership competencies and maintaining productive human resources in higher education sector.