THE EVALUATION OF LEADERSHIP STYLES ON EMPLOYEE INNOVATIVE WORK BEHAVIOUR OF PROJECT MANAGERS IN THE HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY: THE MEDIATING ROLE OF EMOTION INTELLIGENCE

Effective leadership plays a pivotal role within an organisation, as inadequate leadership can have adverse effects on both its financial performance and brand reputation. In response to a growing demand for enhanced leadership, this research delves into the impact of different leadership styles, including transformational, laissez-faire, and transactional, on the innovative work behaviour of employees within the healthcare sector of Pakistan. The study also explores how Emotional Intelligence (EI) acts as a mediating factor in this relationship. The research design adopted a cross-sectional approach, collecting data at a single point in time from 417 project managers and healthcare sector employees in Pakistan. The analysis employed Smart PLS 4 software which revealed a positive correlation between transformational leadership and Employee Innovative Work Behaviour (EIWB), while no significant relationships were observed with laissez-faire and transactional leadership styles. However, it is important to note that EI played an indirect but positive role in influencing EIWB.