Emotional intelligence, spiritual intelligence and intrinsic motivation as predictors of leadership effectiveness: the mediating role of organisational citizenship behaviour in Indian higher education institutions

Purpose The present manuscript examines the relationships among emotional intelligence (EI), spiritual intelligence (SI) and intrinsic motivation (IM) as antecedent constructs. It tests the role of organisational citizenship behaviour (OCB) as a possible mediating variable in the transformation of these psychological intelligences into efficacious academic leadership. The research has also examined the effects of these variables on the effectiveness of leadership at the faculty and academic leadership levels in north Indian higher education institutions (HEIs). Grounded in the frameworks of social exchange theory (SET) and self-determination theory (SDT), the authors intend to determine whether OCB is a behavioural conduit that enables the expression of various forms of psychological intelligence to translate into effective academic leadership. Design/methodology/approach To test the proposed hypotheses, an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design is employed. Phase 1 uses a structured survey administered to 493 faculty and academic leaders across 12 institutions in Haryana. The instrument contains five validated scales: WLEIS (EI), SISRI-24 (SI), WEIMS (IM), an adapted OCB scale and an adapted leadership practices inventory (LPI). Partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) based on SmartPLS 4.0 is used to quantify the data, with mediation analysed via bootstrapping (10,000 resamples). Phase 2 is semi-structured and consists of phenomenological interviews with 17 selected academic leaders, selected based on experience and position. NVivo14 enables the reflexive thematic analysis process, following the approach of Braun and Clarke (2021). Integration of qualitative and quantitative findings is achieved through a joint display with a thread strategy. Findings All six hypotheses get empirical support. EI, SI and IM predict OCB independently and significantly (R2 = 0.587). OCB is the most prominent predictor of leadership effectiveness (β(v) = 0.562, f2 = 0.389). Bootstrapped mediation analysis results show that OCB significantly mediates the relationship between EI and leadership effectiveness (indirect effect = 0.192, 95 % confidence interval (CI)**** = [0.133, 0.255]) and IM and leadership effectiveness (indirect effect = 0.154, 95% CI**** = [0.101, 0.209]). These quantitative pathways are corroborated by qualitative themes, namely, emotional attunement as leadership currency, meaning and transcendence, intrinsic drive as behavioural fuel and OCB as leadership visibility. Participants indicated that while OCB is not required, it is an expression of academic leaders' internal intelligence, enhancing credibility and fostering colleague support over time. Practical implications The study informs the design of Emotional Intelligence Development Programs (EIDPs), the development of meaning-making platforms to foster spiritual intelligence, and the development of autonomy-supportive governance structures to maintain intrinsic motivation among academic leaders. Furthermore, accreditation bodies like the National Assessment and Accreditation Council may formalise OCB as a momentum in academic performance metrics. Finally, leadership development programmes should use mixed-methods evaluation to capture both quantifiable outcomes and experiential aspects of leadership development. Originality/value The study makes three new and novel contributions. First, it integrates EI, SI and IM into a single explanatory model of leadership effectiveness. Second, it shifts the role of OCB from a dependent variable to a mediating variable and demonstrates how psychological intelligence manifests in material organisational behaviour. Third, this theoretical framework is situated within the specific cultural and institutional context of HEIs in India, thereby contributing to decolonised, contextualised leadership theories. The inclusion of culturally embedded ideas such as (action) seva (selfless service) and dharmic purpose clarifies previously unanticipated relationships between SI and OCB.