The relationship between emotional intelligence and transformational leadership in project management: A quantitative study

Project managers with transformational leadership skills manage complex and dynamic projects effectively when they possess hard technical as well as emotional intelligence (EQ) skills. Although the techniques of improving emotional intelligence are well documented, a gap exists in the literature regarding the relationship between emotional intelligence and transformational leadership skills. A large number of projects fail due to lack of communication and leadership style. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between emotional intelligence skills and leadership behaviors using input from 578 project management professionals. The method of inquiry was quantitative research using an electronic survey consisting of a general questionnaire to gather demographic data, the Bar-On EQ-I, and the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire to gather emotional intelligence and leadership skill profiles. Stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that eight of the 15 EQ skills were found to explain a significant proportion of variance in transformational leadership behaviors (R2 = .34, F (8, 568) = 36.28, p < .05). The result of the correlation coefficient showed that total emotional intelligence accounts for 44% of the change in transformational leadership behaviors. The study findings indicate that developing these eight emotional intelligence components in project managers provides a basis for cumulative, long-term benefits to organizations in managing their projects. The study contributes toward positive social change in the project management community by introducing a new paradigm highlighting how soft or interpersonal skills of project managers play key roles in project success, besides the traditional Project Management Institute's triple constraints of cost, schedule, and quality.