A bitter pill to swallow: the model of despotic leadership, bullying behavior, emotional intelligence and well-being

What is it about?

Purpose - This study investigates how despotic leadership affects employee wellbeing through bullying behavior. The study further investigates emotional intelligence as a conditional variable on the association between bullying behavior and employee wellbeing. Design/methodology/approach - The data from 257 nurses and their immediate supervisors (dyads) were collected on convenience basis using a cross-sectional design. Further, structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data. Findings - The study noted that despotic leadership negatively affects employee wellbeing. Specifically, despotic leaders were noted to trigger employees’ bullying behavior that ultimately diminish their wellbeing. The study noted emotional intelligence as a conditional variable such that individuals with high emotional intelligence are more likely to buffer the negative association between bullying behavior and employee wellbeing. Research limitations/implications – This study highlights the importance of employee wellbeing and suggests the management focus on their leadership style. Further, the study suggests to HR practitioners the importance of personality traits (emotional intelligence) at the time of recruitment as it serves as a coping strategy to diminish employee wellbeing. Originality/value – Drawing upon the conservation of resources, this study shed light on the mediating role of bullying behavior between negative leadership (despotic) and wellbeing. In addition, emotional intelligence has not been examined as a conditional variable between bullying behavior and employee wellbeing.

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