The Effect of Emotionally Intelligent Leadership Behavior on Emergency Staff Nurses’ Workplace Empowerment and Organizational Commitment

Authors

Carol Young-Ritchie, London Health Sciences Centre, London, Canada
Heather K. Spence Laschinger, University of Western OntarioFollow
Carol Wong, University of Western OntarioFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2009

Journal

Nursing Leadership

Volume

22

Issue

1

First Page

70

Last Page

85

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to test a model exploring the relationships among emotionally intelligent leadership behaviour, workplace empowerment and commitment. A predictive, non-experimental design was used to test the model in a random sample of 300 emergency staff nurses working in Ontario. A path analysis supported the fully mediated hypothesized model (χ2=2.3, df=1, p > .05; CFI=.99, IFI=.99, RMSEA=.08). Perceived emotionally intelligent leadership behaviour had a strong direct effect on structural empowerment (β=.54), which in turn had a strong direct effect on organizational commitment (β=.61).