Structural-dynamic features of emotional intelligence of it organizations’ leaders in the context of digital transformation

Abstract

Objective – to theoretically substantiate and empirically investigate the influence of emotional intelligence on the managerial effectiveness of IT organization leaders under the conditions of digital transformation, hybrid employment, and technostress. Relevance of the study is driven by the rapid spread of remote and hybrid work formats in the IT sector, which are accompanied by increased psycho emotional load on employees and managers, growing risks of professional burnout, and decreased team cohesion. In an environment where technical competencies become basic, soft skills, particularly emotional intelligence, come to the forefront, ensuring adaptability, stress resistance, and the ability to communicate effectively in a digital environment. Despite the acknowledged importance of emotional intelligence in management, there is a lack of comprehensive empirical research devoted to its role specifically in IT management, taking into account the specifics of hybrid work and technostress. Scientific novelty lies in the development and empirical verification of a five-component model of emotional intelligence for IT organization leaders, adapted to the conditions of the digital work environment; in identifying specific profiles of emotional intelligence depending on management experience and age; and in quantitatively determining the contribution of individual components of emotional intelligence (empathy and social skills) to predicting managerial effectiveness. The study was conducted on a sample of 85 IT organization leaders (mean age 34.2 years, management experience 6.8 years). A set of psychodiagnostic tools was used: N. Hall’s Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire, the short version of R. Bar-On’s EQ-i 2.0, the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire MLQ-5X (to assess leadership effectiveness by indicators of staff motivation, conflict management, psychological safety, and burnout reduction), and E. Edmondson’s Psychological Safety Scale. Statistical data processing was carried out using correlation analysis (Pearson’s coefficient), regression analysis, and Student’s t-test. The overall level of emotional intelligence of the surveyed leaders is predominantly average (M = 72.4 points, SD = 11.8). The most developed components were self-awareness (M = 78.6) and motivation (M = 76.3), while the least developed were empathy (M = 65.4) and social skills (M = 67.1), indicating a pronounced “technocratic” management profile. Correlation analysis revealed a statistically significant positive relationship between the overall level of emotional intelligence and leadership effectiveness (r = 0.62; p ≤ 0.01). The regression model showed that emotional intelligence explains up to 38 % of the variance in managerial effectiveness (R2 = 0.38; p ≤ 0.001), with the strongest predictors being empathy (β = 0.45) and social skills (β = 0.41). Using Student’s t-test, statistically significant differences in the components of emotional intelligence depending on management experience and age were found (p ≤ 0.05): more experienced leaders (over 10 years of experience) demonstrated higher levels of self-regulation and empathy compared to younger managers. The obtained results allow identifying key problem areas of emotional intelligence among IT leaders (deficit of empathy in hybrid work, insufficient self-regulation in stressful situations related to technostress) and substantiate the need for targeted correctional and developmental programs to improve managerial effectiveness. Practical significance of the work lies in the possibility of using the obtained data for professional selection, evaluation, and professional development of managerial personnel in IT companies, as well as for the prevention of professional burnout in IT teams through the implementation of emotional competence training.