Leadership and Citizenship Behavior in Malaysia

This study examines the effect of leadership styles—autocratic, democratic, and transformational—on organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) and the moderating role of leaders' emotional intelligence (EI) in the Malaysian corporate context. Grounded in Path-Goal Theory and the Theory of Planned Behavior, data were collected via an online questionnaire from employees in SMEs, MNCs, and GLCs using simple random sampling. Instruments included the MLQ-5X, Groves EI Scale, and a standardized OCB measure. Findings revealed that none of the leadership styles significantly affected OCB, nor did EI moderate this relationship. However, a strong direct relationship was found between EI and OCB, suggesting that individuals with high EI tend to demonstrate higher OCB regardless of leadership style. These findings highlight the importance of integrating EI development into leadership training initiatives.