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

Purpose This study aims to investigate how despotic leadership affects employee well-being through bullying behavior. The study further investigates emotional intelligence as a conditional variable on the association between bullying behavior and employee well-being. 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 well-being. Specifically, despotic leaders were noted to trigger employees’ bullying behavior that ultimately diminish their well-being. 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 well-being. Research limitations/implications This study highlights the importance of employee well-being and suggests the management focus on their leadership style. Further, the study suggests to Human Resource practitioners the importance of personality traits (emotional intelligence) at the time of recruitment, as it serves as a coping strategy to diminish employee well-being. Originality/value Drawing upon the conservation of resources, this study shed light on the mediating role of bullying behavior between negative leadership (despotic) and well-being. In addition, emotional intelligence has not been examined as a conditional variable between bullying behavior and employee well-being.