The Role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Emotional Intelligence in Enhancing Leadership Effectiveness and Team Performance

Abstract

In the rapidly evolving digital work environment, leadership effectiveness increasingly depends on the ability to integrate advanced technologies with human-centric skills. This study examines the joint role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Emotional Intelligence (EI) in enhancing leadership effectiveness and team performance. The primary purpose of the study is to explore how AI-driven tools and emotionally intelligent leadership behaviors collectively influence decision-making quality, interpersonal relationships, and overall team outcomes. The research adopts a mixed-method approach, combining conceptual analysis with a survey-based quantitative study of managers and team leaders across selected organizations. Statistical techniques such as correlation and regression analysis are used to assess the relationships among AI adoption, emotional intelligence, leadership effectiveness, and team performance. The findings reveal that AI significantly enhances data-driven decision-making, operational efficiency, and performance monitoring, while emotional intelligence plays a critical role in building trust, empathy, motivation, and effective communication within teams. More importantly, the integration of AI capabilities with high emotional intelligence enables leaders to become more adaptive, empathetic, and responsive to complex organizational challenges. The study concludes that a balanced and ethical use of AI, complemented by strong emotional intelligence, leads to improved organizational outcomes, sustainable leadership practices, and high-performing teams. The findings offer valuable insights for organizations seeking to develop future-ready leaders in AI-enabled workplaces.