The Impact of Strength-Based Leadership (SBL) and Emotional Intelligence (EI) on Employee Performance (EP): Evidence on Kuwait's Oil & Gas Sector.

This dissertation sought to investigate the contribution of strength-based leadership on the relationship between Employee Performance (EP) and Emotional Intelligence (EI) in Kuwait's oil and gas sector. Throughout this research, the influence of emotional intelligence on employee performance was investigated, examining all five elements of EI (self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, social skills). The research aimed to examine to what extent the leaders applied the key aspects of strength-based leadership in managing their relationship with employees in the most important oil and gas industry in Kuwait. To bridge the gap in the literature, the research examined how work approaches in SBL functioned, leveraged the employees' strengths, and contributed to the 4 dimensions of EP (innovativeness, productivity, commitment, and engagement) within the workplace using readily available research cases that entailed EI and Employee Performance EP to simplify the research. Quantitative research was conducted on the data obtained from surveys that were conducted with 75 participants in the industry. Further, the study explored the possibilities of SBL as an intermediary or mediator of the EI-EP relationship. Findings indicated that SBL influenced the EI- EP relationship via mediation process. These findings indicate that EI enables strengthening EP through the establishment of strength-based leadership practices. Consequently, the current study recommends the inclusion of EI and SBL training in leadership development programs to enhance employee performance. Organizations can improve employee productivity and job engagement through emotionally intelligent, strengths-based leaders. Nevertheless, further study using a larger or more heterogeneous sample and a cross-sectional design would, therefore, be useful in verifying the results.