Towards emotional leadership in a military context

Abstract

In operational environments marked by uncertainty and pressure, leaders’ ability to mobilise emotional resources has proven to be an essential pillar for ensuring efficiency and cohesion within organizations. The military context doesn’t represent an exception, as the success of military operations depends largely on the effective management of psychological dynamics within the military community. This article draws upon a range of leadership theories, with particular emphasis on emerging approaches. The empirical investigation, conducted on a sample of military officers, adopts a methodological triangulation combining documentary analysis, semi-structured interviews, and the application of the weighted voting method. This methodological approach enables the assessment of the importance of emotional competencies in leadership practice. The study further identifies the main characteristics forging the current conception of military leadership, highlighting the growing prominence of the emotional dimension. The results therefore invite military leaders to strengthen the development of such competencies in order to enhance human capital and, consequently, improve organizational performance.