In contemporary organizational environments, leadership style plays a critical role in shaping employee well-being and performance. Narcissistic leaders often exhibit manipulative, self-centered, and emotionally detached behaviors, which can contribute to a toxic work atmosphere and lead to heightened stress and burnout among employees. This study investigates the relationship between narcissistic leadership and employee burnout, focusing specifically on the banking sector. Through the lens of workplace resilience, the research explores how emotional intelligence mediates this relationship among bank employees. A quantitative approach was used, collecting data from employees through structured surveys measuring perceived narcissism in leadership, levels of burnout, emotional intelligence, and resilience. We observed a significant positive correlation between narcissistic leadership and employee burnout. However, emotional intelligence was found to play a mediating role, helping individuals better manage the emotional toll of difficult leadership dynamics. Moreover, workplace resilience emerged as a buffering factor, reducing the intensity of burnout symptoms. The findings underscore the importance of fostering emotional intelligence and resilience in employees as protective mechanisms against toxic leadership styles. Organizations are encouraged to invest in leadership development and emotional competency training to create healthier and more sustainable work environments.
- Open Access
- Article
The Impact of Narcissistic Leadership on Employee Burnout: The Mediating Role of Emotional Intelligence in Workplace Resilience in the Banking Sector
- Maya Daniel Alhallak,
- Dania Abdullatif Chaban,
- Ahmad Warrak *
Author Information
Received: 08 Dec 2025 | Revised: 10 Apr 2026 | Accepted: 23 Apr 2026 | Published: 10 Jun 2026
Abstract
Graphical Abstract
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