Emotional Intelligence and Crisis Decision-Making Outcome in Public Leadership: An Examination into Mediation, Communication Quality and Team Coordination in Nigeria

Public leadership in many developing democracies continues to face significant challenges in managing crises effectively, often resulting in poor decision-making outcomes. Despite the growing complexity of modern governance, many public leaders still rely on conventional leadership approaches that do not adequately account for emotional, communicative, and coordination-related dynamics during crisis situations. This study examined the relationship between emotional intelligence and crisis decision-making outcome in public leadership: An examination into mediation, communication quality and team coordination in Nigeria. Specifically, the study sought to; examine the influence of emotional intelligence on communication quality in public leadership during crises in Nigeria; and analyze the effect of emotional intelligence on team coordination in crisis situations in Nigeria. The study anchored on Emotional Intelligence Theory and Contingency Theory of Leadership. Employing a historical descriptive research design and relying on secondary data sources, the finding revealed that emotional intelligence enhances communication quality through improved clarity, emotional control, empathy, reduction of misunderstandings, and effective feedback mechanisms. Also, emotional intelligence was found to strengthen team coordination by promoting team cohesion, effective conflict management, clear role definition, and trust among team members, and adaptability in crisis response situations. The study recommended amongst others that; Public institutions should implement structured training programs that focus on emotional awareness, active listening, stress management, and adaptive communication skills. This will help public leaders communicate more effectively, reduce misunderstandings, and improve stakeholder engagement during emergencies.