Empathy and Leadership Styles of District Administrators in Cambodia: Differences in Perception

Ordomnarith Phang (Ph.D. Candidate, Graduate School, Preah Sihamoniraja Buddhist University, Phnom Penh,)
Sarom Mok (Ph.D., Professor and Dean, Graduate School, Preah Sihamoniraja Buddhist University, Phnom Penh)
Meanheang Hor (Ph.D., Professor, and Main Advisor, Ministry of Labor and Vocational Training, Phnom Penh)
Somuny Som (Ph.D., Academiccian, Royal Academic of Cambodia, Phnom Penh)

Cakrawala Repositori Imwi
490-500

This research sought to determine the relationship between empathy and the leadership styles of District Administrators in Cambodia. Empathy is a multifaceted construct involving both emotional and cognitive responses that influence how individuals perceive and respond to others. The Empathy Quotient (EQ) scale measured the empathy levels of District Administrators in Cambodia based on this multidimensional understanding of empathy. The Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ-5X) was used to measure transformational, transactional, and passive/avoidant leadership behaviors among District Administrators in Cambodia. To examine the relationship between empathy as the independent variable and leadership style as the dependent variable, multivariate statistical analyses were conducted. The findings were context-specific and should be interpreted within the characteristics of the sample; however, they provided preliminary evidence warranting further investigation with larger populations. The observed relationship between transformational leadership effectiveness and the importance of empathy in administrative leadership suggests a potential theoretical linkage between these constructs. The results indicated that, within the examined sample, empathy was associated with transformational leadership, particularly the dimensions of intellectual stimulation and inspirational motivation, as well as with laissez-faire leadership. The practical implications of this research for public administration are significant. If future studies confirm these findings and demonstrate consistent associations between specific empathy subscales and leadership styles among District Administrators, professional development programs can be designed more strategically to address administrators’ specific needs rather than relying solely on generic training approaches. Beyond strengthening the understanding of the relationship between empathy and leadership, this empirical analysis provides a foundation for improving the selection, training, and support of administrative leaders.