Authentic Leadership, Emotional Intelligence, Work Motivation, and Organizational Citizenship Behavior in Defense Bureaucracy

Abstract

Background: Organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) is important in public-sector organizations where employees frequently perform discretionary, extra-role actions beyond formal duties. In command-oriented bureaucracy, the mechanisms linking authentic leadership and emotional intelligence to OCB through work motivation remain insufficiently examined. Objective: This study tests the direct relationships of authentic leadership and emotional intelligence with OCB and work motivation, examines work motivation as an indirect pathway, and explains these patterns among civil servants at the Secretariat General of the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Indonesia. Methods: An explanatory sequential mixed-methods design was used. The quantitative phase analyzed questionnaire data from 241 civil servants drawn from a population of 608 using structural equation modeling (SEM), followed by in-depth interviews with five informants to explain the quantitative patterns. Results: Authentic leadership, emotional intelligence, and work motivation were positively associated with OCB (β = 0.229, 0.325, and 0.354, respectively; p < 0.001). Authentic leadership and emotional intelligence were also positively associated with work motivation (β = 0.390 and 0.344; p < 0.001). The reported coefficients are consistent with indirect pathways through work motivation, while qualitative findings highlighted relational transparency, emotional self-management, coworker-related motivation, and punctuality as salient dimensions. Conclusion: OCB in this defense bureaucracy is best understood through the combined roles of leadership authenticity, emotional capability, and employee motivation. The findings support integrated leadership, emotional-management, and motivational practices, while formal indirect-effect testing should be reported to establish mediation conclusively.