Pa ge 1 Pa ge 1 American Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Innovation (AJMRI) The Mediating Effect of Emotional Intelligence on the Relationship Between Authentic Leadership and Organizational Climate Among Public School Teachers Floramay G. Salip1*, Lyndon A. Quines1 Volume 2 Issue 4, Year 2023 ISSN: 2158-8155 (Online), 2832-4854 (Print) DOI: https://doi.org/10.54536/ajmri.v2i4.1730 https://journals.e-palli.com/home/index.php/ajmri Article Information ABSTRACT Received: May 25, 2023 Accepted: June 10, 2023 Published: June 22, 2023 This investigation is focused on the mediation effect of emotional intelligence on authentic leadership of school heads and organizational climate. This study covered the public schools in Magsaysay North and South Districts with 311 teacher respondents. This study used a descriptive correlation technique in a non-experimental design The statistical techniques employed were mean, Pearson r, and AMOS path analysis. Research instruments on emotional intelligence, authentic leadership of school heads, and organizational climate were examined and used as data sources. Findings indicated that the level of authentic leadership of school heads is high. Correspondingly, the level of organizational climate in the public schools of Magsaysay North and South Districts is described as high. Moreover, the level of emotional intelligence of school heads is described as very high. Subsequently, there is a significant relationship between the school heads’ authentic leadership and their emotional intelligence. There is a significant relationship between School Heads’ emotional intelligence and organizational climate. Distinctly, there is a significant relationship between School Heads’ authentic leadership and organizational climate. Conversely, the mediation effect of emotional intelligence on the relationship between authentic leadership and organizational climate was analyzed using path analysis. The data on the Path Analysis - paths authentic leadership (X), emotional intelligence (M), to organizational climate (Y); are both significant. The result of a full mediation analysis indicates that emotional intelligence fully mediates the relationship between authentic leadership and organizational climate. Keywords Educational Management, Mediating Effect, Emotional Intelligence, Authentic Leadership, Organizational Climate, Philippines INTRODUCTION The most pressing issue that currently hounds the school organization is the kind of leadership that the school head demonstrates among the internal and external stakeholders. In a gloomy school atmosphere of distrust permeating the school, there is growing anticipation that authentic school leadership can build a rich, engaging and productive learning environment. Accordingly, when authentic leadership is coupled with emotional intelligence, this enhances the teaching staff ’s productivity geared toward improved organizational climate (Kareem & Kin, 2019). The dilemma of facilitating leadership skills in the school organization is a perennial problem as this requires emotional intelligence involving a lot of prudence to stay in control under all circumstances and account for all available alternatives to achieve the purpose and objectives of the school (Smith, Escobedo & Kearney, 2020). In response to the varied challenges faced by school heads in the worldwide arena, Bill George (2010) duly cited by Mburu (2020), conceptualized authentic leadership to enable leaders to see long-term goals and encourage their team to remain focused and committed to reaching these goals. By living each moment purposefully, and exhibiting transparency and flexibility, a harmonious organizational climate can be achieved. In the school organization, conflicts often arise among teaching staff and usually it is blamed on poor leadership skills of school heads, this adversely affect the work performance of teachers resulting in unsatisfactory organizational climate (Nasreen, Varshney & Waseem, 2019). Most frequently poor organizational climate results in negative consequences such as heated arguments and conflict among leader and staff and a decline in productivity (Medina, 2021). Several researchers observed that negative organizational climate is a consequence of poor leadership (Davies, Stoermer, & Froese 2019). In the Philippines, the legal basis for school-based management is mandated in Republic Act 9155-Governance of Basic Education Act of 2001; Schools First Initiative (SFI, 2005); and the Basic Education Sector Reform Agenda (BESRA, 2006). This is aimed at empowering the leadership capacity of school heads to lead their teachers and students through reforms which are geared towards higher learning outcome. Hence, the leadership of school heads is required to strengthen the organizational climate in their respective schools. In congruence to this, school heads in Magsaysay North and South are faced with an enormous challenge, as they are tasked to strengthen their leadership skills and focus their attention on setting the direction towards the attainment of institutional objectives. The school heads concurred that it requires a degree of emotional intelligence to transform and propel the entire school community into a positive organizational climate to achieve the school vision, mission and goals (Vermeulen, Kreijns & Evers, 2020). The researcher is primarily motivated by the aforementioned context to investigate whether or not 1 University of Mindanao, Davao City, Philippines * Corresponding author’s e-mail: floramay.salip@deped.gov.ph Pa ge 2 https://journals.e-palli.com/home/index.php/ajmri Am. J. Multidis. Res. Innov. 2(4) 1-12, 2023 school leaders’ emotional intelligence will mediate the relationship between their authentic leadership and organizational climate in the public elementary schools, making this study a cohort of new knowledge that can explicitly contribute to the field of education. This study’s primary goal was to determine how emotional intelligence mediated the association between school leaders’ authentic leadership and organizational climate in public elementary schools. The objectives are stated in further detail as follows: 1. To describe the level of authentic leadership of school heads in terms of: 1.1. self-awareness; 1.2. internalized moral perspective; 1.3. balanced processing and 1.4. relational transparency. 2. To ascertain the level of organizational climate along this indicator: 2.1 effective leadership; 2.2 collaborative teachers; 2.3 parental involvement; 2.4 ambitious instruction, and 2.5 supportive environment. 3. To measure the level of emotional intelligence of school heads in terms of: 3.1 Self-awareness, 3.2 managing emotions, 3.3 motivating oneself, 3.4 empathy, 3.5 social skills, 4. To determine the significance of the relationship between: 4.1 authentic leadership and organizational climate; 4.2 authentic leadership and emotional intelligences and 4.3 emotional intelligence and organizational climate. 5. To determine the significance of mediation of emotional intelligence on the relationship between authentic leadership and organizational climate. LITERATURE REVIEW Several approaches, point of views, theories, data from various studies and publications, and insightful observations from various writers are pertinent to the study’s issues These are gathered to offer substantial support and amply demonstrate the study’s objectives, which are crucial for the manifestation of comprehension. The independent variable is authentic leadership with the following indicators: self-awareness, internalized moral perspective, balanced processing and relational transparency (George 2010, duly cited by Mburu (2020). The dependent variable is organizational climate with the following indicators: effective leadership; collaborative teachers; parental involvement; ambitious instruction, and supportive environment (Sebastian & Allensworth, 2012). The mediating variable is emotional intelligence with the following indicators: Self-awareness, managing emotions, motivating oneself, empathy and social skills (Goleman, 2002; duly cited by Debes, 2020). Authentic Leadership There is a plethora of research that generated new ideas on leadership (Blaginin, Volkova, & Strielkowski, 2019). In an increasingly global and complex world, effective leadership is deemed important to answer issues on organizational failures. Researchers have suggested many leadership theories that ensure global sustainability, along with employee engagement and productivity (Sumanasiri, 2020). Though there is no one best leadership style applicable in certain situations (B.M. Bass and R. Bass, 2008; Ilies, Judge and Wagner, 2006; Marshall, 2012), one of the most successful leadership styles is authentic leadership (Mirayani, Kusumaningsih, Mustikasiwi, A. & Purwanto, 2019). Correspondingly, George (2010), duly cited by Mburu (2020) popularized authentic leadership in management studies in his publication, Authentic Leadership: Rediscovering the Secrets to Creating Lasting Value and True Worth in 2007. George (2010, as cited by Mburu (2020) conceptualized the elements of authentic leadership, as follows: self-awareness; internalized moral perspective; balanced processing; and relational transparency. Additionally, Mburu (2020) thought that authentic leaders follow their hearts, learn from their own and others’ experiences, and work to be true to their convictions and values.. Furthermore, Fusco (2018) interpolated that authentic leaders have their own unique style, based on their unique life experiences, which encompasses a variety of behaviors and talents and suits the particular context of the circumstance. Authentic leadership as a style of management places a strong emphasis on developing the leader’s credibility through sincere connections with followers that value their opinions and are based on moral principles. (Ogunyemi & Ogunyemi, 2020). Typically, authentic leaders are upbeat individuals who value openness and have accurate self-concepts. Authentic leaders can enhance team and individual performance by fostering a sense of trust and gaining the support of their followers. Several executives and leadership trainers who see authentic leadership as an alternative to leaders who prioritize business and share price over people and ethics have completely embraced this strategy. Since it recently emerged from obscurity and is now beginning to take on the characteristics of a fully developed concept, authentic leadership is a developing topic of study in academic research on leadership. (Sharma, Agrawal & Khandelwal, 2019). Parallel to the insight of Walumbwa, Avolio, Gardner, Wernsing & Peterson (2018), a systemic behavior pattern known as “authentic leadership” fosters both favorable psychological capabilities and a healthy ethical environment. Authentic leaders demonstrate transparency and exercise tactfulness in communicating with varied stakeholders. They inspire loyalty and trust among their employees by consistently showing prudence in dealing with subordinates. The aim of genuine leaders is to strive Pa ge 3 https://journals.e-palli.com/home/index.php/ajmri Am. J. Multidis. Res. Innov. 2(4) 1-12, 2023 standards and values to guide their behavior rather than allowing external forces to control them” (Northouse, 2018). Pressures from society or groups are disregarded in this regard. “People have power over the extent to which they allow others to affect them,” the statement goes on to say. Northouse (2018) further supports the self-regulatory claim. Similar to what Aristotle called virtue ethics, people with internalized moral viewpoint would behave in a way that was compatible with the views and values they espoused (Wang, & Hackett, 2020). The balanced processing indicator is the third one. When making decisions, a person must be able to evaluate facts objectively and consider the perspectives of others. Being honest about one’s own viewpoints while remaining impartial while taking other people’s viewpoints into consideration serves to further the idea of authenticity. Medina (2021) stated that balanced decision-making entails seeking out the opinions of individuals who disagree with you and carefully weighing their points of view before acting on your own. This is also a form of self-control that heavily draws from Aristotle’s virtue ethics. On the other hand, Fusco (2018) opined that balanced processing involves analyzing cause of problems critically and objectively; exploring several approaches in handling problems; and demonstrating a proactive approach to problem solving. Medina (2021) emphasized that in school organizations, school heads are required to include stakeholders in meetings and deliberations for decision-making, collaborate with staff on the planning and implementation of programs and projects, and provide feedback and updates to stakeholders on the status of progress and completion of programs and projects. Relational transparency is the last indicator. This has to do with how one conducts themselves in front of other people. According to Cavins (2019), relational transparency occurs when people take conscious steps to effectively express their feelings, including their emotions and impulses, with others. In this case, prudence and tact is exercised in order not to hurt the feelings of co-employees, even at the height of a bad mood or in the midst of work pressure. It is about diplomacy in communicating with subordinates characterized with the ability to empathize in relating with others, hence akin to virtue ethics. Transparency among leaders and their teams is a key component of success in a number of areas, including employee engagement and corporate culture. (Williams, 2021). Williams (2021) also noted that openness generates a feeling of comfort that encourages employees to speak freely. A transparent work environment also makes employees feel valued and stimulates creativity. In a parallel view, Cavins (2019), posited that relational transparency is synonymous to workplace transparency. It is treating each other in the workplace with openness coupled with tactfulness, diplomacy and utmost respect. While each one honors each other’s uniqueness, individuality and distinctiveness, but the spirit of solidarity remains despite individual differences. This requires a toward encouraging positive self-development among the team, regardless of the personal aspect. The first indicator is self-awareness. It entails being conscious of various facets of oneself, such as characteristics, behaviors, and emotions. (Puni & Hilton, 2020). Leaders who clearly articulate their vision and understand how to sell it are more effective in persuading others to share their convictions. People will follow a leader who is passionate about the future of everyone, and recognizes the reasons behind your enthusiasm and use them to your advantage. (Peng, Chen, Zou & Nie, 2020) Leadership can be improved or compensated for when a leader is self-aware of their natural tendencies and preferences (Hurt-Avila, Barrio Minton & Dunbar, 2020). Leaders build their credibility and the trust of their team members by developing a greater awareness of their own talents, shortcomings, and hidden biases. A culture of self-awareness also promotes the value of ongoing growth and development, which furthers learning and development (Bryant, 2020) Being an authentic leader requires having self-awareness, which is understanding one’s own strengths, weaknesses, and values. Authentic leaders use moral reasoning as a compass to guide their actions and conduct in order to uphold the highest moral and ethical standards. (Northouse, 2018). In a similar perspective, Zaffiro et.al, (2020) elucidated that authentic leaders have a keen sense of their strengths and weaknesses. Hence, they are expected to be flexible and adaptable in dealing with varied personalities in the organization, maintaining tactfulness and diplomacy with aggressive and confrontational staff members, Northouse (2018). A process by which people get to understand themselves, their strengths and weaknesses, and how they affect others, was how one author defined this aspect of authentic leadership. In light of the fact that it involves a leader coming to grips with who they truly are at their core, this description suggests that self- awareness is a journey rather than an end in and of itself (Liu et.al, 2020). According to Gardner et al., authentic leaders display a high level of personal understanding of their own underlying values, identities, emotions, and motivations (2015). Gardner also thought that leaders’ judgments and actions are significantly affected when they have a strong sense of who they are (self-knowledge) and what they stand for. This implies that certain moral and ethical principles govern one’s life and activities. The internalized moral perspective is the second indicator. It is a process of self-regulation in which people govern their behavior by their own internal moral principles and ideals rather than succumbing to external forces (Butterworth, 2020). Making ethical decisions and acting ethically are the results of the internalized moral perspective. Additionally, real leaders weigh all available data before making judgments, and they base such decisions on their fundamental principles. This point of view contends that leadership entails a process of self-regulation in which people “use their innate moral Pa ge 4 https://journals.e-palli.com/home/index.php/ajmri Am. J. Multidis. Res. Innov. 2(4) 1-12, 2023 great degree of emotional intelligence from the authentic leader who is expected to maintain a harmonious relationship with employees having varied personalities, increasing productivity in the workplace. Organizational Climate The definition of organizational climate is how everyone who works there feels about it (Thumin & Thumin, 2011, as cited by Chung, 2020). It is also defined as the interpretations people give to interconnected groups of experiences they have at work (Schneider, 2018). On the other hand, Glisson & James (2018) postulated that organizational climate is the over-all perceptions of the employees as they give meaning to the activities, practices, procedures and experiences they have in the workplace. The five dimensions that affect school organizational climate were developed by Sebastian & Allensworth (2012), duly cited by Bhasin (2020), from the University of Chicago. The indicators are: effective leadership; collaborative teachers; parental involvement; ambitious instruction, and supportive environment. The performance of institutional policies, goals, strategies, tasks, workload, resources, technology and of course, staff, all depend on these five indicators. The first indicator is effective leadership. According to Shanker, et al. (2017), Organizational atmosphere is most impacted by leadership conduct. Effective leaders may persuade their team members to go above and beyond their capabilities and to shift their attention from individual interests to the interests of the group. In the school community, the school heads’ ability to lead the staff towards the attainment of the school’s vision, mission and goals is vital. Moreover, for Schneider (2018), the effective leadership of a school head inspires the teaching staff to achieve higher levels of performance and promote greater desire among the staff to work as a team leading towards positive school organizational climate. Correspondingly, Yuan & Chayanuvat (2020) posited that in the school organization, the school heads’ leadership, is perceived by the teaching staff as a major aspect of organizational climate. The school head, who wants to be successful, has to provide effective leadership affecting teachers’ perceptions and behaviors that consequently contribute to the development of a positive school organizational climate and that is conducive to achieving predetermined goals and objectives. In their book, In the Leadership Challenge, Kouzes and Posner (2001) (quoted by Chung, 2020) both proposed that exceptional leaders don’t just oversee the daily operations that keep an organization on track; they also lay out new directions for their enterprises to travel. Effective leaders identify areas for improvement and work to improve them. Rather than waiting for obstacles to find them, they actively seek them out. Consistently, research conducted by Valdez, Guro, Norhana, Cana, and Lawi, (2018), showed that leaders who cultivated cooperative relationships in their team were viewed as very effective and inspired the highest levels of engagement towards the achievement of positive organizational climate. The second indicator is collaborative teachers. According to Montaudon-Tomas (2019), the teaching staff in the school organization plays an important role in facilitating a positive organizational climate. Their day-to --day interaction with each other, exchanging pleasantries, making human relationships with each other, and collaborating together, all these are essential in the attainment of a positive school organizational climate. It can be ascertained that when the teaching staff offer each other mutual support, cooperate and coordinate together in all school activities, programs and projects, there is organizational harmony, leading to a wholesome organizational climate. Similarly, Jabbarova (2020) elaborated that having collaborative teachers in the workplace inspires the students towards greater academic achievement. When all the teaching staff demonstrate cooperation and teamwork in all facets of school activities, programs and projects, the attainment of objectives is achieved. With proper motivation from the school head, all the teachers are motivated to collaborate together and adapt a research-based school program, manage curriculum innovation and enrichment with the use of technology, participate in the management of learners’ behavior, and ensure that the objectives of the school development plan are achieved. The third indicator is parental involvement. Parental involvement is described as the situation where parents voluntarily offer mutual support and provide cooperation in all school activities towards the attainment of positive learning outcome (Boateng et al., 2014). Parents are directly involved in the education of their children, and their participation in all school activities is essential to the fulfillment of positive school learning climate. Parallel to the perspectives of Entoh and Abdullah (2019), parental involvement is a significant element in education which can be achieved when there is a well - established parent-teacher partnership. According to Lau, Li and Rao (2018), the impact of parent-teacher partnerships on children’s education is enormous. When the educational system requires parents to participate in school activities, they feel more at ease. Parental and school administration cooperation can result in a greater improvement in the school’s academic and physical performance. Therefore, school officials must urge parents to participate and contribute to assisting the school in achieving its aims and goals. Parents who are motivated to participate in school activities would voluntarily offer support and assistance and readily collaborate towards the attainment of improved organizational climate. Ambitious instruction is the fourth indicator. The characteristic of ambitious instruction, according to Vos and Page (2020), is teaching and learning that go beyond the simple transmission of knowledge and abilities to instruction that involves teachers and students making sense of voluminous academic content. When the teachers co-engage and assist each other in authentic Pa ge 5 https://journals.e-palli.com/home/index.php/ajmri Am. J. Multidis. Res. Innov. 2(4) 1-12, 2023 developmentally appropriate instructional approaches they are able to set high academic standards towards an effective school learning climate. In a similar viewpoint, Munir (2019) noted the relatedness of ambitious instruction to designing relevant instructional innovations to further motivate the learners to utilize critical thinking in all aspects of assessments. Ambitious instruction is enhanced when teachers deliver accurate and updated content knowledge using appropriate strategies and multi-disciplinary integrative modes and techniques in teaching. Teachers’ innovativeness coupled with the use of web-based instruction allows students to surf through the net and obtain myriads of information leading to greater understanding of the topic on hand. By providing students with digital tools in instruction they will become globally competitive leading to improved academic landscape. The fifth indicator is supportive environment. According to Batlolona (2018) a supportive school environment nurtures mutual relationships, where school leaders motivate teachers to collaborate in maintaining a learning environment of courtesy and respect and apply knowledge on social learning in dealing with varied stakeholders. This means both the school head and the teaching staff are flexible, know how and when to adjust in times of pressure and practice diplomacy in all dealings in the spirit of decorum and camaraderie. Hugerat (2020) described a supportive environment as a critical ingredient to the attainment of a harmonious organizational climate. Good leadership in the school organization readily provides support and assistance to staff members and motivate them to work as a team. When a school head demonstrates tact and transparency in all dealings, the teaching staff are encouraged to cooperate and coordinate towards the achievement of institutional goals. Similarly, Amedome (2018) elaborated that the creation of a harmonious and supportive school environment is a collaborative effort between the school head and the teaching staff. The able leadership of the school heads sets the ambiance of the workplace. Hence the school head is expected to practice shared leadership to encourage all the team members to reach their full potential, balance the use of cooperative networking and ensure that everyone gets a share of his/her workload. Only by being judicious and cautious in dealing with subordinates and offering support in all activities can the school head obtain cooperation from the teaching staff, leading towards productivity and efficiency in school performance. Emotional Intelligence Emotional intelligence is defined by Salovey & Mayer (1990), as quoted by Nagarjuna Nagar (2020), as the capacity to pay attention to one’s own and other people’s emotions, to recognize differences between them, and to utilize this knowledge to inform one’s decisions and behavior. It is a method for identifying, comprehending, and selecting one’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. It influences how we interact with others and how we view ourselves. It establishes how and what we learn, enables us to set priorities, and controls most of our daily activities. According to Grewal, Brackett and Salovey (2018), the ability to manage and control one’s own emotions as well as their ability to influence others’ emotions is referred to as emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence, which lies at the nexus of cognition and emotion, is what enables our capacity for resilience, motivation, empathy, reasoning, stress management, communication, and the ability to understand and navigate a range of social circumstances and conflicts. When developed, emotional intelligence is important and gives one the chance to live a more fulfilling life. According to Goleman (2002), referenced by Debes (2020), characteristics like self-awareness, self- management, motivation, empathy, and social skills make up emotional intelligence. This gives people a framework for applying intellectual standards to emotional reactions and for understanding how some emotional responses may be rationally consistent with certain views about emotion, while others may not. Both personal and professional success benefit greatly from emotional intelligence. It is a necessary ability for many occupations and can help people succeed in their academic and professional endeavors. The first element of emotional intelligence is self- awareness. According to Leal & Holzer (2021), self- awareness is the ability to see oneself clearly and objectively through reflection and introspection. Moreover, self-awareness means being conscious of this conditioning so one can have more control over one’s emotional responses. The first step to self-awareness is mindfulness, which makes a person feel more in control of their responses to their thoughts and feelings, calmer and less anxious. As viewed by Hourani, Litz, & Parkman (2020), self- awareness is the foundation to emotional intelligence, as this makes one aware of his/her limitations. When one is aware of his/her constraints and weaknesses, he/she becomes cautious, careful, and prudent in his/ her everyday dealing. When it comes to job, personal objectives, or health, the emotionally intelligent person loves relationships and places a high emphasis on diplomacy. Moreover, Karani et al. (2017) indicated in their study the importance of self-awareness of school heads in instilling a favorable organizational climate. Being aware of one’s capabilities and skills leads to better understanding and empathy towards others. METHODOLOGY The descriptive correlation technique of research, which is intended to collect data, thoughts, facts, and information connected to the investigation, was used in this non-experimental quantitative design study. Researchers gather data in non-experimental research without adding changes or treatments (Gehle, 2013). Pa ge 6 https://journals.e-palli.com/home/index.php/ajmri Am. J. Multidis. Res. Innov. 2(4) 1-12, 2023 In this study, neither the setting nor the factors were controlled. The descriptive-correlation study design describes and analyzes what is, reveals circumstances and relationships that are present and not present, and identifies what is (Calderon, 2006; Calmorin, 2007). Additionally, as a fact-finding investigation, the study’s respondents’ traits, behaviors, and experiences were examined by the researcher (Calmorin, 2007). The study is descriptive in nature since it assessed the levels of authentic leadership of school heads, their emotional intelligence level and the organizational climate in the public elementary school in Magsaysay North and South Districts. This is correlational since it investigated the relationship between variables such as authentic leadership of school heads, their emotional intelligence level, and the organizational climate, with the use of the survey questionnaire as a tool in gathering the primary data. The interest of the study is to investigate the relationship between authentic leadership and organizational climate; the relationship between authentic leadership and emotional intelligence; the relationship between emotional intelligence and organizational climate; and the mediating effect of emotional intelligence on the relationship between authentic leadership of school heads and organizational climate of public elementary schools in Magsaysay District. Med graph using Sobel Z-test was employed in determining the mediation. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Level of Authentic Leadership The authenticity of leadership is displayed in Table 1. There is consistency in the responses across respondents as the standard deviation was less than 1.00. A high score of 4.17 was assigned to the overall mean. Distinctively, the level of authentic leadership of school heads on the following indicators were as follows: self-awareness had a mean of 4.33 described as very high, relational transparency had a mean of 4.21 with a descriptive level of very high, internalized moral perspective has a mean of 4.08 characterized as high, and balanced processing has a mean of 4.07 also labelled as high. Data revealed that the school heads as leaders had manifested very good command of authentic leadership in terms of self- awareness and relational transparency which indicates that leaders were effective in creating a challenging environment by means of coaching and mentoring others. Based on the data result, the level of authentic leadership Table 1: Level of Authentic Leadership Indicators SD Mean Descriptive Level Self-Awareness 0.327 4.33 Very High Internalized Moral Perspective 0.317 4.08 High Balanced Processing 0.388 4.07 High Relational Transparency 0.469 4.21 Very High Overall 0.297 4.17 High of Magsaysay South and Magsaysay North District is high. Which showed that authentic leadership approach has been fully embraced by many leaders and leadership coaches in the global institutions. It is commonly recognized that authenticity enhances engagement and general well-being (Sharma, Agrawal and Khandelwal (2019). Level of Organizational Climate Highlighted in Table 2 is the level of Organizational Climate. The standard deviation was less than 1.00 which implies that there is consistency of responses among all the respondents. The overall mean score was 3.68 labeled as high. Numerical data is as follows: effective leadership, 4.05, described as high, collaborative teachers, 3.92 described as high; supportive environment, 3.64, described as high; parental involvement, 3.58 described as high; and ambitious instruction, 3.23, described as moderate. As can be glimpsed from the over-all numerical data, it Table 2: Level of Organizational Climate Indicators SD Mean Descriptive Level Effective Leadership 0.314 4.05 High Collaborative Teachers 0.339 3.92 High Supportive Environment 0.336 3.64 High Parental Involvement 0.459 3.58 High Ambitious Instruction 0.506 3.23 Moderate Overall 0.314 3.68 High can be observed that the level of organizational climate was rated high by the respondents from Magsaysay South and North District of Davao del Sur. Level of Emotional Intelligence Reflected in Table 3 is the level of Emotional Intelligence of School heads. The standard deviation was less than 1.00 which implies that there is consistency of responses Pa ge 7 https://journals.e-palli.com/home/index.php/ajmri Am. J. Multidis. Res. Innov. 2(4) 1-12, 2023 among all the respondents. The overall mean score was 4.33, labeled as very high. Breakdown of numerical ratings on the indicators are as follows: in Self-awareness, 4.67, described as very high; in managing emotions, 4.22, described as very high; in motivating oneself, 3.90, described as high; in empathy, 4.68, described as very high; in social skills, 4.20, described as very high. The data implied that the school heads exhibited very high emotional skills, hence their cognition and emotion were demonstrated exemplarily. Furthermore, in the workplace, working well with others is a process that begins with emotional awareness, and this is demonstrated by DepEd school heads as they avowed that they nurture relationship and partnership with varied stakeholders to obtain organizational harmony. Correlation Between Authentic Leadership and Emotional Intelligence Showcased in Table 4 is the relationship between the School Heads’ authentic leadership and their emotional intelligence. Utilizing the Pearson correlation, the r (computed) between the School Heads’ authentic leadership and their emotional intelligence obtained a p-value lower than 0.05 level of significance, hence, the null hypothesis is rejected. It can therefore be concluded that there is a significant relationship between the School Heads’ authentic leadership and their emotional intelligence. Table 3: Level of Emotional Intelligence Indicators SD Mean Descriptive Level Self-Awareness 0.548 4.67 Very High Managing Emotions 0.814 4.22 Very High Motivating Oneself 0.402 3.90 High Empathy 0.543 4.68 Very High Social Skills 0.844 4.20 Very High Overall 0.436 4.33 Very High Table 4: Significance of the Relationship between the Authentic Leadership and Emotional Intelligence Authentic Leadership Emotional Intelligence Overall Self-Awareness .503* (0.000) Internalized Moral Perspective .597* (0.000) Balanced Processing .599* (0.000) Relational Transparency .671* (0.000) Overall .763* (0.000) *Significant at 0.05 significance level It is therefore believed that authentic leaders are positive people who exhibit emotional intelligence and are broad minded, patient, understanding and can facilitate human bonds of openness, trust and mutual respect. These traits are positively demonstrated by the school heads in Magsaysay North and South Districts as based in the numerical data. At DepEd, the school heads exhibit authentic leadership coupled with emotional intelligence, that enable them to evaluate and assess the performance of the teachers and guide them towards improved productivity in the attainment of school goals. Moreover, at DepEd, school heads are provided autonomy in managing their respective school communities; hence, they are expected to exhibit authentic leadership in facilitating human and physical resources and create a wholesome organizational culture in the school community. All these were achieved through the school heads’ authentic leadership and a great deal of emotional intelligence to propel the school organization towards the attainment of the vision, mission and goal. Correlation Between Emotional Intelligence and Organizational Climate Presented in Table 5 is the relationship between emotional intelligence and organizational climate. Utilizing the Pearson correlation, the r (computed) obtained p-value is lower than 0.05 level of significance, the null hypothesis is rejected. It can therefore be concluded that there is a significant relationship between emotional intelligence and organizational climate. Consistent with the above data, at DepEd the School heads’ emotional intelligence facilitated productivity among the teaching staff as they were highly motivated to do their task as they were involved in decision- making regarding the school plans, projects and activities. Pa ge 8 https://journals.e-palli.com/home/index.php/ajmri Am. J. Multidis. Res. Innov. 2(4) 1-12, 2023 is rejected. It can therefore be concluded that there is a significant relationship between authentic leadership and organizational climate. Highlighted in this table is that there is a significant correlation between authentic leadership and organizational climate, which is consistent with the findings above. Correlation Between Authentic Leadership and Organizational Climate Presented in Table 6. is the relationship between authentic leadership and organizational climate. The r (computed) derived p-value is less than 0.05 level of significance when using Pearson correlation, hence the null hypothesis Table 5: Significance of the Relationship between the Emotional Intelligence and Organizational Climate Emotional Intelligence Organizational Climate E ffe ct iv e L ea de rs hi p C ol la bo ra tiv e Te ac he rs Su pp or tiv e E nv ir on m en t Su pe rv is or y Su pp or t Pa re nt al In vo lv m en t A m bi tio us In st ru ct io n O ve ra ll Overall .756* (0.000) .298* (0.000) .402* (0.000) .725* (0.000) .340* (0.000) .696* (0.000) .645* (0.000) *Significant at 0.05 significance level* Table 6: Significance of the Relationship between the Authentic Leadership and Organizational Climate Authentic Leadership Organizational Climate E ffe ct iv e L ea de rs hi p C ol la bo ra tiv e Te ac he rs Su pp or tiv e E nv ir on m en t Pa re nt al In vo lv em en t A m bi tio us In st ru ct io n O ve ra ll Self-Awareness .355* (0.000) .306* (0.000) .039 (0.491) .466* (0.000) .063 (0.267) .325* (0.000) Internalized Moral Perspective .460* (0.000) .550* (0.000) .293* (0.000) .464* (0.000) .223* (0.000) .573* (0.000) Balanced Processing .454* (0.000) .276* (0.000) .009 (0.876) .469* (0.000) .023 (0.687) .364* (0.000) Relational Transparency .496* (0.000) .276* (0.000) -.141* (0.013) .658* (0.000) -.155* (0.006) .279* (0.000) Overall .568* (0.000) .433* (0.000) .036 (0.530) .669* (0.000) .023 (0.690) .473* (0.000) *Significant at 0.05 significance level On the Mediating effect of Emotional Intelligence Mediation analysis of emotional intelligence and between authentic leadership and organizational climate was analyzed using path analysis. The mediation effect of a third variable in the connection between two variables was first identified by Baron and Kenny (1986). The result in Table 7 on the Path Analysis - paths authentic leadership (X), emotional intelligence (M), to organizational climate (Y); are both significant. The result of a full mediation analysis indicates that emotional intelligence fully mediates the relationship between authentic leadership and organizational climate. This suggests that the emotional intelligence influences authentic leadership and organizational climate. The findings suggest that the null hypothesis which states that emotional intelligence has no significant mediating effect on the relationship between authentic leadership and organizational climate is rejected. Table 7: Mediating Effect: Path Analysis (Full Mediation) ESTIMATES PATH Unstandardized Standardized SE C.R. P AL EI 1.122 .763 .054 20.799 *** EI OC .489 .679 .048 10.143 *** AL OC -.047 -.045 .071 -.665 .506 Pa ge 9 https://journals.e-palli.com/home/index.php/ajmri Am. J. Multidis. Res. Innov. 2(4) 1-12, 2023 The findings are congruent with to the concept of Bass and Bass (2008) that leaders who exhibited authentic leadership are positive people who demonstrated emotional intelligence and are broad minded, patient, understanding, and can facilitate human bonds of openness, trust and mutual respect towards a harmonious organizational climate. As a learning insight, the researcher recognizes the importance of emotional intelligence in necessitating authentic leadership of school heads. Both are School Heads’ indispensable tools in setting high social and academic expectations; establishing standards for the management and observation of school operations; providing opportunities for professional development; towards a positive, productive school organizational climate CONCLUSION School heads are often regarded as having high levels of authentic leadership. On the other hand, the level of organizational climate in the public schools of Magsaysay North and South Districts is described as high. Conversely, the level of emotional intelligence of school heads is described as very high. As shown in the numerical data, there is a significant relationship between the school heads’ authentic leadership and their emotional intelligence. Correspondingly, there is a significant relationship between School Heads’ emotional intelligence and organizational climate. Moreover, there is a significant relationship between School Heads’ authentic leadership and organizational climate. The study concludes that the relationship between authentic leadership and organizational climate is significantly mediated by emotional intelligence. Moreover, this introspection confirmed various propositions of previous researchers, which explained that emotional intelligence (Goleman, 2002; duly cited by Debes, 2020), is a mediating factor in school heads’ authentic leadership (George, 2010, duly cited by Mburu, 2020), towards the attainment of a supportive organizational climate (Sebastian & Allensworth, 2012, duly cited by Bhasin, 2020). In congruence to the perspective of Lee, Li, Yeh and Yu (2022), emotional intelligence is fundamental in authentic leadership, coupled with open communication and good human relations, these are necessary tools in the attainment of positive organizational climate. Similarly, Solomon (2020) concurred that it takes emotional intelligence to motivate others and authentic leadership to make decisions independently, encourage and acknowledge the achievements and success of others, to promote better organizational climate. RECOMMENDATION Subsequent to the findings, the following are recommended as based on the study’s findings which showed that the level of authentic leadership of school heads is generally labeled as high. Similarly, the level of organizational climate is described as high. Along this data the, Senior DepEd officials may peruse the result and utilize data to provide seminars/trainings and other pertinent activities, deemed fit, that would significantly improve the school heads’ authentic leadership towards the attainment of harmonious organizational climate. Correspondingly, data highlighted the level of emotional intelligence of school heads which is described as very high. Along with this, as clearly mandated in RA 9155, that school heads are the responsible and accountable persons charged with managing school operations and facilitating harmonious school organizational climate, they are to continuously demonstrate tactfulness and diplomacy in all dealings geared towards the attainment of institutional goals. Subsequent to the result that a significant relationship existed between the school heads’ authentic leadership and their emotional intelligence, an established connection exists between School Heads’ emotional intelligence and organizational climate and a correlation is linked between School Heads’ authentic leadership and organizational climate; hence, these valuable tools in managing relationships at work must be utilized in motivating the staff towards greater productivity. Furthermore, since the study concurred that emotional intelligence has a significant mediating effect on the relationship between authentic leadership and organizational climate, all stakeholders must be adaptive, supportive and collaborative in fostering teamwork in the school organization. Both the teachers and the school head should be more responsive of their immense roles and responsibilities in effecting improved organizational climate. Finally, it is suggested that future researchers may benchmark this study in their own respective locality or look into possible factors that affect organizational harmony. REFERENCE Aguinis, H. (2019). Performance Management for Dummies. John Wiley & Sons. Al-Kurdi, O. F., El-Haddadeh, R., & Eldabi, T. (2020). The role of organizational climatein managing knowledge sharing among academics in higher education. International Journal of Information Management, 50, 217-227. Antonacopoulou, E. P. 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