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Authentic Leadership and Conflict‐Management Styles Among Nurse Leaders in Saudi Arabia: A Cross‐Sectional Study

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Background Conflict is an inherent feature of nursing practice and may arise from competing demands, diverse professional roles, resource constraints, and pressures in clinical decision‐making. Nurse leaders play an important role in managing workplace conflict and selecting conflict‐management approaches appropriate to different situations. Authentic leadership, characterized by relational transparency, ethical decision‐making, balanced processing, and self‐awareness, may be relevant to how nurse leaders approach and manage workplace conflict. Aims This study aimed to examine the relationship between authentic leadership and conflict‐management styles among nurse leaders in Saudi Arabia. Specifically, it examined the associations between authentic leadership and collaborating, accommodating, competing, avoiding, and compromising conflict‐management styles. Methods A cross‐sectional survey was conducted among 96 nurse leaders working in public healthcare institutions in Saudi Arabia. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire, the Rahim Organizational Conflict Inventory–II, and the Authentic Leadership Questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlations, and linear regression, with multivariable adjustment for selected covariates and false discovery rate correction for exploratory analyses. Results Overall conflict management was significantly and positively associated with authentic leadership ( β = 0.469, R 2 = 0.220, p < 0.001). Significant positive associations were also observed for collaborating ( β = 0.500, R 2 = 0.250, p < 0.001), accommodating ( β = 0.431, R 2 = 0.186, p < 0.001), avoiding ( β = 0.444, R 2 = 0.197, p < 0.001), and compromising ( β = 0.472, R 2 = 0.223, p < 0.001). In contrast, competing was not significantly associated with authentic leadership ( β = 0.185, R 2 = 0.034, p = 0.071). Conclusions Authentic leadership was positively associated with collaborating, accommodating, avoiding, and compromising conflict‐management styles, but not with competing. These findings indicate associations rather than causation and warrant further longitudinal research.

Source: Journal of Nursing Management

DOI: 10.1155/jonm/7569784

Author: Bayan Alilyyani

Institution: Taif University

Language: English

Topic: Conflict Management and Negotiation

Subfield: Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management

Field: Business, Management and Accounting

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Peace, justice, and strong institutions, Good health and well-being

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $2,700