The Impact of Soft Leadership Skills on Enhancing Employees' Proactive Behavior through Work Passion: An Exploratory Study in the Diyala Health Directorate

Abstract

This study aims to highlight the impact of soft leadership skills on enhancing employees' proactive behavior through the mediating role of work passion. The researcher drawn upon several well-established academic methodologies, divided into two main dimensions: First, an applied approach to evaluate and validate the measurement scales of the study variables, alongside a comprehensive narrative review of contemporary Arab and international literature to conceptualize these variables revealing varying scholarly perspectives and a relative lack of consensus regarding the causal mechanisms connecting them. Second, an empirical problem-driven framework formulated through underlying research questions to establish theoretical clarity. Four main and sub-hypotheses were developed to investigate the correlation, direct impact, and indirect mediation among the constructs, key among which posits that soft leadership exerts a statistically significant indirect effect on proactive behavior through work passion within the Diyala Environment Directorate. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire distributed to a purposive sample of 120 respondents comprising directors, department heads, unit managers, and operational staff. Employing a descriptive-analytical methodology, data were processed using SPSS (v.28). The empirical findings demonstrate that work passion acts as a critical mediator, amplifying the positive influence of soft leadership on proactive behavior, ultimately driving organizational performance. This mediating mechanism underscores the capacity of soft leadership to elevate dynamic capabilities and foster sustainable organizational development.