This study investigated the impact of leadership styles on employee Conflict Management in the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) in Nigeria. The study examined four primary leadership styles: transformational, transactional, autocratic, and democratic, and their respective influences on Conflict Management. A cross-sectional survey design was employed. The population and sample of this study comprised 425 staff members of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) in Abuja. Out of the sample of four hundred and twenty-five (425), four hundred and ten (410) copies of questionnaire were retrieved and used for data analysis. Data were collected using structured questionnaires and analysed through descriptive and inferential statistical techniques such as Pearson’s correlation coefficient and multivariate regression analysis. The findings revealed that transformational [β = 0.183, t = 3.527, p = 0.000], transactional [β = 0.159, t = 3.311, p = 0.001] and democratic [β = 0.316, t = 7.744, p = 0.000] leadership styles have a positive and statistically significant impact on Conflict Management. Conversely, autocratic leadership style [β = -0.068, t = -2.212, p = 0.028] was found to have a negative but significant impact on Conflict Management. The study concludes that leadership styles significantly shape employee emotional wellbeing and highlights the need for FIRS to encourage leadership practices that prioritise employee involvement, empowerment, and emotional support. The study recommends promoting democratic and transformational leadership training, fostering open communication, and implementing Conflict Management initiatives that support employee resilience and satisfaction.
Keywords: Autocratic, Transactional, Transformational, and democratic, conflict management
