Who is the most effective leader today? This is the debate of the century. Think about the most inspiring leader you’ve ever met, whether they’re alive or dead. Was that individual easy to converse to? Do you feel that your ideas were heard and valued no matter your rank in the company? Perhaps they were even empathetic when you confronted problems in job or in life? Those who can read and respond to others’ emotions are exemplified here. Definition of Emotional Intelligence Emotional intelligence, as defined by Salovey and Mayer, is the capacity to both identify one’s own emotions and those of others (Salovey & Mayer, 1990). More specifically, Emotional Intelligence is one’s capacity to recognize and control one’s own emotions as well as those of people around them (Landry, 2019).
There was once a period when showing compassion and sympathy was seen as uncharacteristic of strong leaders. Emotional intelligence is a quality that contributes to good leadership, according to studies of leadership. The importance of emotional intelligence in leadership has recently come into the spotlight. Low morale and high turnover due to a lack of emotional intelligence can have a significant impact on the bottom line of any business (Landry, 2019). Leaders that have high EI are better able to facilitate the kind of open communication that leads to meeting the needs and achieving the goals of their teams and their organizations, as well as hone in on what really important (PSU WC, 2022, L. 2).
A leader hoping to gain emotional intelligence to aid them in their work should start with truthfully recognizing their emotions. If you can learn to understand your emotions, you can learn to manage them. By gaining awareness of yourself, you can gain understanding of those around you as well (Harvard, 2019). It also helps to be open to feedback from people around you, gauging your social interactions based on how your peers review you. By working to improve one’s self in the art of social interaction, they can develop the necessary skills to lead their organization to greatness.
References:
Harvard Professional Development. (2019, August 26). How to Improve Your Emotional Intelligence. Retrieved May 23, 2020, from Harvard Division of Continuing Education: https://blog.dce.harvard.edu/professional-development/how-improve-your-emotional-intelligence
Landry, L. (2019, April 03). WHY EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE IS IMPORTANT IN LEADERSHIP. Retrieved May 23, 2020, from Harvard Business School: https://online.hbs.edu/blog/post/emotional-intelligence-in-leadership
Pennsylvania State University World Campus. (2022). PSYCH 485 Lesson 2: Trait Approach-Emotional and Social Intelligence. Retrieved from https://psu.instructure.com/courses/2015147/modules/items/29089122
Salovey, P., & Mayer, J. (1990, March 1). Emotional intelligence: Imagination, Cognition, and Personality. 185-211. doi:https://dx.doi.org/10.2190/DUGG-P24E-52WK-6CDG
When I think of an effective leader in my life the first person that comes to my mind is my current boss, Jen. She is someone who can identify her own emotions in any type of situation which actually helps her to remain calm and keep a neutral tone. She is also really great at recognizing emotions in other people, even when they can’t do it themselves. This is something I think I have noticed to be useful for her role as our boss as she can help us work through situations when our emotions may have gotten the best of us.
Jen is a leader that I would think most people in my organization look to for help in situations that involve work and their personal life. She is someone that has really great people skills as she can work effectively with other members of the organization. Because of this, I feel that the idea of emotional intelligence plays into the ideas in the three skills approach.
In the three skills approach there is an aspect called the human skills which are “knowledge about and ability to work with people” (Northouse, 2022, pg. 57). I feel that the emotional intelligence that was discussed here is an aspect of the human skills aspect of the three skills approach. This idea then makes me believe that each aspect or theory is connected to create the whole picture of leadership.
References:
Northouse, P. G. (2022). Chapter 3: Skills Approach. In Leadership: Theory and practice (9th ed., pp. 56–83). essay, SAGE.