Concept of Emotional Intelligence and its importance in Leadership

Emotional intelligence is a term used to refer to the ability of a person for effectively understanding his emotions, recognizing their impact on decision making and in lives of others. The concept of emotional intelligence was coined by Salovey and Mayer in 1990s. It has its roots from earlier work done by Schutte et al (1988). In early years, Emotional intelligence was treated as either personality trait or ability. But later research revealed that it can be treated as both trait and ability at same time.

In this article we will discuss about:

1) What is meant by emotional intelligence?

2) Components of Emotional Intelligence:

3) Importance of Emotional Intelligence:

4) Measurement scales for measuring EI:

 What is meant by emotional intelligence?

The term ’emotional intelligence’ was coined by Salovey and Mayer in 1990s. It has its roots from earlier work done by Schutte et al (1988). In early years, emotional intelligence was treated as either personality trait or ability. But later research revealed that it can be treated as both trait and ability at same time. They defined EI as an individual’s abilities for recognizing, utilizing, understanding of the emotions of self and others to guide thinking and behavior, toward one goal of effective functioning. According to Goleman, “Emotional Intelligence is the capacity for recognizing our own feelings and those of others – for motivating ourselves, for managing emotions well in us and in our relationships. It is made up of five primary elements: self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy and social skill”.

EI has four main components:

1) Self –Awareness: ability to recognize and understand own strengths and weaknesses.

2) Self –Management: mastery over impulses and moods allowing focusing on goals.

3) Social Awareness: ability to sense other people’s moods, comprehend their feelings by reading their faces expressions etc.

4) Self-inspiration: connects with inside drive. Key inquiries encompass whether individuals can satisfy a guideline of greatness, adjust to explicit objectives, follow up on amazing open doors and stay hopeful regardless of difficulties.

5) Relationship Management: ability to handle relationships both at work place or otherwise.

We can say that EI deals with your understanding of self, interaction with others’ while handling relationship issues. Emotional intelligence is an effective way to handle work place problems, negotiations and finding solutions.

  Components of Emotional Intelligence

As Daniel Goleman says, “Emotional Intelligence has been studied for more than a quarter century, and it can be defined as our capacity for recognizing our own feelings and those of others – for managing emotions well in us and in our relationships.” He further defines that emotional intelligence consists of five components:

1) Self Awareness: Ability to recognize our own feelings

2) Self-management: Mastery over impulses and moods allowing focusing on goals

3) Social awareness: Ability to sense other people’s moods, comprehend their feelings by reading their faces expressions etc.

4) Relationship management:  Ability to handle relationships both at work place or otherwise.

5) Motivation: Ability to achieve goals.

Importance of Emotional Intelligence:

Emotional intelligence is very important for leaders, especially at the time of crisis, when quick decision making is required. Here are few of its benefits: This is the important type the leadership.

1) Improve work environment:   Employees with high EI might be more creative and productive, because of their better social understanding. They can motivate themselves and others; hence they help to improve work environment.

2) Better communication skills :  Highly emotionally intelligent employees will have better communication skills as compared to those with low EI The ability to understand own feelings and emotions , manage relationships well would lead people towards a positive work environment where employee gets a sense if belongingness.

3) Better Decision Making:  People with high EI tend to make better decisions as they are more aware of their own feelings and ability to manage them well. They can comprehend other people’s emotions, hence can act accordingly. Good decision making also leads towards good problem solving skills which is very important for leaders.

4) Performance Motivation:   Emotionally intelligent individuals find it easier to motivate themselves. Hence, emotionally intelligent employees are likely to achieve greater success at work place than those who have low EI.

Measurement scales for measuring Emotional Intelligence

There are different ways through which one can measure emotional intelligence levels in an individual. The most popular methods include self report measures, performance-based measures, ego-alternate measures, peer reports and 360 degree measures. Following are few of them:

1) Self Report Measures: These include filling out questionnaires to measure the levels of EI.

2) Performance Based Measures: this deal with emotionally intelligent expressions in certain situations. 3) Peer Reports: Another popular method is asking others about emotional intelligence, for instance, if their friends would describe them as someone who is willing to admit mistakes or able to handle anger well.

3) 360 Degree Measures: This type of measurement involves feedback from peers, supervisors and subordinates. All these methods have their own advantages and disadvantages but none can be termed as a standard measurement scale for measuring Emotional Intelligence.

Intelligence is Important in Leadership

The capacity to understand anyone on a deeper level is significant for an assortment of reasons. Genuinely shrewd pioneers can create and keep a positive, useful, and productive work environment while continually spurring their representatives to do their absolute best. Pioneers with this significant expertise can establish work environment conditions in which representatives feel open to facing challenges and sharing their thoughts. They can settle on hard choices, resolve struggle really, and adjust to changing business objectives and conditions.

An absence of the capacity to understand individuals on a deeper level restrains a pioneer’s capacity to really team up and speak with others. Whenever a pioneer can’t deal with their feelings, representatives might be less anxious to share their thoughts and are less inclined to arrive at their maximum capacity.

Conclusion:

Emotional Intelligence is a very important aspect of leadership. Emotionally intelligent people make great leaders as they are more effective at solving problems and resolving conflicts among group of people. They can motivate themselves, understand own emotions well and also the emotions of others. Thus it is not only important for individuals but also for organizations to direct their attention towards levels which exist in employees.