EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE: AN ESSENTIAL PART OF LEADERSHIP EFFECTIVENESS
Though extensive research has been carried out on leadership related topics, there has been debate over the approaches to leadership in organizational science. A wide variety of approaches to leadership have been projected. Researchers have analyzed the styles of leadership, their interpersonal skills and attitudes, how their styles interact with situational conditions, and how they can make major changes in their organizations (Bass, 1990; Fiedler & House, 1994; Yukl, 1998; Yukl & Van Fleet, 1992). However, there’s another important perspective to leadership effectiveness, that is, the emotional stability of the leader in-charge.
Emotions play an important role in the leadership process. More precisely, emotional intelligence, the ability to understand and manage moods and emotions in the self and others, contributes to effective leadership in organizations. Four major aspects of emotional intelligence are: (i) the appraisal and expression of emotion, (ii) the use of emotions to enhance cognitive processes, (iii) decision making, knowledge about emotions, and; (iv) management of emotions. It is very essential to understand how emotional intelligence contributes to effective leadership by focusing on five essential elements of leader effectiveness, those are: (i) development of collective goals and objectives; (ii) instilling in others an appreciation of the importance of work activities; (iii) generating and maintaining enthusiasm, confidence, optimism, cooperation, and trust; (iv) encouraging flexibility in decision making & change; and (v) establishing and maintaining a meaningful identity for an organization. These elements of leadership effectiveness need to align with the four aspects of emotional intelligence, for achieving harmony between leader and followers and to achieve success at the workplace.
In the present era, it is recommended that, at a minimum, emotions and emotional intelligence should be well-intentioned or deliberated in the leadership domain. Emotional intelligence has the probable to contribute to effective leadership in manifold ways. The special relevance of emotional intelligence to leadership revolves around the fact that leadership is an emotion-laden process, both from a leader and a follower perspective.
Research Article by Dr. Shraddha Kulkarni, International Journal of Research in, Business Management IMPACT (IMPACT: IJRBM), ISSN (E): 2321-886X; ISSN (P): 2347-4572, Vol. 2, Issue 1, Jan 2014, 13-22, © Impact Journals.
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