Introduction
Emotional Intelligence (EI) as a concept has struck root since the middle of the 1990s. It was adopted by the management world though it has its base in psychology. It became popular as a trait that every leader ought to possess if he were to lead a team. It surpassed the existing notion that Intelligence Quotient (IQ) was sufficient to succeed in an organizational setting. The practical use of EI leads to better decisions by both individuals and groups (Hess & Bacigalupo, 2011).
This essay introduces the concept of EI with examples and differentiates EQ from IQ. It dwells on the importance of EI and consequences if it were not to be adhered to. The elements of EI are covered next. A strategy for improving the social skills of leaders is given thereafter before concluding the essay.
Concept of EI
Emotions are the response of an individual to a real or imagined situation (Mayer, Salovey & Caruso, 2006, p. 397). Mayer and Salovey postulate that emotional intelligence (EI) is a group of skills which deal with handling emotions and related information (Cote, Lopes, Salovey & Miners, 2010, p. 496). Leadership is the process by which people can be influenced to achieve the goals of the organization. EI influences not only leadership but also the style of leadership in an organization (Khalili, 2013).
Examples of EI in action:
1. Laziness and disinterest need not be the obvious reasons for lack of hard work in an employee. The issue could be self-confidence or a fear of committing errors.
2. If a person shows his anger at home for being admonished at office, this shows the lack of discretion as one is reacting to an issue at the wrong place.
Emotional Vs Intelligence Quotient
IQ and EQ are two exclusive concepts, each with its relative merits. A judicious mix of both is needed to create superior leaders in an organizational setting.
1. Beginning
EQ was proposed by Wayne Payne in 1985 and popularized by Daniel Goleman in 1995 whereas IQ was given by Francis Galton in 1883 and was put to test by Alfred Binet in 1905.
2. Concept
EQ is the capability to understand and evaluate the emotions of one’s own self and others. On the other hand, IQ is a score from several tests that measure intelligence.
3. Organizational Setting
EQ builds collaboration, leadership, initiative etc. whereas IQ helps with challenges, analysis, R & D etc.
4. Skills
EQ helps to control and display the emotions of a single individual or a group. Emotions can lead to thinking and understanding; and IQ on the other hand, leads to learning, mathematical skills, reasoning, and spatial skills.
5. Tests for Efficacy
EQ uses tests such as Mayer-Salovey-Caruso test, Daniel Goleman Model Score etc. whereas IQ uses Sttanford-Binet test, Woodcock-Johnson Test etc.
6. Brings forth
EQ brings to light team players, individuals facing a social challenge etc. On the other hand, IQ brings forth gifted people and those with a mental challenge.
Why EI?
Employee Satisfaction
Not only leaders but followers also are satisfied when EI is part of the management policy. The leader understands issues from the perspective of the follower. At the same time, this better understanding has a positive impact on the follower whose performance increases as a result. Due to EI, the tendency for disputes does not arise, and even if they do, they are solved amicably without any acrimony.
More sales and productivity
EI leads to a direct increase in sales. From an operational perspective, high performance is visible in substantial growth in sales. The productivity of the organization, as a whole, increases. Productivity is the amount of work completed in a given period of time. As employees are satisfied, they become more efficient in their work leading to an increase in productivity.
Superior Customer Service
When employees are treated well by the management and are better understood by them, this brings a positive outlook in employees. This is then reflected in the type of service rendered. Superior service leads to customer satisfaction. This results in better word of mouth publicity which is an effective way of promoting the products of the organization.
Consequences of not following EI
Low EI of any employee is an unfavorable situation for any organization. The morale of a team is negatively influenced by low EI. In such a case, an employee may blame others for his fault and will not accept constructive criticism. (S)/he will have a victim’s mentality. In case of leaders, they may not take suggestions from the team and lose rapport with them.
Elements of EI for Leadership Effectiveness
Emotional Intelligence is the sine qua non of leadership according to Goleman (1998). Technical skills and IQ are only the entry level requirements for an executive. Studies have increasingly shown that EI is important for leadership. At the higher levels of organizational hierarchy, it is EI that distinguishes star performers from average ones in most cases. Goleman found EI to be twice as important as IQ and technical skills for jobs at every level. It is possible to hone EI over time. This is because leaders can both be born as well as be made. Goleman (1998) gives five components of EI for creating effective leaders. They are;
1. Self-awareness: One should comprehend one’s own emotions and the impact that they have on others e.g. self confidence or the ability to crack jokes on oneself. Only a self- aware person will be able to set limits on himself in terms of behavior and in dealings with others.
2. Self-regulation: One should show restraint on oneself in that one should always think before taking action e.g. integrity or the willingness to change. There are instances when one crosses an acceptable limit and behaves in a manner that is considered negative by others.
3. Motivation: Monetary benefits should not be the guiding force for one’s actions. One should persist in achieving one’s goals for e.g. commitment or optimism. If there is no motivation, there will not be any goal to achieve or hurdle to overcome in the organization.
4. Empathy: One should put oneself in another person’s position and think about an issue e.g. ability to retain talent or the sensitivity to diversity. A true leader is one who understands the pain and suffering that a follower undergoes and shows solidarity with him. And,
5. Social Skill: One should not only manage relationships but must also network within the organization and the industry e.g. leadership or the ability to persuade. A leader is not a mechanical robot but a human who interacts with other fellow beings.
(Source: Goleman, 1998).
Strategy to improve Social Skills among Leaders
Social skills are important for any individual as they show how to interact with individuals and groups. However, they are not restricted to just personal occasions. They are significant in professional settings also, especially for leaders in an organization. The following are some occasion where the leader can display and test his social skills.
1. Meetings: A leader should display his caliber by taking the lead and taking a stance in meetings and discussions by speaking his mind. A leader should be vocal about his stance as it shows his sense of direction and the attitude that he has cultivated over time.
2. Guiding Events: Corporate events require compeering which guides the flow of the event. Speakers and listeners are equally oriented to the occasion. Compeering calls for attention to detail and quick reflexes and guidance to be provided at any stage of the event.
3. General Reading: A leader becomes aware of emotional issues and their significance by reading up on such issues. A well read person has a broader perspective of events unfolding in front of him. Social skills can be developed by reading on this topic.
4. Mentoring: One should have social skills if (s)/he is to train and become a role model for junior staff for the future. A leader should be one who can be looked up to in case of problems or for sane advice. He has the experience to train juniors and fresh recruits.
5. Self Esteem: Social skills develop confidence in a leader about his abilities and his self image which reflects in his leadership. A confident leader can lead a confident team and become the inspiration for many employees to follow. A person with low self-esteem cannot become a leader.
6. Presentations: A leader should be able to make power point presentations and handle seminars sometimes on the spur of the moment as part of his social skills. Clarity of thought gives a leader the concise information required to make presentations and the depth of topic for a seminar.
7. Touch of Humor: Humor is the spice of life which makes serious and tense issues light and easy to handle by the leader. Humor diverts employees from the topic and gives them a fresh and unique point of view. It dissolves hard and negative emotions that arise due to the situation.
8. Analyzing behavior: Only a person who can interact well with others can analyze how others behave and react in certain situations. This information can be shared with the person being observed for suggestions and corrective action.
Conclusion
The foregoing discussion gives an overall picture of the concept of EI. Its adoption has important ramifications for the conduct of a leader in the organizational setting. A leader can never be complete unless he can understand the emotions, primarily his very own and then those of others. It hence overturns the previously held belief that a leader should be bereft of emotions since he cannot be partial to any particular individual or aspect in his approach.
Leadership is not a science since it involves humans. Every situation requires its own solution which should be apt for it. A superior leader can emerge only at the peril of ignoring emotions. It can be safely concluded that EI is a skill that every leader should hone if he were to move up the corporate leader rather than limiting himself to heading a basic team in the lower echelons of the hierarchy.
References
Côté, S., Lopes, P. N., Salovey, P & Miners C. T.H. (2010). Emotional intelligence and leadership emergence in small groups. The Leadership Quarterly 21(3):496-508. · DOI: 10.1016/j.leaqua.2010.03.012
Goleman D., (1998). What makes a Leader? Harvard Business Review. Retrieved from http://www.extension.iastate.edu/registration/events/ela/pdf/goleman.pdf
Hess, J. D & Bacigalupo, A. C. (2011). Enhancing decisions and decision-making processes through the application of emotional intelligence skills. Management Decision, 49(5), 710-721. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/00251741111130805
Khalili, M. A. (2013). Relationship between emotional intelligence & leadership style human resource management. International Journal of Management Research and Reviews, 3(4), 2689-2702.
Mayer, J. D., Salovey, P & Caruso, D. (2006). “Models of Emotional Intelligence”. In Handbook of Intelligence, Sternberg, R. J. (Ed.). Cambridge University Press. Print
