An understanding of leadership and emotional intelligence
The concept of emotional intelligence was defined by Goleman in 2001. Our ability to recognize our own feelings as well as those of others, to motivate ourselves, to handle our own emotions as well as those of others. Emotional intelligence comes from being aware of your emotions and regulating them, as well as being sensitive to the feelings of others and handling relationships accordingly.
Those with emotional intelligence understand their strengths and weaknesses and know that managing emotions is more effective than allowing them to control them. Goleman believes that emotional intelligence is a crucial ingredient in effective leadership.
According to his research, effective leaders are alike in one crucial respect. The difference in technical skills is of negligible importance at higher levels in organizations where emotional intelligence plays an increasingly important role.
According to Goleman, emotional intelligence consists of the following components:
1. Self-awareness: Recognizing and understanding your moods, emotions, and drives, as well as how they affect others. Having self-confidence, a realistic assessment of one’s abilities, and a sense of humor that devalues one’s own worth are linked to these competencies.
2. Self-regulation: Ability to regulate own behavior and control disruptive impulses and moods, combined with persistence and energy in pursuit of goals. It is important to be trustworthy, to be able to handle ambiguity and to be open to change in order to meet the requirements of this component.
3. Motivation: The passion for pursuing goals with energy and persistence that goes beyond money and status. These are the three competencies associated with them: The ability to achieve, be optimistic even when a failure occurs, and be committed to the organization.
4. Empathy: Knowing how to treat people based on their emotional reactions and understanding their emotional makeup. A company’s ability to build and retain talent, its cross-cultural sensitivity and its customer service all play a role in this.
5. Social skills: Build relationships effectively and build networks to achieve personal goals by managing relationships and building networks, as well as finding common ground and building rapport with others. Competencies linked to this component include the ability to lead change, the ability to persuade others, and the ability to build and lead a team.
