Emotional Intelligence and Its Importance in Healthcare Leadership

This article discusses the importance of emotional intelligence in healthcare leadership, including personal and social competencies. It also highlights how emotional intelligence can improve patient care and build relationships.

Running Head: EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE 1
Cardiovascular Diseases
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation
Introduction
Emotional intelligence refers to the ability to recognize comprehend and manage our own
emotions and influence the feelings of others. In practical context, this means that being aware
that emotions can impact people positively or negatively and understanding how to manage those

EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE 2
emotions particularly under pressure (Sadri, 2012). For many years, emotional intelligence has
been recognized by many organizations that are actively involved in leadership. Research has
indicated that emotional intelligence exists, it is an element in personal and professional success,
and it can also be improved.
Also, there are personal and social competencies in emotional intelligence. Personal
competence deals with self-awareness and self-management. Self-awareness means that an
individual can access his or her emotional state because of the understanding of his or her
emotions. There are three elements of self-consciousness which include; accurate self-
assessment, self- awareness, and self-confidence (Dye & Garman, 2006). Self-awareness is also
about understanding one's own strength and weaknesses. Self-management focuses on the
understanding that a person has gained through self-awareness and involves controlling a
person's emotions and not letting the feelings control them. Self-confidence consists of the
capability of grounding so that a person can be secure and be self-assured in whatever situation
that can arise.
Self-management also focuses on trustworthy and consciences and motivation taking
into account commitment and optimism levels. Social competence concerns itself with social
awareness and social skills. Social competence is all about covering the ability to read the
emotion surrounding and the power of the relationships leaders encounter in their roles. It also
includes relationship management which involves using self- awareness and those of others to
build relationships (Emotional Intelligence and Leadership Behavior, 2013). It also requires
identification, analysis and managing relationships with individuals out of the team and their
development through coaching and teaching. Furthermore, it entails the ability to communicate,
persuade and lead others while being direct and honest without criticizing them.

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Emotional intelligence is essential for effective healthcare leaders creates awareness
which allows them to remove their perception from the decision-making process and gives the
deserved care to the patient. It also enhances good communication which helps in building staff
trust and managing change in the organization (Why is Emotional Intelligence an Important
Leadership Trait, n.d). Also, Ohio State of leadership studies (the 1940s) found out that leaders
who can establish mutual trust, respect, obedience and warmth and rapport with members of their
group will be more productive. This unfolded into the assessment center that was first used in
the private sector at AT&T in the mid-1950s. Many of the individual's attributes measured in
assessment centers include social and emotional elements like initiative, interpersonal skills, and
sensitivity.
In conclusion, emotional intelligence helps healthcare leaders to work well with other
departments and ensure that the interests of the patients are adhered to because it will improve
health. It also helps in building and maintains relationships without prejudice. Emotional
intelligence also focuses on personal and social competencies.
References
Dye, C. F., & Garman, A. N. (2006). Exceptional leadership: 16 critical competencies for
healthcare executives. Chicago: Health Administration Press.
Emotional Intelligence and Leadership Behaviour. (2013). doi:10.13007/023

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Sadri, G. (2012). Emotional intelligence and leadership development. Public Personnel
Management, 41(3), 535–548. Retrieved from
http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy.cecybrary.com/login.aspx?
direct=true&db=rzh&AN=*******198&site=eds-live&scope=site
Why is Emotional Intelligence an Important Leadership Trait? (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.selectinternational.com/blog/why-is-emotional-intelligence-an-important-
leadership-trait