The Role of Emotional Intelligence for Women Leaders in Business

This essay delves into the critical role of emotional intelligence (EI) for women leaders in the workplace. It emphasizes how EI enables effective communication, builds strong interpersonal relationships, and helps women navigate gender stereotypes. The essay highlights the empathetic and assertive qualities of women, which, when combined with EI, facilitate conflict resolution, change management, and the ability to address team concerns. It discusses how EI fosters transformational leadership, enhances decision-making, and contributes to problem-solving abilities, ultimately creating business leaders of the future. The essay draws on several research papers to support its arguments, underscoring the importance of EI in fostering a positive and productive work environment.

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Emotional
Intelligence

Table of Contents
Introduction........................................................................................................................3
References.........................................................................................................................5
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Introduction
Emotional Intelligence is the ability to manage one’s emotions for better performance at
workplace, leadership role fulfillment and to support and maintain teams. With many
different cultures interacting in an office arena, the workplace is a platform to
understand different people, cooperate and share ideas, intending to meet a common
objective or goal. Different cultural interactions often bring to the table innovative
solutions and suggestions, which might not be attainable during individual work
performances. The ease of work realized with different interacting cultures often can
become problematic as well (Mathew, 2015). Many different opinions can sometimes be
conflicting and could result in concerns that does not build the performance.
In order to manage the conflicts, keep the tea involved and reduce the negative impact
of misunderstandings, a competent emotional understanding is required (Mayer &
Oosthuizen, 2017). This emotional competency not only builds trust, generates
confidence but also gives opportunities for new and efficient team. The summary
present here is an addressal to the challenge’s women faces due too stereotypes at
workplace, where emotional competence for effective communication helps bring string
relationships and break the stereotypes.
Women stereotypes are very familiar in work cultures where women are not considered
suitable to deliver performances but are rather seen as a house maker alone. These
stereotypes often expand to other organizational domains and challenge the role of
women leaders. Gender stereotyping and the glass ceiling effects are often seen as
dominant concerns even in large organizations where processes, equality and integrity
are all part of organization’s core values (Vongalis-Macrow, 2016).
Women are considered to be emotionally strong. They are empathetic, patient,
assertive and have the ability to manage the people very efficiently. Often
miscommunication is a primary reason of conflict in organizations, which can be easily
resolved and managed if emotional competence is maintained and reflected at.
Therefore, women are considered to be problem solvers and addresses the concerns of
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team members for effective work deliveries (Carson & Carson, 2016). With the changes
and new innovations being introduces in the organizational culture, reactions and
repulsion for acceptance of something new occurs. With women leadership, the
management of change becomes easy as the have the ability to empathetically address
the concerns and address the challenges.
Change is often a good significant indication of growth. Organizations invest in new
technology or improved processes to enhance the performance and maximize the
potential (Taylor, et al., 2016). Therefore, it is often important to manage the team for
acceptance of the same. Leaders have the primary responsibility to bring in change as
smoothly as possible. Therefore, change management is a key part of leadership
competencies. Women at many times suit the role of change agents very effectively.
The ability of women to understand problems, express conveniently and to connect with
others as an extended understanding is often a key motivation for many team members
to establish interpersonal relationships. An interpersonal relationship at workplace has
been observed as a string factor in performance delivery, especially for leaders.
Emotional intelligence not only supports and helps in expressing ideas and thoughts
effectively but also establishes strong decision-making abilities that make them good
problem solver (Mfikwe, 2017). The self-realization factor associated with the emotional
quotient makes it easy for women to express confidence, listen to team members and
act accordingly. The emotional intelligence builds a transformational leader that is
capable of delivering work performance and excel in each area. The communication
effectiveness realized with problem solving abilities creates the business leaders of the
future.
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References
Carson, K. & Carson, P. a. B. B., 2016. Measuring emotional intelligence: Development
and validation of an instrument. Journal of Behavioral and applied Management, 2(1), p.
810.
Mathew, M. a. G. K., 2015. Transformational leadership: Emotional intelligence. SCMS
Journal of Indian Management,, 12(2), p. 75.
Mayer, C. & Oosthuizen, R. a. S. S., 2017. Emotional intelligence in South African
women leaders in higher education.. SA Journal of Industrial Psychology, 43(1), pp. 1-
12.
Mfikwe, N. a. P. T., 2017. The significance of emotional intelligence and leadership
styles of senior leaders in the South African government. Management: journal of
contemporary management issues, 22(2), pp. 115-126.
Taylor, S., Sturm, R. & Atwater, L. a. B. P., 2016. Underestimating one’s leadership
impact. Organizational Dynamic, 45(2), pp. 132-138.
Vongalis-Macrow, A., 2016. It’s about the leadership: The importance of women leaders
doing leadership for women.. NASPA Journal About Women in Higher Education, 9(1),
pp. 90-103.
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