Emotional Intelligence: A Critical Aspect of Leadership and Work

This essay delves into the crucial role of emotional intelligence (EI) in the workplace, highlighting its importance for both leaders and employees. It argues that EI is as essential for effective working as it is for effective leadership. The essay explores how individuals with high EI can manage their own emotions and those of others, leading to improved communication, conflict resolution, and overall job performance. It emphasizes that EI contributes to better job dynamics, cooperation, and the ability to handle workplace stress. The essay further discusses how EI enhances interpersonal skills, teamwork, and adaptability to change, ultimately creating a more productive and harmonious work environment. The essay concludes by underscoring the detrimental effects of low EI, such as dysfunctional organizations, poor interpersonal relationships, and ineffective communication, reinforcing the significance of EI for workplace efficiency.

Business Communication
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Contents
Introduction.................................................................................................................................................3
Emotional Intelligence is as important for effective working as for effective leadership............................3
Conclusion...................................................................................................................................................5
References...................................................................................................................................................6
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Introduction
Emotional intelligence is the ability which an individual exhibits, to understand and manage
other people and own feelings and emotions (Higgs & Dulewicz, 2016). A person with high
emotional intelligence can channelize thinking and behaviour patterns in a positive manner
(Goleman, 2012). Such a parson can also adjust emotions to suit changing needs. Emotional
intelligence involves the ability to become aware of emotions; ability to harness emotions
through thinking and the ability to manage emotions effectively (Walton, 2012).
Emotional intelligence is considered to be a very important trait of effective leadership
(Goleman, 2011). Emotional intelligence helps a leader to harness own and workers emotions
and it helps them in channelizing emotions to get the best output (Walton, 2012). However,
emotional intelligence is also important for effective working in an organisational environment
(Goleman, 2011). This essay will throw light on the reasons why emotional intelligence is
needed for effective working.
Emotional Intelligence is as important for effective working as for effective leadership
Emotional intelligence is mostly associated with able leadership (Ashkanasy, et al., 2012). A
leader with high emotional intelligence can manage an organisation through understanding and
compassion (Ashkanasy, et al., 2012). He can concentrate on the growth of the organisation.
Leaders with emotional intelligence can motivate a workforce better and can communicate their
vision in a more effective way. (Kreamer, 2011) However, for workers too emotional
intelligence is as important as it is for leaders. This is because emotional intelligence leads to
better job dynamics and better understanding.
Employees are impacted by everyday decisions of the firm like recruitment, transfers, role
changes and retrenchment. Employees need to have emotional intelligence to understand and
manage the impact of this decision on them (Banfield & Kay, 2012). Additionally, employees
with higher level of emotional intelligence are able to cooperate in a better way with
organisational leaders and their own colleagues (Ashkanasy, et al., 2012). This is because they
can judge people’s reaction and act accordingly. Emotional intelligence is needed in both leaders
and the workers (Ashkanasy, et al., 2012). If just the leaders have emotional intelligence and the
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workers lack it, the firm will not be able to manage, as workers will not be able to assess the
impact of motivational techniques used by leaders. (Bach & Edwards, 2012). Consequent, they
will not be able to increase their productivity.
Emotional intelligence can help an employee in managing work life stress, solving conflicts and
learning from previous experiences (Goleman, 2012). Through a high emotional intelligence the
employee can sense the mood and aspirations of others. This cam helps him in reacting to others
in an appropriate manner (Goleman, 2011).
High level of emotional intelligence may be beneficial to employees in positions which require
greater interpersonal skills; like, sales or service delivery (Bach & Edwards, 2012). In such job
positions workers are constantly interacting with customers, other employees or managers. Such
workers need to understand how people react to situations. They also need to have an ability to
manage stress caused by continued customer interaction. Therefore, those workers may be
successful who have higher emotional intelligence (Ashkanasy, et al., 2012). This is because
workers with higher emotional intelligence will be able to understand the emotions of customers
and manage their own emotions to bring out the best service efficiency.
According to theories of emotional intelligence, success of an employee or leader is dependent
on skills like perseverance, self-control and good interpersonal skills (Goleman, 2012). An
employee who possesses emotional intelligence will be able to understand other’s feelings. In
turn, he will be able to formulate relationships within the work setting in a more productive
manner (Kreamer, 2011). An employee with emotional intelligence will be perceived as
understanding and compassionate by others (Goleman, 2011). This will lead to more cooperation
in the job roles.
Workers with higher level of emotional intelligence are better equipped to work in teams as they
are able to handle emotions pertaining to job roles in a better way (Higgs & Dulewicz, 2016). A
higher emotional intelligence level helps an employee in knowing and controlling emotions.
Such employees are able to adjust to change and are more flexible and adaptive (Bach &
Edwards, 2012). Flexibility and adaptation to change has become very important in the current
business scenario as technology and business methods are continuously changing (Bach &
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Edwards, 2012). Therefore, employees who are unable to manage emotions in the changing
settings will not be able to manage themselves and their job roles.
Lack of emotional intelligence can disrupt an employee’s career (Bach & Edwards, 2012).
People with lack of emotional intelligence have a lesser ability to enhance interpersonal
relationships (Bach & Edwards, 2012). Therefore, such people can be perceived as rude. Such
employees are not able to communicate themselves well to both their co-workers and the
leadership (Kreamer, 2011). Such workers are not able to cooperate well with leadership even if
leader has high emotional intelligence (Kreamer, 2011). Therefore, such workers may not be
popular and other workers may not want to work with them
It is said that leasers who lack emotional indigence are more volatile (Higgs & Dulewicz, 2016).
Such leaders cannot control extreme emotions like anger and can indulge in emotional outbursts.
This can be very demotivating for employees and destructive for the organisation (Bach &
Edwards, 2012). Similarly, workers who cannot handle and tap their emotions, tend to be more
volatile. Such workers tend to be prone to conflicts and end up being part of fights (Kreamer,
2011). Such conflicts in work place can lead to workplace ineffectiveness and inefficiency.
Therefore, emotional intelligence is as important for workers as it is for leaders, as it helps in
channelizing the work direction.
Conclusion
Low emotional intelligence can lead to dysfunctional organisation. It can lead to rigidity in the
organisation. Emotional intelligence is needed in workers to manage team roles effectively.
Emotional intelligence also helps in improving work relations and interpersonal skills. This leads
to better sales and service delivery. Emotional intelligence also helps in creating an environment
of cooperation, coordination and cordial work culture. Therefore, emotional intelligence is very
important for workplace efficiency.
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References
Ashkanasy, N. M., Härtel, C. E. & Zerbe, W., 2012. Experiencing and Managing Emotions in
the Workplace. Bingley: Emerald Group Publishing.
Bach, S. & Edwards, M., 2012. Managing Human Resources: Human Resource Management in
TransitionStephen Bach, Martin Edwards. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons.
Banfield, P. & Kay, R., 2012. Introduction to Human Resource Management. Oxford: Oxford
University Press.
Goleman, 2012. Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ. New York: Random
House Publishing Group.
Goleman, D., 2011. Working With Emotional Intelligence. London: Random House Publishing
Group.
Higgs, M. & Dulewicz, V., 2016. Leading with Emotional Intelligence: Effective Change
Implementation in Today’s Complex Context. Humburg: Springer.
Kreamer, A., 2011. It's Always Personal: Navigating Emotion in the New Workplac. London:
Random House Publishing Group.
Walton, D., 2012. Introducing Emotional Intelligence: A Practical Guid. London: Icon Books.
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