The Role of Emotional Intelligence in Leadership, According to Psychology

Have you ever been wowed away while interacting with a person whose aura screams leader? What traits do you believe screamed leadership vibes? Maybe it was their charming personality or their ability to understand what you need or feel without you even saying a word. Certain individuals have a natural ability to attract others. What factors determine whether someone becomes a leader or a follower? What traits make some individuals naturally easy to get along with? One trait would be emotional intelligence.

Emotional intelligence and leadership go hand-in-hand. It plays a determining role in how well a leader will perform and how effectively they interact with their subordinates. Emotional intelligence in leadership is like the ace of a volleyball team when it comes to leadership skills. We are naturally attracted to admiring and looking up to people who are good at understanding others and themselves. We expect leaders to be well-rounded people who people can depend on.

Read More: Signs You are Born to be a Leader, According to Psychology

Whenever we face obstacles, it’s the leader who takes charge to solve the problem. What helps them manage both themselves and others without compromising on their own emotions? The answer again is emotional intelligence.

What is Emotional Intelligence?

Intelligence- a word we usually use to illustrate a desirable ability to learn from experiences and use it to solve problems we see in our environment. However, soon many psychologists realised that this definition does not do justice to people who excel in different fields. We cannot claim that a person who won in the Olympics is less smart than a person who ranked high on the SAT.

It would be unfair and belittling to the person who worked hard to do their best and excel in the field they chose. It was high time we moved away from the IQ/Intelligence Quotient to measure who is intelligent and who is not. This is when psychologists came up with Emotional Intelligence. We humans, whether we like it or not, cannot live without others.

Especially when we talk about emotional intelligence and leadership, we want to understand them while conveying properly about us. Emotional Intelligence is the ability to understand and discriminate between emotions, and monitor their own emotions along with others using this information to guide their behaviour (Mayer & Salovey, 2004).

It is the skill of discerning between subtle clues of emotions that both others and the individual are feeling. They are then skillfully able to use this information to solve problems around them. Emotional Intelligence and leadership are the best examples of how a person can use emotions and empathy to solve problems.

What Are The Dimensions Of Emotional Intelligence:

Before we dive into the benefits of being emotionally intelligent as a leader. We need to understand the components that make emotional intelligence relevant. Daniel Goleman gave 5 components that make up emotional intelligence. Once we discuss these elements, you might get a better understanding of what makes it so important:

1. Self-Awareness:

Who can we rely on but ourselves when it comes to knowing what we want? Well, definitely not our parents when we were teenagers. The answer is you yourself. Self-awareness is the capacity to recognize and comprehend one’s own emotions and actions. It involves actively questioning what is causing your current emotions and why. A self-aware person is able to take accountability for their actions and understand how to manage them.

Read More: Self-Awareness is the key to Self-Mastery

2. Self-Regulation:

What is the next step after becoming aware? It is regulating the emotions you gained clarity about. Now that you have named your emotions, it is time to express and manage your emotions healthily. An emotionally intelligent person knows how to express their emotions without having to hurt anybody else, while also not hiding them.

Read More: Self-regulation Tips for People with Anxious Attachment

3. Social Skills:

When we talk about leaders, we want someone who can convince us and consider what is best for everyone. We want someone who has the social skills to understand and make others feel heard. Skills like active listening or interpersonal skills impact how people around us interact with us. Social skills are a key player when it comes to emotional intelligence and leadership. Developing rapport with people around you is also an important professional skill, allowing you to have peace in your work life.

Read More: How to improve your social skills?

4. Empathy:

“Try walking in my shoes”. A statement most people have had at least once thrown to their face. Emotionally intelligent people are able to mirror the feelings of others, almost as if they were experiencing it themselves. It involves experiencing the emotions of others as though they were happening to oneself. It allows you to create meaningful relationships with others, making you a reliable leader.

Read More: Role of Empathy in Building a Meaningful Relationship

5. Motivation:

Here we are not only talking about motivation in the form of fame, wealth, or power. Instead, we are talking about motivation that comes from within. While good grades, money or luxuries keep us motivated for a while. True motivation comes from something that you find meaningful, something that you believe is fulfilling. Only when one is in align with their true passion can they feel completely motivated (Cherry, 2023).

Read More: 6 Tips to Gain Motivation: Be Motivated Even When You Don’t Feel Like It

The Role Of Emotional Intelligence In Leadership, According to Psychology:

Emotional Intelligence has become the most sought-after skill by employers. When we talk about leaders in any context whether it is a political leader or a boss of a huge organization. We want someone who carries others with them instead of fulfilling their own needs first. Leaders who are
not able to understand the needs or emotions of their employees end up losing the credibility and trust of their subordinates. The person may excel in their field but if they fail to negotiate and manage their relationships with others they overlook necessary factors that land them into trouble (Landry, 2019).

A leader cannot imagine reaching to their position without emotional intelligence beside them. Emotional Intelligence is a guiding skill that allows a leader to understand themselves and their subordinates. It allows them to make decisions that benefit everyone including their environment considering the ups and downs of every situation. A good leader needs to listen, understand and decide to ensure the well-being of others. Did you notice any component of emotional intelligence sparking with your personality? Even if you did not, don’t worry. Emotional Intelligence is a skill you can always improve so keep working on it.

FAQs

Q1. What is the role of emotional intelligence in leadership?

Research has shown that emotional intelligence is a key predictor of successful leadership. Leaders who possess high levels of emotional intelligence are more likely to be successful in their roles and have a positive impact on team members.

Q2. Do leaders need emotional intelligence?

The importance of emotions in the workplace has led a lot of researchers to recognize the importance of emotional intelligence in effective leadership making it vital for emotional intelligence and leadership to go hand in hand.

Q3. How to build emotional intelligence as a leader?

Start by listening closely and avoid judgment before the person stops speaking. Connect with your subordinates at a personal level and try to understand their motivations and values. Seek to understand both yourself and others. By taking these steps you can start your journey towards developing emotional intelligence as a leader.

Q4. Who is an emotionally intelligent leader?

An emotionally intelligent leader is one who is aware of their own thoughts and behaviour and how it affects other individuals and teams they lead. This allows them to productively and effectively communicate with teams creating a harmonious environment.