Emotional Intelligence

What is emotional intelligence?

Daniel Goleman, among others, has researched and written extensively about emotional intelligence. What is clear from the work that has been done is that leaders with strong emotional intelligence are far more effective than their peers who lack this strength. In Leadership that Gets Results Goleman states, “Emotional intelligence is the ability to manage ourselves and our relationship effectively. It consists of four fundamental capabilities including self-awareness, self-management, social awareness and social skill. Each capability in turn is composed of its own set of competencies.”

Hay and BcBer explored the relationship between leadership and emotional intelligence, organizational climate and performance. Goleman notes two key results: Leaders with the best financial results do not rely solely on one leadership style but use several styles in a given week, depending on the situation. Not all leadership styles have a positive impact on organizational climate and financial performance. Increasing the emotional intelligence of leaders, and their ability to adopt a situation-appropriate leadership style improves climate and improves corporate performance.