Emotional Intelligence and Transformational Leadership

2779 Words12 Pages
Emotional Intelligence and transformational leadership Abstract The following paper is an analysis of how emotional intelligence impacts a leader’s ability to make effective decisions. The first section of the essay defines the parameters of emotional intelligence, transformational leadership and effective decision-making. This is followed by an explanation of how the aspects of emotional intelligence affect a leader’s ability to make effective decisions regarding an organization and how emotional intelligence is fundamental to leadership. The last section of the paper concludes with leaders’ responsibilities that are employed through the use of emotional intelligence. Keywords: emotional intelligence, effective decision-making, leadership Emotional intelligence is an overall assessment of an individual’s capacity to control emotions, comprehend and respond to others’ emotions and manage relationships. This concept was at first realized by Charles Darwin when he focused on the significance of emotional expression in survival and adaptation. Thorndike (1920) later used social intelligence as a description for the skill of understanding and managing other people. Wayne Payne is attributed to the first term of emotional intelligence. On the other hand, EI has been mentioned in Salovey and Mayer (1990) and Goleman (1995).Emotional Intelligence refers to the capacity to mutually understand and manage your emotions and those of people around you. Individuals who have a high degree of emotional intelligence generally know what they are feeling and how the impact their emotions have on people around them. Emotional intelligence is vital for leaders who want success. (Mayer & Caruso, 2012). According to Bradberry and Greaves (2009), Daniel Goleman publicized the idea of Emotional Intelligence and lays out the means of measuring and improving ones’ EI.
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