Research Objectives
To outline the role and importance of Emotions and Emotional Intelligence, in today’s corporate world, to become a successful people’s leader.
Keywords:
Emotions, Emotional Intelligence, Motivation, Self-awareness, Leadership
Bio
Naveen Kumar Uppal is an Influential and dynamic corporate professional with over fifteen years of experience. He is a devoted Inspirational Speaker who is specialised in People Management and Skill Development. In addition, Naveen Kumar Uppal is a passionate singer and a lifelong learner who has taken his failures as stepping stones to achieve his goals.
Abstract
Every individual experience a variety of different emotions during a lifetime. This can range from feelings of happiness, anger, love, jealously, pity, sadness, agony, hate and others. Emotion is what provides individuals with a sense of being alive. They are a response to life’s experiences and situations that we encounter through a combination of feelings, thoughts, and action. They constitute towards human behavior and to a certain extent ethical behavior is based on emotion (Goleman, 1995). Human emotion can be separated into two categories including positive emotion and negative emotion that is further accompanied by both physiological and psychological changes. Positive emotions help us to develop joy, interest, gratitude, love in which the person always feel good and remains active with physiological and psychological state of mind. However, when we have negative vibes around then the physiological and psychological state of mind can lead to changes in body gestures, facial expressions, movement of the muscles. In addition, non-voluntary reactions like changes in heat rate, increased pulse rate, high blood pressure and perspiration. The effects of negative emotions always weaken your body’s immune system and give you stress, anxious, or upset and lead to demotivation. The demotivation factor will take you loneliness, frustration, anger, emptiness, fear etc. So, one of the best ways to live life positively is to control our emotions by learning and developing Emotional Intelligence in our life.
Introduction
Emotional Intelligence might sound like a contradictory word to most of us. It is believed that two vital elements comprise of emotional intelligence: emotions and intelligence. However, when we put them together as Emotional Intelligence the Oxford dictionary defines the term as “the capacity to be aware of, control, and express one’s emotions, and to handle interpersonal relationships judiciously and empathetically”. The psychologist Daniel Goleman popularized emotional intelligence in 1995 and wrote a book “Why It Can Matter More Than IQ” within which he redefines smartness. He suggests that emotional intelligence signifies the ability to observe, monitor and gauge emotions. It is a combination of interpersonal and intrapersonal intelligence involving an individual’s ability to monitor their intelligence which is related to their emotions, in addition to respecting the emotions of others.
History of Emotional Intelligence
Approximately 2000 years ago, Plato quotes that “All learning has an emotional base.” Therefore, this deepened curiosity amongst masters from various fields who started working towards the importance of feelings. Previously common thought was Emotions should be precise and controlled & they are the road blocker for anyone’s success. However, in last few decades, growing research & work in this field has proved it wrong. In the 1930’s social intelligence was defined by Edward Thorndike as the ability to ‘get along’ with other individuals.
In the 1940’s the term non-cognitive intelligence was defined by David Wechsler as a vital element of life success In the 1950’s Abraham Maslow suggested that the term Humanistic Psychologist meant that individuals are able to build emotional strength. In 1975 the concept of multiple Intelligences was initiated by Howard Gardner within his book entitled “The Shattered Mind”. Furthermore Howard Gardner delves into research further as he explains that interpersonal and intrapersonal intelligence is equally important to IQ within his book “Frames of Mind”.
In 1985 further research into emotional intelligence was conducted through Wayne Payne who wrote a doctoral dissertation entitled “A study of emotion: Developing emotional intelligence; self-integration; relating to fear, pain and desire.‘ (Theory, structure of reality, problem-solving, contraction/expansion, tuning in/coming out/letting go)”
In 1987 the renowned term “emotional quotient” was published for the first time within Mensa Magazine for the researcher Keith Beasley. In contrast it is believed that this term was utilized within unpublished literature sources namely the thesis of Bar-On.
In 1990 the landmark article entitled “Emotional Intelligence” was published by Peter Salovey and John Mayer who were both renowned psychologists. The work was published within the journal “Imagination, Cognition, and Personality”
In 1995 Daniel Goleman published is book namely “Emotional Intelligence: Why It can Matter More than IQ” which popularized the concept of emotional intelligence.
Components of Emotional Intelligence
- Self-Awareness is a skill to discover & comprehend one’s emotions – what we are feeling and why- also realizing how it impact people around us. Self-awareness showcases that one’s individuality, regarding thoughts, wants, and needs, is separate from others. Self-awareness can be constructed by true reflection of one’s on daily basis. This involves investing quality time to unearth your mind to innate thoughts.
- Self-Regulations An individual’s ability in controlling their emotions thoughts and behaviours with the aim of reaching their long-term goals. It is controlling the disturbing needs and feelings, providing an option to either be in control of your emotions or let your emotions be in control of you
- Social Awareness The ability to learn the viewpoint of others and commiserate with others, including those from disparate backgrounds and beliefs. It is an important skill to build constructive relationships and take conscientious decisions in society.
- Relationship Management Utilizing one’s awareness of own emotions and those of others to accomplish interactions. It implicates strong communication and effective conflict handling. It is the bond one builds with others over time due to the ability to inspire other people, conflict management and nurturing teamwork. Through this, individual’s have the ability to facilitate others towards the direction they desire. The ability to overcome challenges is not instantaneous, however using EI will ease the process, progressing towards goals.
Importance of EI in leadership
The technical skills that aided to secure one’s initial growth in an organization may be insufficient to secure their next desired position. If an individual has a goal to possess a leadership position then an element of emotion needs to be considered. It is beneficial in the processes of preparing teams in an effective manner, controlling stress, delivering feedback to others and working in a team. It is believed that EI is the primary factor that differentiates between individuals with high performance rates between their colleagues possessing technical skills and knowledge.
Leaders set the tenor of their association & are integral to overall success of an organization. Regardless of how great leadership is defined, EI is fundamental to it. If a leader lacks EI, then the organization could face detrimental effects including a lack of employee engagement, employee satisfaction rate and a lack of revenue.
Leadership in contemporary life aims to encourage others, help their progress and ignite a passion in others. EI helps to defeat communication flaws that are damaging to any team, therefore when leaders do not possess EI they experience communication challenges and team members do not feel they are heard. Figure 2 highlights the benefits of EI.
Emotionally intelligent leaders can cultivate and sustain a positive, creative, and efficient workplace whilst continually motivating team members to maximize their efforts. They have well-maintained relations. They build effective relationships within their personal and professional lives. Conflicts are inexorable; however, leaders with EI have the ability to transform a challenging environment into a positive and productive experience through which each team member can benefit.
Conclusion
Emotions and EI is a dominant element of the daily life of everyone. Through good communication skills and when an individual is well organized, interactions with others are positive and good decisions are promoted. When individuals lack emotional intelligence, they do not have internal happiness, they lead a quiet social life and have very few or no loving friends. Therefore, it is important to remember that EI is a trait that can be strengthened and nurtured. It is perceived as even more important than the general intelligence. EI encourages individuals to be true to themselves and it is the easiest wat to lead a complete life. In today’s world, where there is a lot of negativities, every individual would like to lead a life that is happy and positive life. This is possible, when the individual aims to cultivate high sense of emotional awareness that will facilitate them of their life’s journey.
References
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Goleman, D. (2020). 4 Emotional Intelligence Skills for Handling Crises. Los Angeles, California, United States: Korn Ferry Institute.
Hur, Y., Van den Berg, P., & Wilderom, C. M. (2011). Transformational leadership as a mediator between emotional intelligence and team outcomes. The Leadership Quarterly, 591-603.
Stern, C. (2022). Why Emotional Intelligence is Needed in Leadership. Retrieved from eiexperience: https://eiexperience.com/blog/why-emotional-intelligence-is-crucial-for-effective-leadership/
Uppal, N. K. (2021, 12). Focus Interview on Emotional Intelligence. Retrieved from Mypencildotcom.: https://mypencildotcom.in/naveen-kumar-uppal-2/
