Week 8 - Emotional Intelligence

Question 1

What is emotional intelligence?

Answer 1

• Researchers have been examining factors that make effective leaders for decades
• Trait theories suggested that effective leaders have unique traits – intelligence, determination, vision
• However, the behavioural and contingency theories found simple possession of such traits to be insufficient for achieving success at organisational-level
• Emotional intelligence refers to competencies related to one’s ability to recognize, understand and manage their own emotions as well as those of others they interact with

Question 2

Why the need for emotional intelligence?

Answer 2

• IQ alone does not predict effective leadership and therefore organisational success
• Perennial difficulties associated with ‘identifying’ those with ‘potential’ to become leaders within organisations
• At the upper echelons of organisations, technical competencies are of lower importance
• Empirical evidence that supports a positive relationship between emotional intelligence and leader/organisational performance
• Emotional intelligence can be learned - managers can be trained on emotional intelligence through structured long-term training programs

Question 3

Emotional intelligence – self-management skills (List 3)

Answer 3

• Self-Awareness
• Self-Regulation
• Motivation

Question 4

Self-Awareness

Answer 4

Self-aware individuals:

• Have a deep understanding of one’s emotions, strengths, weaknesses, needs, and drives.
• Are neither overly critical or unrealistically optimistic – they value honesty with oneself as well as with others
• Understand how their feelings affect them, others, and their job performance
• Have a solid understanding of their values and goals

Identifying self-aware individuals:

• Ability to speak accurately and openly about their emotions and the impact they have on their work
• Frank in admitting failure
• Recognise and highlight their limitations as well as strengths

Question 5

Self-Regulation

Answer 5

• Extreme displays of negative emotion unlikely to result in effective leadership
• Those with self-regulation are not bound or controlled by their feelings
• They are able to control feelings and use them to their advantage
• Why does self-regulation matter?
  
  • Leaders in control of their feelings are more likely to create trusting and inclusive work environments
  • In highly volatile environments where one’s adaptability dictates survival and success, selfregulations enhances one’s adaptability to change
  • Can lead to greater integrity in leaders

Question 6

Motivation

Answer 6

Effective leaders:

• Have a desire to achieve beyond expectations -> their own as well as everyone else’s.
• They want to achieve for the sake of achievement and not necessarily for external rewards
• Continuously attempt to raise the performance bar and track progress
• Are better equipped to deal with failure, especially when combined with self-regulation
• Have a strong passion for what they do (those with leadership potential included)

Question 7

Emotional intelligence relationship-management skills (List 2)

Answer 7

• Empathy
• Social Skill

Question 8

Empathy

Answer 8

• Thoughtfully considering other’s feelings along with additional factors when making decisions
• Why empathy?
  
  • Increasing reliance on teams
  • Rapid rate of globalisation
  • War on talent (i.e. mentoring and coaching)

Question 9

Social Skill

Answer 9

• Culmination of other dimensions of emotional intelligence - allows competency in other dimensions to be employed
• A core task of being a leader is ‘managing relationships’ with others –> above, parallel, and below
• Being friendly –> but with a specific purpose –> influencing people to move in the same direction as you
• Those with strong social skills:
  
  • Wide network within and outside organisation
  • Find it easy to establish common ground with a diverse range of people

Question 10

Learning emotional intelligence

(2 components & explain)

Answer 10

Genetic component to emotional intelligence

• Emotional intelligence a product of the brain’s limbic system governing feelings, impulses, and drives
• The limbic system learnsFd best through motivation, extended practice, and feedback
• Training the limbic system takes a lot longer than training the neocortex governing analytical and technical ability

Nurture also play a significant role

• Emotional intelligence increases with age (i.e. maturity)
• However, age does not guarantee heightened emotional intelligence
• Requires sincere desire and commitment from the learner
• Easier to learn regression analysis than empathy!