Emotional Intelligence

Summary of: The Emotional Intelligence of Leaders by Daniel Goleman

Goleman (1998) contends that the most effective leaders possess high emotional intelligence. Because all leaders possess a relatively high IQ, emotional intelligence is the distinguishing factor between successful leaders and those that are not as effective. Studies conducted of hundreds of organizations show that among high performers, most have higher emotional intelligence. Additionally there have been stories of many (but not all) employees being denied promotions into upper management because they lack character.

The physiology of the brain structure indicates that feelings rank higher than thinking. The amygdala which stores emotional memory was developed much earlier than the cortex, which is the part of the brain that controls thinking. When humans experience emotionally charged situations, it is called an amygdala hijack, which can trigger a kneejerk reaction. It is the cortex which infuses logic and stops individuals from making rash decisions during an amygdala hijack. The fact that the amygdala and cortex work in conjunction with each other means that we cannot remove emotions from thinking and conversely, we should not try to remove emotion from the workplace.

There are 5 characteristics of emotional intelligence which are also necessary to be a good leader.

Self-awareness is the ability to make decisions based on your values and beliefs. People should use their gut-feeling, which is not just a saying but an actual physical occurrence, that aids in the decision making process. Self-awareness is required for any meaningful self-assessment and it often leads to self-confidence. All of which are aspects that amount to good leadership.

Managing emotions entails being able to keep your feelings in check and not react hastily. In a Stanford University study children who demonstrated more self-control at the age of four were found to be more emotionally stable, well-adjusted and...