RESEARCH PAPER
Understanding Emotional Intelligence in Business
By
Liliana Melo
General Psychology SSY 101.6924
LaGuardia Community College, Long Island City
May 31, 2007
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Understanding Emotional Intelligence in Business
TOPIC: Emotional Intelligence: the key to get a successful project.
GENERAL PURPOSE: To explain emotional intelligence in the workplace, specifically in project
management.
THESIS: Emotional intelligence provides a lot of benefits for individuals as well as organizations; however,
emotional intelligence affects leadership behavior in openness of communication and influences the conflict
resolution style of project leaders.
Outline
I.
INTRODUCTION:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Concept of Intelligence
Conceptualizing Emotion
Definition of Emotional Intelligence
The Origins of Emotional Intelligence
II. Measuring Emotional Intelligence in Organizations
1. Methods of Measuring Emotional Intelligence
2. EI models and components
III. APPLICATIONS OF EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE:
1. Generalities
2. Emotional Intelligence in the workplace
3. Improving Emotional Intelligence
IV. EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE IN PROJECT MANAGEMENT
1. Leadership skills and emotional intelligence
2. Application of emotional intelligence in project management
V. CONCLUSIONS
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Emotional Intelligence Applied in Project Management
"What really matters for success, character, happiness and life long achievements is a definite set of emotional skills your EQ - not just purely cognitive abilities that are measured by conventional IQ tests."
- Daniel Goleman, Ph.D. -
Intelligence surrounds everybody. According to the research “Cognitive Science by Luger (1995),
Intelligence is present all the time, “more than the occurrence of artistic and creative brilliance, present in
the moment-to-moment adaptation of systems to complex environments, in the recognition of patterns, and
even in the retrieval of old memories.” It seems that even in the outlines of the modules and their aims it is
implicit. What does intelligence mean? In 1995, American Psychological Association defined intelligence:
Individuals differ from one another in their ability to understand complex ideas, to adapt effectively to the
environment, to learn from experience, to engage in various forms of reasoning, to overcome obstacles by
taking thought. Although these individual differences can be substantial, they are never entirely consistent: a
given person’s intellectual performance will vary on different occasions, in different domains, as judged by
different criteria. Concepts of "intelligence" are attempts to clarify and organize this complex set of
phenomena. Although considerable clarity has been achieved in some areas, no such conceptualization has
yet answered all the important questions and none commands universal assent. Indeed, when two dozen
prominent theorists were recently asked to define intelligence, they gave two dozen somewhat different
definitions.
Individuals differ from one another in their ability to understand complex ideas, to adapt effectively to the
environment, to learn from experience, to engage in various forms of reasoning, to overcome obstacles by
taking thought. In fact, intelligence concepts are efforts to explain and organize this complex set of
intelligence. Theories of intelligence have evolved through a model succession to understand and measure
intelligence, but some theories explain that emotions and feelings influence intelligence. Also, the
psychologists found a distinction between intelligence and knowledge in the area of cognition (i.e. IQ). The
researches demonstrate that IQ is a reliable measure of cognitive capacity, and is stable over time. Thus,
Goleman clarifies: "IQ washes out when it comes to predicting who, among a talented pool of candidates
within an intellectually demanding profession will become the strongest leader;” so traditional measures of
intelligence, such as the IQ test, fail to fully explain cognitive ability.
The psychologist, Cherniss and Goleman in their article “Correcting common misconceptions about
emotional intelligence” say that “questions about the relative contribution of EI and IQ arose from a
considerable body of previous research suggesting that IQ accounts for a relatively small amount of the
variance in important life outcomes.” Only in recent years have people begun to appreciate the powerful
links between emotional intelligence and their success. Ever heard the question “If you’re so smart, why
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aren’t you rich?”. Nowadays, people know that emotional intelligence matters twice as much as cognitive
abilities such as IQ or technical expertise. The influence of emotional intelligence on popular culture and
the academic community has been rapid and widespread.
The psychologist, Peter Salovey and John Mayer, describe “qualities like understanding one's own
emotions, empathy for the feelings of others, and managing one's emotions. In addition to grade point
average, IQ, and other standardized testing, emotional intelligence (EQ) is being described as a new and
better way of measuring an individual's chance of success in life. The higher your EQ, the greater your
ability to manage your feelings and deal effectively with others, the greater your chances is for a happier
life”. Thus, everyone is primarily emotional. Everything that people does, or refrains from doing, is triggered
by their deeper emotions.
So what does emotional intelligence mean? According to Meyer and Salovey, Emotional
Intelligence refers to the capacity to recognize our own feelings and those of others, for motivating
ourselves, and for managing emotions well in us and in our relationships. Also, Emotional intelligence
includes the ability to regulate one’s emotions and to use them to make good decisions and act effectively.
So, Emotional Intelligence (EI) provides the bedrock for many competencies that are critical for effective
performance in the workplace.
MODELS
Salovey, Mayer,
Caruso
Six Seconds
Bar-on
Q-Metrics
SELF-AWARENESS
Perceive
Understand
Know yourself
Intrapersonal
SELF-MANAGEMENT
Regulate
Choose yourself
Interpersonal
General Mood
Stress Management
Sense
Understand
Table 1 A comparison of EQ Models
SELF-DIRECTION
Generate
Give yourself
Adaptability
Apply
History Issue:
The first psychologists that began to write and think about intelligence focused on cognitive
aspects of intelligence such as memory and problem-solving. However, the first time for “emotional
intelligence" was when Charles Darwin theorized a broader emotional social intelligence used for survival
and adaptation in humans. In 1920, E. L. Thorndike used the term "social intelligence" to describe the skill
of getting along with other people. As early as 1940 Wechsler referred to “non-intellective” as well as
“intellective” elements. In fact, intelligence is influences by affective, personal, and social factors.
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Furthermore, as early as 1943 Wechsler was proposing that the non-intellective abilities are essential for
predicting one’s ability to succeed in life. In the article “Emotional Intelligence: What it is and Why it
Matters” by Cary Cherniss, in 1958, Wechsler defined intelligence as “the aggregate or global capacity of
the individual to act purposefully, to think rationally, and to deal effectively with his environment”.
Wechsler was not the only researcher who saw non-cognitive aspects of intelligence to be
important for adaptation and success. In 1975, Howard Gardner began the formulation of the idea for
"Multiple Intelligences." He identified eight types of intelligence; later two more were added, including both
interpersonal intelligence and intrapersonal intelligence. Also, Gardner proposed that “intrapersonal” and
“interpersonal” intelligences are as important as the type of intelligence typically measured by IQ and
related tests in 1983.
Research on the concept originated with Peter Salovey and John Mayer starting in the late 1980s.
In 1990, their seminal paper (1990) defined the concept as intelligence. Mayer and Salovey continue to
research the concept. There are numerous other assessments of emotional intelligence each advocating
different models and measures. Early 1990s, there was a long tradition of research on the role of noncognitive factors in helping people to succeed in both life and the workplace. The current work on emotional
intelligence builds on this foundation. However, the application of emotional intelligence to business was
popularized by Daniel Goleman in 1995 through his books and articles.
MEASURING EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE
Methods of Measuring Emotional Intelligence
Measures of emotional intelligence are available to help people better understand their emotional
strengths and weaknesses. Measuring Emotional Intelligent help to determine if we are independent from
our own feelings and ability to adjust ourselves to them, have ability to recognize, name and direct our
feelings, discern the grades of feelings and use them in positive way, and, as a consummation, can derive
actions from it.
According to Julie B. Thibodeaux in her article “What Is Your Emotional Intelligence Quotient?”
explains IQ is the best measure of human potential. However, researchers have found that this isn't
necessarily the case. Recently, the concept of emotional intelligence quotient (EQ) has been introduced as
a greater predictor of success.
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Figure 1 EQ: Emotional Quotient
a. Self Report:
Some tests use a self-report method. Self-report is the most common way to measure things such
as personality traits. Personality traits include warmth, empathy, and anxiety. Self-report tests
have been around for decades and they serve a very useful purpose; for example, this approach is
akin to asking us a series of questions about our intelligence: are we very smart? , are we good at
solving problems? Or do we have a large vocabulary?
b. Other Report:
If emotional intelligence is all about “people skills”, why not ask other people what they think of us?
On the face of it, this seems to be a legitimate means of testing emotional intelligence. In fact,
observers, let's say team members, are given a form to complete about us. These are some
examples of questions that they may be asked: are you able to read people well?, Do we manage
emotions effectively? Or do we understand our emotions? But these ratings of our behavior are
based upon their own observations, as well as their own biases.
Emotional Intelligence Components:
Emotions are our feelings; hence, emotional intelligence is our life. Emotional intelligence does not
only measure emotions or intelligence. According to Dunn, components of emotional intelligence which can
be regarded as key to success in life are as follows:
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 Self-awareness and self-honesty
 Knowledge about causes of emotions
 Self-regulation and modulation of one’s emotions
 Empathy
 Motivation and good decision-making
 Ability to analyze and understand relationships
 Intuitiveness
 Creative and flexible thinking
 Integrated self
 Balanced life
One has to concede to the fact that emotional intelligence is environmental in nature and can be
learned and increased over lifetime of an individual. Number of personal, social and personality factors
seems to affect emotional intelligence to a great extent.
APPLICATIONS OF EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE
In the technical Research “Bringing Emotional Intelligence to the Workplace” by Cary Cherniss and
Daniel Goleman, the researchers found that the interest in "emotional intelligence" has increased the
assumption to apply emotional intelligence to improve the social and emotional competence of adult
workers. According to Cherniss and Goleman, “Social and emotional learning is different from cognitive and
technical learning, and it requires a different approach to training and development” (1). In fact, through the
report, 22 guidelines for developing emotional intelligence in organizations were based on the best
knowledge available on how to promote social and emotional learning.
Moreover, the business community has embraced the concept of emotional intelligence and its
importance ever since Daniel Goleman’s best-selling book. The challenge that lies ahead is to demonstrate
that such competencies can be acquired and when they are, that they significantly impact employee
performance. Otherwise, new researches applied in corporations that adopted emotional intelligence
training have shown that “EI” can be learned and it is effective. When programs are implemented,
improvements in productivity and profits are displayed. In effect, some authors have claimed that emotional
intelligence predicts success at work, at school, and in relationships, as well as or better than IQ.
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Emotional Intelligence in the workplace:
In working with Emotional Intelligence, Goleman applies the emotional intelligence concept to the
workplace setting. His analysis is based on the emotionally intelligent worker is skilled in two key areas he
presents in his emotional competence framework. These are "personal competence" - how we manage
ourselves, and "social competence" - how we manage relationships. Each part has specific competencies
according to the table No. 2 table below.
PERSONAL COMPETENCE
SOCIAL COMPETENCE
 Self Awareness
 Empathy
(of internal states, preferences, resources,
(awareness of others feelings, needs, and
and intuitions)
concerns)
 Self Regulation
 Social Skills
(of internal states, impulses, and resources)
(adept at inducing desirable responses in
 Motivation
others)
(tendencies that facilitate reaching goals)
Table 2 Goleman’s emotional competence framework
According to Goleman:
At best IQ contributes about 20% to the factors that determine life success, which leaves 80% to other
forces...No one can yet say exactly how much of the variability from person to person in life's course it
accounts for. But what data exist suggest it can be as powerful, and at times more powerful, than IQ."
In the promotional materials for their own emotional intelligence test, the originators of the concept, Mayer
and Salovey, provide the following clarification regarding the role of emotional intelligence:
"In some ways, interest in Emotional Intelligence has been due in part to a backlash against claims that
general intelligence - IQ - is the key to success. We know that IQ does predict academic achievement and
occupational status, but it still only predicts about 20% of personal variation in these areas. Psychologists
have yet to understand what predicts the other 80% of success in these areas of life. We believe that
Emotional Intelligence is one of the abilities which are related to life success, but we are as yet unable to
determine just how important Emotional Intelligence is.
So, where does Emotional Intelligence fit in? Despite popular reports to the contrary, there are few relevant
studies on the matter to date. Our best guess is that Emotional Intelligence will make a unique contribution in
the 5% to 10% range. It makes sense that Emotional Intelligence plays a role in our friendships, parenting,
and intimate relationships. Our research, to date, is just beginning to examine these issues in depth.
We can say that emotional intelligence may lead to personal and professional success has
generated a great deal of excitement among the general public, managers, academics, and business
consultants alike. In fact, the concept of leadership has both social and emotional components. Social
intelligence appears to tap the social component found in leadership. Mayer and Salovey suggested that
the emotional intelligence and social intelligence constructs overlap since the power of both emotional and
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social intelligence to account for variance in self-reported leadership experiences. So, social intelligence
appears to play a principal role in leadership.
Improving Emotional Intelligence:
Today, many books have been written about Emotional Intelligence and its application and how to
improve EI, telling us how to get in touch with our emotions. The importance of improving our emotional
intelligence is based on our emotions since they enable us to experience life as well as are considered the
most powerful factors in determining how we act, make decisions, set personal boundaries, and
communicate with others. In order to better understand and control our emotions, we can improve the
quality of our lives applied the follows:
1. Take responsibility for our emotions and our happiness.
2. Examine our own feelings rather than the actions or motives of other people.
3. Develop constructive coping skills for specific moods. Learn to relax when our emotions are
running high and to get up and move when you are feeling down.
4. Make hunting for the silver lining a game. Look for the humor or life lesson in a negative situation.
5. Be honest with ourselves. Acknowledge our negative feelings, look for their source, and come up
with a way to solve the underlying problem.
6. Show respect by respecting other people's feelings.
7. Avoid people who invalidate you or don't respect our feelings.
8. Listen twice as much as you speak.
9. Pay attention to non-verbal communication. We communicate with our whole selves. Watch faces,
listen to tone of voice, and take note of body language.
10. Realize that improving our emotional intelligence will take time and patience.
EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE IN PROJECT MANAGEMENT
In today's competitive business environment, companies implement strategic initiatives through
projects in order to improve their profits and survive. The projects consist of cross-functional teams that are
formed to utilize individual expertise. A project manager whose primary responsibility is to achieve project
objectives leads these individuals. Because of the aspects of a project, the role of the project manager is
critical to project success and the performance of the team members as well as stakeholders. Some
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researches have demonstrated that there is a special link between leadership style, emotional intelligence,
and the success of complex projects.
According to the conference “Project Manager’s Competence in Emotional Intelligence”, Dr. Lew
Ireland explains the importance of the project manager role in the success of their projects:
Availability of people to staff a project is important, but more important is how the staff is managed to get the
best performance possible. Tapping the potential and motivating individuals and teams to work toward a
common goal is a job for the project manager. More often than not, the project manager is more qualified to
manage the technical progress of the project than to lead the team to deliver the best product in the most
efficient manner.
Also, Dr. Ireland explains the impact that environment affects the performance of the project manager
.
Sometime we work for others because we are told that is our job and other times we work for others purely
because we want to be associated with that person. Those who we would rather not work for often give
offense through their personal management style.
Those we want to work for treat us well and are consistently fair in their dealings with us. Perhaps, the
difference could be called possessing emotional intelligence competence.
Doing a job that is worthwhile and being led by a person who always seems to be in control of himself or
herself is a comfortable environment although the tasks may be difficult and the workdays long. This
environment is created by people working together as a team toward a common goal.
The results indicated that emotional intelligence affects leadership behavior in openness of
communication. Project leaders displaying High emotional intelligence tend to use more open
communication with their subordinates. Another finding revealed that emotional intelligence influences the
conflict resolution style of project leaders. Project leaders with high emotional intelligence have a tendency
to use accommodating and collaborative styles. In fact, emotional intelligence motivates project leaders to
promote harmony, and to resolve conflicts with win-win situations.
Leadership skills and emotional intelligence
Research show that 67% of the essential competencies required for effective leadership today are
motional competencies. Emotionally intelligent leaders are more likely to achieve results and are effective
in dealing with the complexity involved in leading change and organizational transformation.
Transformational leadership arouses emotion and taps into the emotional and spiritual resources of an
organization. It provides the emotional glue that causes organizations and the people in them to excel.
Overall emotional intelligence and the understanding emotions task of emotional intelligence are
found to relate significantly with the inspirational motivation component of transformational leadership. In
addition, the strategic area of emotional intelligence is to relate significantly with the attributed idealized
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influence and individual consideration components of transformational leadership. Project management
provides business with a vehicle to implement change. Therefore, to adapt to changing business and
environmental conditions, organizations require their project managers to lead strategic initiatives or
projects. By identifying leadership styles and emotional abilities that increase the probability of successfully
completing complex projects, this study provides organizations and their project managers with
professional and career development opportunities.
Application of emotional intelligence in project management
Technical knowledge alone just isn’t enough to bring the toughest projects in successfully.
Emotional Intelligence for Project Managers introduces managers to the basic concepts of emotional
intelligence and shows how they can apply them to their project goals, even if project managers already
recognize the role and value of emotions in the workplace (the way relationships influence the way
decisions are made and work gets done). Also, Emotional Intelligence for Project Managers offers them the
tools and guidance they need to take their E.I. to a higher level, bringing projects in on time and under
budget by changing the way they interact with your people.
According to Dr. Ireland, project managers should consider the following aspects in order to
improve their performance through their projects:
Project managers must build trust with others through actions that demonstrate honesty and integrity.
Honesty and integrity are vital traits to build upon through consistently holding to the truth. One lie can
destroy future trust. Do not be like the fellow who was known to bend the truth most of the time. When he told
the truth once, it was considered an “honest mistake.”
Project managers must be committed to achieving the project’s goals and must motivate others while
practicing self-motivation. Commitment to the project’s goals comprises completing the project as planned or
getting relief from the requirements. One boss defined commitment as “deliver,” “obtain forgiveness,” or
“send your death certificate.”
Project managers must effectively communicate with different levels of workers and managers. A good
communicator knows when to speak and when to listen. Being assertive in arguments and using the proper
tone to emphasize items is essential to convey the message. Listening to others and understanding the
context as well as the meaning of what is being said is important to ensure effective communication.
Negotiation skills are important to achieve project goals. Negotiation is a planned activity that attempts to
obtain a win-win situation where both sides gain and there are no losers. The best outcome is when all
parties are pleased with the agreement reached.
Finally, Dr. Ireland explains the Project managers can improve on their emotional intelligence competence:
studying new model of project management; having a mentor to assimilate the experience and good
judgment of a successful senior person; capitalizing on personal strengths and improving on weaknesses.
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CONCLUSION
In conclusion, Emotional intelligence (EI) is “the ability to accurately identify and understand one’s
own emotional reactions and those of others, and to regulate one’s emotions and to use them to make
good decisions and act effectively” according to Goleman. In fact, the application of the emotional
intelligence has competencies that make the biggest difference in individual performance at work since they
are based on EI. For instance, EI can be improved at any age; several programs for doing so have been
developed and found to be effective. However, improving EI takes considerable time and effort. In some
ways, emotional intelligence really is not new since EI is based on a long history of research and theory in
personality and social. Moreover, Emotional intelligence provides a lot of benefits for individuals as well as
organizations. Some studies have been focused on exploring the benefits of emotional intelligence for
project leadership and conflict management and resolution, being more useful and interesting to consider
how important it is for effective performance at work, especially, its application in project management.
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