The concept
The term emotional intelligence (EI) was introduced into psychology by Peter Salovey and John Mayer (1990), who defined it as the ability to monitor one's own and others' emotions, discriminate among them and use this information to guide thinking and action. It was widely popularised by Daniel Goleman in Emotional Intelligence (1995).
Goleman's model
In What Makes a Leader? (HBR, 1998) Goleman described five components of emotional intelligence at work:
| Component | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Self-awareness | understanding one's emotions, strengths, weaknesses and values |
| Self-regulation | controlling impulses, thinking before acting |
| Motivation | drive beyond money and status |
| Empathy | understanding others' emotions and perspectives |
| Social skill | building relationships, networks, collaboration |
In a later model (with R. Boyatzis) the four domains are self-awareness, self-management, social awareness and relationship management.
Goleman argued that at senior levels EI, more than IQ and technical skill, distinguishes outstanding leaders from average ones.
Scientific debates
- The ability model (Mayer, Salovey, Caruso; MSCEIT test) treats EI as a form of intelligence.
- Mixed models (Goleman, Bar-On) combine abilities with personality traits and competencies.
Critics point out that some popular claims (e.g. that EI “matters twice as much as IQ”) are exaggerated. Meta-analyses nonetheless confirm a moderate relationship between EI and job and leadership performance, especially in roles involving work with people (e.g. Joseph and Newman, 2010).
Why it matters for community leaders
In communities leadership rests almost entirely on relationships and influence rather than formal power. Leaders must handle their own tiredness, disappointment and anger and read the group's mood. Emotional maturity is also one of the criteria in the White Book's selection of leaders.
The Christian tradition knows related ideas: the virtue of temperance and meekness, the examination of conscience as training in self-awareness, mercy as empathy in action. See cardinal virtues, Goleman's leadership styles, Daniel Goleman.
Sources
P. Salovey, J. D. Mayer, Emotional intelligence, Imagination, Cognition and Personality 9 (1990) D. Goleman, Emotional Intelligence, Bantam 1995 D. Goleman, What Makes a Leader?, Harvard Business Review 1998 D. L. Joseph, D. A. Newman, Emotional intelligence: An integrative meta-analysis and cascading model, Journal of Applied Psychology 95 (2010)