EFFECT OF EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE ON LEADERSHIP STYLES IN ORGANIZATIONS (A STUDY OF SELECTED MANUFACTURING FIRMS IN ENUGU METROPOLIS)

Abstract

This project is motivated by the need to study the impact of emotional intelligence (EI) on leadership styles in organizations. Having observed the importance of strong and strategic leadership to the success of an organization, there is a need to appraise the impact of EI in the workplace.The objectives of the study are to examine the impact of EI on leadership styles, to identify the impact of the adopted leadership styles on the productivity of the team, to study the various challenges associated with motivating employees, to assessthe facilities put in place to monitor employee satisfaction and to evaluate the level of EI within the research sample. Two research hypotheses were formulated in line with the objectives of the study. The survey study method which allows a researcher to use questionnaire or direct interview to gather relevant data was adopted for the study with a sample size of 97. A structured questionnaire was administered and was the main instrument used for data collection. The data collected was subjected to face validity test. The ANOVA and chi – square (x²) techniques were used to test the hypotheses. The results indicate that: the EI level ofleaders is a critical success factor for enhanced team performance.

The study showed that a team leader’s EI affects team level emotional competence and team performance through the development of emotionally competent group norms (EGCNs). This study also supports the assertion that the EGCN affect team performance. Majority of the respondents agree that EI influences the success with which leadersinteract with colleagues, the strategies they use to manage conflict and stress and overall job performance.

List of Abbreviations

Table of Content

Title page                                                                

Certification                                                            

Dedication                                                              

Abstract                                                                  

List of abbreviations                                               

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1. Background of the Study                                              
2. Aim and Objectives of the Study                                   
3. Problem Statement                                                               
4. Research Questions                                                      
5. Statement of Hypotheses                                                      
6. Scope of the Study                                                        
7. Limitations of the Study                                               
8. Relevance of the Study                                                 
9. Definition of Key Terms                                                

CHAPTER TWO

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK AND LITERATURE REVIEW

• Conceptual Framework                                                 
• Theories of Emotional Intelligence
• Concept of Leadership Styles
• Leadership and team performance
• Interrelationship between Team Performance and Emotional Intelligence
• Summary of Literature Review                                      

CHAPTER THREE

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

• Research Design                                                   
• Sources and Instrument of Data Collection          
• Sampling Procedure                                              
• Method of Data Analysis                                               

CHAPTER FOUR

DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSES AND DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS

• Biodata of Respondents                                        
• Presentation of Data according to research questions   
• Test of Hypotheses                                                

CHAPTER FIVE

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

• Summary of Findings                                           
• Conclusion                                                           
• Recommendation                                                  
• Areas for further studies                                               

References

Appendix

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

• Background to the study

When the concept of EI was first popularized in 1995, it was touted as the missing link as to why people with average Intelligence Quotients (IQs) outperform those with the highest IQs 70% of the time. This anomaly led to a re-evaluation of what was assumedto be the sole source of success ­IQ. Subsequently, decades of research now point to EI as a critical factor that sets star performers apart from the rest of the pack.Among other measures, the level of EI may be measured by the Emotional Quotient (EQ) through the use of personality tests and questionnaires.

In the workplace, EI has been associated with the extent to which managers conduct themselves in ways that are supportive of the goals of the organization, according to the ratings of their supervisors. Similarly, EI is hypothesized to influence the success with which leaders interact with employees, the strategies they use to manage conflict and stress and overall job performance. The level of EQquantifies that “extra something” in each of us that is intangible. It affects how we manage behavior, navigate social complexities, and make personal decisions that achieve positive results.

EI is made up of four core skills that pair up under two primary competencies: personal competence and social competence.

1. Personal competence is focused on a person’s self-awareness and self-management skills rather than that person’s interactions with others. Personal competence describes the ability to be aware of one’s emotions, and manage behavior and tendencies.
2. Social competence comprises social awareness and relationship management skills. Social competence measures the ability to understand the moods, behavior, and motives of others in order to improve the quality of relationships.

EI, intelligence and personality are essential and distinct parts of the whole of an individual. EI taps into a fundamental element of human behavior that is distinct from intellect. There is no known connection between the IQ and EI i.e. you simply cannot predict EI based on how smart an individual is. Intelligence is the ability to learn, and it’s the same at age 15 as it is at age 50. EI, on the other hand, is a flexible set of skills that can be acquired and improved with practice. Although some people have naturally higherlevels of EQ than others, levels of EQ can be easily improved.Personality is the final piece of the puzzle. It’s the stable “style” that defines a person. Personality is the result of hard-wired preferences, such as the inclination toward introversion or extroversion. However, like IQ, personality can’t be used to predict EI. Similar to IQ, personality is mostly stable over a lifetime and rarely changes. IQ, EI, and personality each cover unique grounds and help to explain what makes a person tick.

Also, it is often argued that a leader’s level of EI influences the development of the group’s emotional intelligence (GEI), which is measured by a team’s ECGN. Secondly, it is hypothesized that the presence of ECGNs will positively influence team effectiveness. EI competencies have been shown to be significantly related to individual performance both in cognitive tasks where the individual is under stress and in tasks where individuals are interdependent on one another. At the team level, the study of emotions and the effects of emotions on team performance is a relatively new avenue of research.  Since teamwork is an inherently social activity, emotions play an important role in team effectiveness.

Generally, manufacturing firms follow the traditional hierarchical organizational structure, consisting of a Board of Directors, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operations Officer, department heads, team leaders and then employees. The key functions of a manufacturing company include production, purchasing, marketing, technical, accounting, and customer service. The leadership style and corporate attitude of the organization has a direct impact on team performance. A team leader is the fulcrum of the team and determine the success or failure of the team at achieving organizational objectives.Hence, significant effort is put into the recruitment and training of leaders to ensure the smooth execution of management strategies through proper utilization of the organizational resources.

Typically, team leaders are responsible for breaking down the organizational goals into achievable tasks to be executed by mid-level and junior staff, as well as monitoring performance. Employees (human capital) are a key resource in achieving the goal of any organization. Usually, employees are subject to the leadership style and direction of the team leader. The achievement of organizational goals is hinged on the team leader’s ability to motivate employees towards attaining set targets. This ability is heavily influenced by EI, as the team leader’s EI is a key determinant of his leadership style and consequently, his method of motivating employees.

Upon this background, this study is poised to investigate and appraise to the best of the researcher’s ability the impact of EI on leadership styles in organizations.