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The influence of emotional intelligence theory on contemporary leadership theories

Mini study project (MBA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The modern business environment is volatile, fast moving and complex, bringing new
challenges for leadership. Many new theories on leadership were therefore
developed, including emotional intelligence theory. The study focused on the
question whether emotional intelligence theory has influenced the other
contemporary leadership theories or not.
Emotional intelligence theory propagates that there is a wide spectrum of
intelligences that include emotional intelligence, which is defined as the person's
capacity to recognise his own feelings and those of others, for motivating himself and
for managing emotions in himself and in his relationships. Emotional intelligence falls
within four domains, namely self-awareness, self-management, social awareness
and relationship management. Each of these domains can be broken down into
specific emotional intelligence competencies needed for superior performance.
Most traditional leadership research can be classified into one of four approaches,
namely the trait approach, behavioural approach, power-influence approach and
situational/contingency approach. Some traditional theories fall outside of this
classification, while others cut across two or more approaches. Contemporary
leadership theories tend to have a more human approach and a stronger focus on
soft skills.
A comparison was done to establish whether there were any notions similar to the
emotional intelligence competences in the traditional or contemporary leadership
theories and whether these notions have become more important in contemporary
theories than they were in traditional theories.
It was found that the competencies of self-assessment, service orientation and
change catalyst are new concepts that were not found in traditional leadership
theories, while competencies such as emotional self-awareness, self-control,
trustworthiness, adaptability, initiative, empathy, visionary leadership, communication, building bonds and teamwork have gained popularity to some extend
in modern leadership theories. The other competencies either carried the same
weight in traditional theories than in contemporary ones or no specific conclusion
could be reached.
Although there are definite differences between the importance of certain
competences in traditional and contemporary leadership theory, it is not possible to
conclude that these changes are due to the influence of emotional intelligence. It
should rather be hypothesised that these modern theories developed side-by-side
due to the changes in the modern business environment, which provided new
challenges to organisations and leaders, necessitating the development of new
theories. The theories might even have cross-pollinated each other, but it is not
possible to stipulate a direct influence of one on the other. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die moderne besigheidsomgewing is wispelturig, vinnig-bewegend en kompleks met
talle nuwe uitdagings vir leiers. Baie nuwe leierskapsteorieë is dus ontwikkel, onder
andere die teorie van emosionele intelligensie. Hierdie studie het gefokus op die
vraag of emosionele intelligensie teorie die ander kontemporêre leierskapsteorieë
beïnvloed het, al dan nie.
Emosionele intelligensie teorie propageer 'n wye spektrum intelligensies wat
emosionele intelligensie insluit. Emosionele intelligensie word gedefinieer as die
persoon se kapasiteit om sy eie en ander mense se gevoelens to herken, om
homself te motiveer en om sy eie emosies en die emosies betrokke in sy
verhoudings te bestuur. Emosionele intelligensie kan verdeel word in vier domeine,
naamlik self-bewustheid, self-bestuur, sosiale bewustheid en verhoudingsbestuur.
Elkeen van hierdie domeine kan verder verdeel word in spesifieke emosionele
intelligensie vaardighede wat nodig is vir voortreflike prestasie.
Meeste tradisionele leierskapsteorieë kan geklassifiseer word onder een van vier
benaderings, naamlik die eienskap benadering, gedrags benadering, mag-invloed
benadering en die situasie I gebeurtenis benadering. Sommige tradisionele teorieë
val buite hierdie klassifikasie, terwyl ander weer oor twee of meer benaderings strek.
'n Vergelyking is gedoen om vas te stelof daar enige neigings soos die emosionele
intelligensie vaardighede in die tradisionele of kontemporêre leierskapsteorieë
voorkom en of the neigings meer belangrik geword het in kontemporêre teorieë as
wat hulle in tradisionele teorieë was.
Dit is bevind dat vaardighede soos self-waardasie, diensorïentasie en
veranderingskatalisator nuwe konsepte is wat nie in die tradisionele leierskapsteorieë
gevind is nie, terwyl vaardighede soos emosionele self-bewustheid, self-beheersing,
betroubaarheid, aanpasbaarheid, inisiatief, empatie, verbeeldingryke leierskap,
kommunikasie, die bou van bande en spanwerk 'n mate van populariteit gewen het in moderne leierskapsteorieë. Die ander vaardighede het óf dieselfde gewig gedra in
tradisionele teorieë as in kontemporêre teorieë, óf daar kon tot geen spesifieke
gevolgtrekking gekom word nie.
Alhoewel daar definitiewe verskille is tussen die belangrikheid van sekere
vaardighede in tradisionele en kontemporêre leierskapsteorieë, is dit nie moontlik om
tot die gevolgtrekking te kom dat die veranderinge as gevolg van die invloed van
emosionele intelligensie teorie is nie. Daar kan eerder gepostuleer word dat hierdie
moderne teorieë sy-aan-sy ontwikkel het as gevolg van die veranderings in the
moderne besigheidsomgewing wat nuwe uitdagings vir organisasies en leiers gestel
het en dus die ontwikkeling van nuwe teorieë genoodsaak het. Die teorieë kon
mekaar selfs gekruiskontamineer het, maar dit is nie moontlik om In direkte invloed
van een op die ander te stipuleer nie.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/53650
Date12 1900
CreatorsLombaard, Winnie
ContributorsNel, Christo, Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. Graduate School of Business.
PublisherStellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Source SetsSouth African National ETD Portal
Languageen_ZA
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeThesis
Format137 p.
RightsStellenbosch University

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