A Case study on the Influence of Emotional Intelligence on Transformational Leadership as Perceived by Employees in Company X

Abstract

The role every manager must fill in the workplace is leadership. Managers often make the mistake of assuming that because they are the managers, they are also the leaders and that their associates will automatically follow. In reality, position only denotes title, not leadership. Peter Northouse (2001) defines leadership as a process whereby one individual influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal. To be an effective leader, the manager must influence his associates in a positive way to reach the goals of the organization. Furthermore, the transformational leadership approach can help managers become exceptional leaders. Considering as well the ongoing complexities of the organizations in the 21° century, this study aims to determine contributory factors on the behaviors of leaders, particularly in the field of transformational leadership. In view of this, emotional intelligence is seen to be one of the factors that have highly gained popularity and significance in the organizational setting. Thus, this study seeks to determine the interplay of these variables in a small-scale organization in the Philippine context. This study looks into the different social competencies of emotional intelligence and factors of transformational leadership. With a study conducted among 24 employees in a construction firm, it has been found out that emotional intelligence plays no influence on the transformational leadership behaviors of its Superiors. Based from the findings, the employees have a general idea of what emotional intelligence is. Certain aspects of the variable were mentioned such as the idea of personal self and others, feelings and emotions, relationships, and behaviors. The respondents have the concept of what personal and social competences are, as described by the distinction they gave on the feelings of one’s self and others according to their answers in the survey. When analyzed, employees also have a basic concept of several EI competencies such as (a) Self-Awareness, (b) Social Awareness, and (c) Relationship Management. Among the factors of transformational leadership, the employees perceived the following, as the most exhibited to the least exhibited behaviors, by their superiors: Laissez-faire leadership, Inspirational motivation, Individualized consideration, Management-by-exception, Intellectual stimulation, and Idealized influence. Among the different social competencies of emotional intelligence, the employees perceived Leadership and Organizational Awareness as the most exhibited by their superiors followed by Influence, Empathy, Teamwork and collaboration, Change catalyst, Service orientation, Conflict Management, Building bonds, and Developing Others, respectively.