Worldwide people in leadership positions such as managers, team leaders, teachers had to endure tougher and vastly different challenges since the start of the pandemic, as the world moved to remote working.
Unlike in conventional settings, they had to deal with people more intimately. Therefore, people with generally higher emotional intelligence, were able to tackle a wide variety of issues much easily during remote work, according to researchers from the University of Toledo, United States.
In a paper published in the Journal of Leadership and Organisational Studies, the researchers have revealed that individuals with generally higher levels of emotional intelligence experienced lower levels of stress while leading remotely during the pandemic.
"Prior to the global pandemic, most leaders did not have any formal training or on-the-job learning experiences related to leading remotely in a crisis situation," Jenell Wittmer, co-author of the paper, an industrial and organizational psychologist and an associate professor of management at the University of Toledo's John B. and Lillian E. Neff College of Business and Innovation, said in a press release. "The results of our analysis confirm how effectively perceiving and managing one's emotions contribute to effectively dealing with the challenges of leading remotely in crisis situations."
Researchers found that emotional intelligence, especially self-perceptions, and stress tolerance generally helped leaders navigate their own concerns while leading their teams remotely. This also helped them provide better support, direction to employees while offering better communication and engagement.
“The COVID-19 crisis has tested even the strongest leaders, both personally and professionally," Margaret Hopkins, co-author of the paper and a professor of management at the University of Toledo, said in a press release. "Our study provides insights into how emotional intelligence provides a personal resource to leaders as they navigate leading remotely during a time of crisis."
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