The role of emotional intelligence in MBA leadership development

MBA isn’t a degree in management, but it is a degree in leadership growth, which is more than just an academic achievement. The competition is fierce and the stakes are high. This is about shaping the future leader in you who is fierce and unbothered by the complexities thrown in your way. It helps you redefine your destiny and gives you unparalleled confidence to navigate fearlessly around the varied complexities that surround the world of business.

Given that there’s always a sense of chaos and growth intertwined in this field, the need for the hour becomes the incorporation of emotional intelligence.

Why so? you ask.

There’s a constant effort to make the already competitive course a tad bit easier and more humane. This is achieved through the implementation of emotional intelligence.

The inclusion of emotional intelligence in any field develops a sense of well-being and the feeling of acceptance and also boosts overall efficiency. The students are propelled towards a bright future which encourages them towards unparalleled growth, all the while ensuring they have the apt amount of emotional stability and empathy.

So as you choose your MBA leadership course, you need to consider a plethora of options, emotional intelligence being one of them. This is an investment that will steer your career shall propel you towards unparalleled leadership and in turn guarantee you success.

Understanding Self and Others

Leadership in an MBA program isn’t about oneself. The values you showcase as a leader shall permeate through your entire squad and will ultimately decide the fate of the team. As you incorporate emotional intelligence into your leadership, you shall know how to maintain a balance between your emotions and the ones who work with or under you. That creates a parasocial bond that helps the team grow unanimously towards the same goal. The ability of a leader to develop emotional intelligence greatly benefits the work environment and pushes the team toward its full potential. It develops a sense of well-being and the group as a whole feel understood and belonged.

Managing Relationships

Building a one-on-one relationship with the client or a company is a mammoth task in itself. Without the involvement of emotional intelligence, this becomes next to impossible. To build relationships with clients which are solely based on trust there needs to be a higher level of emotional intelligence like no other. This gives solace and comfort and a sense of clarity that further deepens the bond between an individual and the team.

Adaptability and Resilience

Though leadership is often associated with success there’s another side to it. Not every time you’ll get a taste of success and it’s then that your emotional intelligence is put to test. The ability to foster resilience and to put the team back up after setbacks is a skill valuable beyond comprehension. A positive outlook helps you motivate your team and helps to make any task look less daunting. The power to influence and motivate others comes with your ability to keep your emotions under your utmost control.

Influencing and Motivating Others

Motivating and influencing your team and making them believe in themselves is the first stepping stone to success. Any Leadership course in MBA helps an individual to incorporate a good sense of emotional intelligence that helps the individual to understand and navigate through the highs and lows of the team as a whole. This stability in turn helps establish achievable goals with a clear plan in mind. The positive influence helps motivate the team to achieve a common goal.

Ethical Decision-Making

Not every leader makes it a point to make ethical decisions but a good leader does. The emotional intelligence of a leader is proven when you can take accountability for the consequences of your actions. It’s the ability to put yourself in the shoes of others and know how your decisions will affect the team as a whole.

The ability to steer clear of any challenges and provide a just environment to anyone under your wing all the while incorporating a good sense of emotional intelligence is everything you need to keep in mind while you indulge in any MBA leadership program. Though the advantages of emotional intelligence are many they aren’t often preached enough. With the ever-changing work environment, this becomes a skill that is unparalleled and should be a part of your everyday ethical practices.

(The author is Founder-President, AAFT Pvt. Ltd.)