Dealing with confusing times requires drastic measures. COVID-19, one of the most significant events in 2019, created an immediate frenzy. January 6th, 2021 showcased how voting results can sway people to make far-reaching choices. February 2022, the war between Russia and Ukraine generated trepidation for others' well-being. The anxiety and emotional turmoil generated from circumstances discussed above will not go away easily. Yet, the aftermath of these conditions will lessen with emotionally strong leaders at the forefront. Using emotions to help create relationships reduces anxiety. This chapter focused on understanding the origins of emotions, recognizing the benefits of emotional intelligence and transformational leadership styles, drawing attention to how these behaviors create learning organizations, and proposing the best ways to move forward in turbulent times.
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The world changed in 2019. COVID-19 forced people to reevaluate views on safety and health (Elbarazi, 2022). So far, 979,725 deaths ensued in the United States due to the coronavirus (Cable News Network.com). January 6th, 2021 brought additional panic as people witnessed a mob of 2,000-2,500 supporters of Donald Trump storm the White House in Washington, D.C. (Cable News Network.com) Additional civil unrest happened in February, 2022 when Russia invaded Ukraine (Cable News Network.com). These instances created fear and panic (Elbarazi). This new found anxiety carried over into the workforce. Employers began determining alternate plans for work arrangements while also addressing employees’ wellbeing (Supramanian, Shahruddin, & Sekar, 2022). When faced with turbulent times, maintaining mental health remains a top priority (Lawrence, 2021). As a result, businesses quickly realized the importance of providing outlets for employees who needed additional emotional support.
The ability to maintain emotions begins in the brain because the brain facilitates emotional advancement. Edelman & Van Knippenberg (2018) assert leaders must react appropriately to emotions in order to effectively work with and relate to others. Responding accurately throughout times of doubt requires a combination of skills (Karimi, Leggat, Bartram, Afshari, Sarkeshik, & Verulava, 2021). Today, organizations remain under immense pressure to respond to an ever-changing workforce (Karimi, et. al, 2021). These changes instigated an increased focus on hiring and retaining leaders with emotional intelligence abilities because these qualities help employees embrace change (Görgens-Ekermans & Roux 2021). In the workplace, a person’s capacity to manage their own emotions is crucial. Psychologists affirm this skill is known as emotional intelligence (Supramanian, Shahruddin, & Sekar, 2022). In today’s post-pandemic areas, EI skills outweigh intelligence because emotionally intelligent leaders relate better to followers (Supramanian, et. al.).
To connect with followers, leaders must acknowledge their emotions by putting themselves in someone else’s shoes and continuing to monitor their own emotional state during difficult situations (Mateiaş 2018). In some cases, gaining emotional intelligence skills persists as a work in progress since problem-solving skills also require expertise and patience (Bayraktar, Yalçınkaya, Eyitmiş, 2021). Once mastered, possessing aptitude and talent proves necessary because emotions, attitudes and values assist leaders with creating a sound problem solving process (Bayraktar, et. al). As a result, relying on the tenets of emotional intelligence will help lead to effective problem-solving and creative solutions (Bayraktar, et. al). As leaders witnessed first-hand, innovative solutions help begin the process of getting things back to normal.
When the world began to change, organizations experienced a climate shift due to social, cultural and political differences (Karasneh, & Momani 2020). These recent outcomes illustrate the importance of emotional intelligence (Karasneh & Al-Momani). In order to balance retention and performance, leaders must develop swift changes to current processes. Adjusting systemic opportunities requires brainpower combined with strategy. These necessary updates would not have been possible without also exercising the principles of emotional intelligence. Leaders with high emotional intelligence enhance job satisfaction, increase job performance and improve organizational situations (Lai; Tang; Lu; Lee; & Lin, (2020) & Raman, Peng, & Chi (2021). Based on these findings, emotional intelligence and effective leadership remain an integral part in shaping and creating a positive and functional organizational atmosphere.
Additionally, the necessity to create effective organizations begins with the leader and employee engaging in authentic relationships and positive interactions (Karimi, Leggat, Bartram, Afshari, Sarkeshik, & Verulava, 2021). To rebuild departments and teams, leaders must create new strategies to encourage happiness and security which will lead to job satisfaction (Edelman & Van Knippenberg). Even though the aftermath of the pandemic taught leaders the importance of embracing changes during times of crisis, employees still need reassurance that leaders have a plan in place (Karimi, et. al, 2021). Preparing a plan will ensure seamless cultural transitions during times of ambiguity (Supramanian, Shahruddin, & Sekar, 2022).