Emotionally intelligent leaders and self-actulizing behavors: any relationship?

Abstract

Today’s business environment requires dramatically different leadership from previous years. The 21st century workforce expects a more humanistic style of leadership that goes beyond intellectual and technical know-how to encompass a more open, value-oriented mindset associated with an emotional intelligent leader. This paper explores this type of leader and the relationship between emotional intelligence and self-actualization. Using the model of Bradberry and Greaves (2009), the authors look at how emotional intelligent leaders achieve Maslow’s (1954) highest order of self-actualizing behavior. The authors outline how leaders possessing the four skills of self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management fulfill Maslow’s highest human potential.

Keywords: emotional intelligence, leadership, self-actualization, humanistic leadership, fully functioning person