SIGNIFICANCE OF EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE IN LEADERSHIP

Purpose: The main purpose of the article is to present theoretical assumptions of emotional intelligence and its influence on leadership challenges. The article presents the evolution of the leadership concepts and the most important models of emotional intelligence in order to identify the attributes that influence leader effectiveness and the role of emotional intelligence in leadership. Methodology: The article has been written following a careful review of leading literature of the subject and in accordance with the logics of resource-based view. Conclusions: Emotional intelligence is of high significance in leadership and its level affects the quality of collaboration and fosters networking based on healthy relationships. A manager with a high EQ consciously and effectively creates a work atmosphere that supports solving problems, and his/her ability to control own and others’ emotions builds trust and encourages creativity, development, and even committing mistakes, thus creating a sustainable, success-oriented organisational culture. Originality/Value: This article contributes to further discussion on the role of emotional intelligence in leadership. The very concept of emotional intelligence and its internal structure is still evolving, just as it is in the case of leadership. As a result, the dynamics of both areas, their interdependence and varying attitudes of scientists make it difficult to identify a precise boundary defining the extent to which emotional intelligence determines leader effectiveness, which even more encourages further research and extrapolation of these areas.