The influence of emotional intelligence on the development of leaders in KwaZulu-Natal’s corporate sector.

Abstract

The effectiveness and success of an organisation depend on the attraction and development of leaders with exceptional skills, knowledge and experience. However, in today’s competitive environment, most organisations struggle with developing leaders who can handle major organisational challenges. Although scholars have proposed different techniques and approaches for developing future leaders, this study considers emotional intelligence (EI) as a catalyst for effective leadership development. Against this background, the study aims to investigate the influence of EI on the development of leaders in KwaZulu-Natal’s corporate sector. A crosssectional study has been conducted to collect and analyse the data from different segments of the study population. Using a quantitative approach, a descriptive survey has been employed to describe how EI influences leadership development in organisations. A questionnaire was used to collect data from 73 respondents in the focal organisation. The reliability and validity of the data have been determined by computing Cronbach’s alpha coefficient and exploratory factor analysis. The data was analysed using the Statistical Packages for Social Science, version 29.0. The regression results show a statistically significant relationship between EI and leadership performance (β= 0.647, p < 0.01). However, the relationship between EI and leadership development (β = 0.099, p > 0.01) is statistically insignificant. Moreover, the results indicate no relationship between EI and selfawareness (β = 0.282, p > 0.01) and social awareness (β = -0.039, p > 0.01). By contrast, the results show a statistical relationship between EI and self-management (β = 0.245, p < 0.10) and EI and motivation (β = 0.323, p < 0.10). In light of the findings, the study recommends encouraging selfawareness among the leaders of organisations. Further, the study emphasises the need for developing good leaders in the organisation under study. The study provides a better understanding of how EI could be leveraged to develop future leaders in South African organisations.