Emotional Intelligence and Leadership

Abstract

The service division of an organisation is vibrant and unique and is always the first point of entry for a customer. As a result, workers in customer service environments must be aware of their emotional cues and know how to handle them without endangering their own behaviour or the organization's reputation. Emotional intelligence can be a powerful and advantageous organizational tool when applied correctly. This study was initiated to comprehend emotional intelligence in the role of leadership, specifically in the customers services domain and was conducted in Durban, South Africa. For this study, a qualitative research approach was applied. The researcher carried out semi-structured interviews, while purposive sampling was adopted using experienced individuals from the customer service industry. The key finding of this study indicated that service workers understand emotional intelligence and importantly highlighted the importance of a leader's emotional intelligence skills and how they affect both the customer and service staff.