Systems‐centered Emotional Intelligence: Beyond Individual Systems to Organizational Systems

Abstract

This article introduces a systems‐centered model for emotional intelligence (EI). This makes it possible to consider not only the emotional intelligence of individuals, but the emotional intelligence of work groups and organizations themselves. Agazarian's theory of living humans systems (TLHS) (and its constructs) applies to all levels of living human systems. Using these constructs, we operationally define emotional intelligence from a systems‐centered framework (Agazarian & Peters, 1981, 1997). From the systems‐centered perspective, individuals contribute energy that is necessary for organizational emotional intelligence. Yet equally important, emotional intelligence in organizations is a dynamic output of the function and structure and energy of the organizational system itself, rather than a property of individuals. This conceptualization extends the focus in the field of emotional intelligence from individuals with a selection and personnel development emphasis and instead to building work groups and organizations that function with greater emotional intelligence. Introducing a systems‐centered perspective on emotional intelligence enables emotional intelligence to be viewed at all system levels in the organization, including individuals, work teams and the organization itself.

Developing the Group Mind Through Functional Subgrouping: Linking Systems-Centered Training (SCT) and Interpersonal Neurobiology

“…To the extent a system is functioning farfrom-equilibrium, it approaches chaos (Kossmann & Bullrich, 1997). Functional subgrouping creates what we suggest is a "midfrom-equilibrium" condition (Gantt & Agazarian, 2004), activating the brain's social engagement system. "Mid-from-quilibrium" creates a stable-enough context for system containment while simultaneously introducing the conditions for system change through discriminating and integrating differences and its ongoing process of system correction.…”

Facts with feelings – social workers' experiences of sharing information across team and agency borders to safeguard children

“…Gantt & Agazarian (), discussing emotional intelligence at an organizational level, highlight the need to keep the two types of knowledge in balance. They suggest that where team and organizational boundaries are impermeable to emotional and feeling information, an important source of information is lost, to the detriment of decision‐making and problem solving.…”

“…Gantt & Agazarian () suggest that organizational emotional intelligence is influenced by developing norms for appropriate boundary permeability within each system level and between each system level. This would make both cognitive and emotional information available at all levels of the system.…”

Systems-Centered Management: A Brief Review of Theory, Practice and Research

“…Thus, these two concepts are central to Agazarian's delineation of how individual member and inter-member matrices are interconnected in an organization. They also bridge organization-as-awhole and individual members' dynamics, and facilitate interventions connecting the member and organization-as-a-whole simultaneously via the subgroup level [4].…”

“…Yet only recently have coherent theories and related theory-driven management practices been developed that apply at all levels of an organization [3][4][5][6].…”