The Relationships between Emotional Intelligence and Leadership Effectiveness in Selected Malaysian Public Sectors

Emotional intelligence (EI) refers to an individual's capacity to effectively manage and regulate their emotions, enabling them to recognize and understand the potentially beneficial influence their emotions can have on others. The present study was conducted based on the assumption that emotional intelligence plays an important part in determining the effectiveness of administrative leaders within an organizational context. This is because leadership serves as the important driving force within an organization, guiding employees in their tasks and ensuring the overall success and prosperity of the organization. The main objective of the study was to find out the relationship between emotional intelligence and leadership effectiveness. 50 questionnaires were distributed to all administrative leaders who have a minimum of five years of working experience in any position, and a total of 50 questionnaires were returned. Hence, the data collected was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS). The result indicated that there is a significant correlation between emotional intelligence and leadership effectiveness among administrative leaders, and strongly supports the previous research finding. It is anticipated that leaders are going to demonstrate an impressive level of emotional intelligence to effectively guide and influence people. Consequently, emotional intelligence empowers leaders to exert a positive influence on the work environment within which they function, since it enhances their self-awareness and their ability to perceive and understand the emotions of others.