Emotional intelligence in virtual teams: a qualitative synthesis

Emotional Intelligence is the aptitude of an individual to be aware of their personal emotions and those of others surrounding them. Emotional intelligence is also referred to as Emotional Quotient (EQ). The knowledge of one’s emotional intelligence is important in that the information obtained from the knowledge can be used to influence thinking towards a given direction. It is also vital for it provides for the opportunity to be able to improve on one's behavior in order to adjust to an environmental or in order to achieve any set intentions.
Moreover, Emotional intelligence can define the performance of an individual academically, just as can be Intelligence Quotient since they are very closely linked. Emotions of an individual can affect the performance of individuals even at the workplace. Thus, it is key for an employer of a leader to ensure that they have the ability to discern the emotions of their employees or the emotions of other employees lower than them in the rank. This will not only ensure that the employees are given an ample work environment, but it will also ensure increment of profit to the company. This is due to the fact that these emotions originate from the mind and they can detrimental affect attitudes, credence, discernments, assessments and or criticisms.
A virtual team is a group of people who are enclosed in a certain geographical set up by the use of technology or have something that keeps them together in order to have common links. It may include a group of employees or students and teachers in a learning institution. In a group, there exist methodologies that have been employed, which a group may apply in order to shape up their Emotional Intelligence. A virtual group can apply the members’ Emotional Intelligence in order for the group to attain its desired aims. The group's capability to come up with an acceptable code of conducts promotes mindfulness and control of emotions so that the group can reach its targeted goals. These acceptable codes of conduct within the group can be developed at three levels: discrete, set or general behavior.
These approaches guide the group in the decision-making process on various engagements to be undertaken by the members. As a result, the goals of the group is deliberately met. This is achievable since the presence of feelings among the group member would predict the present or a loom of a problem. With Emotional Intelligence, earlier and timely realization of the possibility of the existence of problem would mean that the possible problem is solved or attended to on time. Moreover, with emotional intelligence, it is possible for a given member of the group to control their feelings that are destructive to the group.
In order to understand the effect or impact of Emotional Intelligence within a virtual group, a study was carried out in a human resource agency which is aimed at improving the value of the common sector. In this study, 131 members of the institution were engaged in various groups that were nineteen (19) in number. The population of the study was comprised of 65% female whereas 35% of the population was male. Age wise, the respondents who were between 41 and 54 years old were forming a proportion of (51.1%), ages between 31 and 40 years were 37.4%, below 30 years formed 3.1% of the population and 8.4% of the population was comprised of individuals with more than 55 years of age. The highest level of education was also determined in which 40% of the population were Ph.D. holders, respondents who had university education were 38% and those with basic secondary education was 22%. On the basis of the level of experience, 76.3% were recorded to be having substantial experience.
On the methodology, a questionnaire was developed to help monitor Emotional Intelligence among the group members. The questionnaires were designed in such a way that after they had been filled by the respondents, it would be possible for the determination of the emotional intelligence on the teamwork and the performance of the group, and emotional intelligence determination. This study was aimed at the studying the effect of emotional intelligence within a group.
The findings of this research proved a number of effects that emotional intelligence has on a virtual group. The findings of this study are described. The study confirmed that the achievement of the goals of an organization is seriously reliant on the Emotional intelligence of the group. This is as a result of capability to take control of challenging situations. The research also discerned that the Emotional intelligence of members of the group or team influence the collaboration among them. Furthermore, trust among the members of a group is influenced by the Emotional Intelligence of the same members. It was also realized that emotional intelligence corresponds to if the members of the group possess a common piece of information that they may value as meaningful. However, there was no observed relationship between emotional intelligence and the time during which a given task need to be carried out.
This research reveals the degree to which emotional intelligence impact the performance of a given group. As a result, those virtual groups whose members are emotionally intelligent usually remain focused and they achieve their goals with considerable ease. The members of the group who are emotionally intelligent make other members have a good impression all the time. Hence, the members remain productive.
Conclusively, Emotional Intelligence is a vital tool. It is very essential for the achievement of the set goals of a group. In a team comprised of emotionally intelligent members, often than not, there exist high levels of cooperation among the members. This results in the success of the team. There is also observed recognizable amount of teamwork among the members since the members set their morals on the basis of understanding.
Work cited
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