The Impact of Emotional Intelligence on Enhancing Women’s Leadership Competencies

The percentage of women in leadership positions is increasing and advancing towards gender parity. However, the number of female leaders is still low when compared to male leaders. We endeavored to examine by means of a literature review the impact of Emotional Intelligence (EI) on women´s leadership since we found that EI is a key factor in predicting effective leadership traits. We also found there is a social perception that women tend to be seen as more emotional and empathic than men. We review the definitions of leadership and EI and explore the link between EI, leadership and women. Several leadership scholars and psychologists argue that EI is an important foundation for leadership effectiveness. We review the literature about how men and women compare in their EI attributes. When it comes to learning EI, men and women have the same opportunities to acquire a greater EI through reflection and experience. However, we highlight the necessity for increasing the number of women in leadership positions by enhancing and supporting women’s leadership competencies. Moreover, we emphasize the importance of building EI in order to achieve effective leadership.