The influence of emotional intelligence and mindfulness on self-leadership among graduates in the early career stage
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Date
2023
Authors
Hattingh, Anneline
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of the Free State
Abstract
The study embarked on a comprehensive examination of the intricate dynamics among emotional intelligence, mindfulness, and self-leadership within the context of early-career graduates, aiming to discern the extent to which emotional intelligence and mindfulness influenced self-leadership. A secondary objective involved exploring gender differences in self-leadership levels. Employing a non-experimental, quantitative survey research design, electronic self-administered questionnaires collected data from 160 participants enrolled in a Free State higher education institution.
The study applied Multiple Regression Analysis to unravel the relationships under scrutiny. Significantly, the analysis revealed a positive relationship between emotional intelligence and self-leadership. Higher emotional intelligence levels were associated with elevated self-leadership behaviours, aligning with existing literature (Chen & Liang, 2013). This finding underscored the pivotal role of emotional intelligence in shaping effective leadership behaviours, emphasising the importance of emotional regulation and awareness in fostering self-directed leadership skills (Goleman et al., 2002).
In the context of mindfulness and self-leadership, the analysis yielded no statistically significant relationship. This nuanced finding suggested that, within the specific parameters of this study, mindfulness may not directly predict self-leadership behaviours among early-career graduates. This outcome prompted further exploration into the distinct impacts of emotional intelligence and mindfulness on self-leadership, providing a nuanced understanding of the multifaceted interplay among these constructs.
The study underscored the critical role of emotional intelligence in influencing self-directed leadership skills, evidenced by the positive correlation established through multiple regression analysis. The findings aligned with Chen and Liang’s (2013) findings, highlighting the positive correlation between emotional intelligence and self-leadership components such as self-awareness and self-regulation. The study thus contributed to the theoretical understanding of the influential factors shaping self-leadership behaviours among early-career graduates.
The finding also indicated gender difference in self-leadership levels, with females demonstrating higher levels of self-leadership than their male counterparts. The statistical significance of this difference added a noteworthy dimension to the exploration of self-leadership, suggesting potential gender-related nuances in leadership behaviours among early-career professionals. However, caution was advised in interpreting these results due to potential measurement variance, emphasising the need for further exploration in future studies.
In conclusion, this study not only enriched the understanding of the relationships between emotional intelligence, mindfulness, and self-leadership but also uncovered gender-related disparities in self-leadership levels among early-career graduates. The implications extended to the fields of career and industrial-organisational psychology, providing valuable insights for practitioners, and laying the groundwork for future research endeavours. The recommendations for future research, including the integration of established emotional intelligence competency models and exploration of context-specific mindfulness interventions, aimed to enhance the depth and generalisability of findings in diverse contexts (Goleman & Boyatzis, 2007; Dane & Brummel, 2014).
Description
Dissertation (M.Com.(Industrial Psychology))--University of the Free State, 2023
Keywords
Self-leadership, emotional intelligence, mindfulness, graduates, early career stage