EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE AS A PILLAR OF STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP IN CORPORATE ENVIRONMENTS

Abstract

The present article analyzes emotional intelligence as an essential pillar of strategic leadership in corporate environments, highlighting its importance for building more adaptable, human-centered, and competitive organizations. The study was conducted through exploratory and qualitative bibliographic research, considering theoretical references that link the development of emotional competencies to organizational performance. It was found that emotionally intelligent leaders are able to handle crises in a balanced manner, promote engagement and cooperation among employees, and create more transparent and healthy work environments. Emotional intelligence also contributes to reducing conflicts, strengthening trust, and increasing intrinsic motivation, which are indispensable elements for organizational sustainability and innovation. It was also observed that companies investing in emotional development programs for their managers and teams achieve better results in talent retention, professional satisfaction, and competitive performance. Thus, emotional intelligence should be understood as a strategic resource that goes beyond the individual dimension of the leader, reaching the organizational culture and directly influencing collective outcomes. This work reinforces the need to integrate practices that stimulate emotional balance into corporate strategies, in order to ensure not only operational efficiency but also the humanization of work relationships.