Open AccessDo modern-day surgeons break the stereotype and show emotional intelligence in their leadership?
Author(s) -
Nicola Stobbs,
Elspeth Ward
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
bulletin of the royal college of surgeons of england
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1478-7075
pISSN - 1473-6357
DOI - 10.1308/147363514x14042954768592
Subject(s) - emotional intelligence , psychology , feeling , interpersonal communication , the emotional intelligence appraisal , applied psychology , health care , social psychology , economics , economic growth
Emotional intelligence is a fairly novel concept. It is the ability to monitor one’s own and others’ feelings and emotions, to discriminate between them, and to use the information to guide one’s thinking and actions. 1 Emotional intelligence is now a key model in leadership and management in the business sector, starting to filter through into healthcare and is beginning to feature in surgical college guidelines and training assessments. The theory behind emotional intelligence assumes that individuals with high emotional intelligence have better interpersonal and communication skills. 2 Therefore, because of stereotyped characteristics that surgeons are thought to have, one may hypothesise that surgeons have poor emotional intelligence. This review aims to understand what emotional intelligence is, and assess what evidence is available for reviewing surgeons’ emotional intelligence.