made similar observations). This claim directly contradicts the work of Fredmund
Malik. Kets de Vries recognizes that one ascends due to technical abilities, but as
soon as one advances to a certain level, emotional intelligence becomes the critical
factor for continued success: EQ makes the difference between successful and
stagnant careers.
Possessing a high EQ does not necessarily mean that a person is always nice to
others or that they allow their feelings to dictate all of their decisions and activities.
Rather, having a high EQ means that one can accurately assess oneself and others,
accepts differences in people and appropriately utilizes the feelings of his or her
fellow men. It may be easier and more comfortable to increase regular IQ by
systematically pulling information from one’s fund of knowledge and activating
more effective cognitive thought processes than to work on emotional sensitivity
and acknowledge the emotional experiences of others. But the effort pays off.
As stated in the literature, “The dividends are considerable: a high EQ allows us
to make better decisions, to have more appropriate expectations of others, and to
have fewer disappointing experiences” (de Vries 2002, p. 47).
2.2.6 Decisions
Apart from personal characteristics, conduct, and emotional intelligence, the func-
tion of managers is ultimately to make decisions. Apart from delegating and
supervising, above all leading means making decisions. In daily practice, a multi-
plicity of diverse decisions must be made such as: innovative decisions and routine
ones, decisions with certain and uncertain outcomes, collective and individual,
rational and irrational, conscious and unconscious, strategic and operational
decisions.
Therefore, characteristics such as determination, courage, deliberation, a sense
of responsibility and decisiveness are essential requirements for managers in order
to generate and execute their ideas. And therefore a possible answer to the earlier
question of what good leadership depends on is the ability to make the right
decisions.
Decisions must be made with regard to goals, values, leadership style, working
methods and retaining or dismissing employees. The speed and the certainty with
which managers make decisions, and how closely the decisions meet company
goals, the results for the company and the ramifications for the working climate all
say much about the quality and effectiveness of the leader.
Genuine leadership decisions cannot be delegated because they are decisive in
terms of the company’s present and future. The big picture must remain in focus,
with the consequences for the company as a whole in mind. Major leadership
decisions include setting corporate goals, identifying measures necessary to achieve
them, and allocating the appropriate resources.
Before managers can make decisions, various courses of action must be
identified as well as the influence of the environmental conditions on the
2.2 The Leader 67