Emotional Intelligence and Ethical Administration

7.1 Why EI Matters for Administrative Ethics

Daniel Goleman's Emotional Intelligence (1995) identifies five components:

Component	Definition	Administrative Application
Self-Awareness	Knowing one's own emotions and biases	Recognising when personal feelings may be influencing a decision
Self-Regulation	Managing impulses; thinking before acting	Not retaliating against a difficult complainant; not approving a report under pressure without reflection
Motivation	Intrinsic drive to achieve for internal satisfaction	Serving citizens because it is meaningful, not merely for salary/promotion
Empathy	Understanding others' emotional states	Recognising the desperation behind a citizen's repeated complaints; understanding cultural context
Social Skills	Managing relationships constructively	Resolving inter-departmental conflicts; engaging community stakeholders without alienating them

7.2 EI and the Ethical Dilemma Framework

High emotional intelligence enables an administrator to:

1. Pause before reacting to a difficult situation (self-regulation)
2. Recognise their own emotional state and how it might bias their judgement (self-awareness)
3. Consider the perspective of all affected parties (empathy)
4. Apply ethical principles calmly rather than reactively (motivation + social skills)
5. Act with integrity regardless of the emotional discomfort it causes (courage + regulation)

Low EI leads to ethical failures: An administrator who cannot manage their emotions under pressure is more likely to yield to corruption (fear), show favouritism (personal affection), or make biased decisions (anger at complainant).

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