Emotional Intelligence and Its Effect on Team Dynamics: A Systematic Review

Abstract

In organizational settings, emotional intelligence (EI) is one of the key factors in determining team dynamics, communication, development of trust, conflict resolution, and performance of the team. To that end, this systematic literature review assesses the impact of EI in workflows involving teamwork in sixty selected studies. It is found that EI improves communication clarity, empathy, and emotional regulation which results in effective communication, reduces misunderstandings, and engages people in open dialogue more. Further, EI-based trust building fosters psychological safety and team cohesiveness, and by a role in conflict resolution, it paves the way for constructive problem-solving and lessens work-related disputes. Additionally, such teams show greater adaptability, creativity, and efficiency in making decisions; hence they perform and innovate better. Emotionally intelligent leaders have a higher propensity to engage and make their employees happier at work and more resilient to the rigors of fulfilling their roles, especially when they work from home where digital communication barriers persist. EI training can enhance team collaboration, reduce conflicts, and boost productivity, but knowledge on objective evaluation and long-term team effectiveness remains incomplete. There is a need to examine the role of EI in AI-driven workplace and hybrid teams in future studies. Organizations adopting EI can enhance innovation, efficiency, and create a friendly working environment, providing a sustained competitive advantage in the evolving business world.