EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE AND SELF-AWARENESS AS DRIVERS OF EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP IN HEALTHCARE INSTITUTIONS

We examine the role of emotional intelligence (EI) and self-awareness as critical drivers of effective leadership in healthcare institutions. Our focus is on the specific nature of healthcare management environments, where leaders operate under constant emotional pressure, workforce shortages, and complex decision-making requirements. We argue that high levels of EI contribute significantly to emotional resilience, trust-building, interpersonal communication, and overall team productivity in medical settings. We emphasize self-awareness as a foundational component of EI that enables healthcare leaders to engage in reflective practices, exercise ethical decision-making, and maintain composure under stress. Our analysis highlights the connection between self-awareness and a leader’s ability to cultivate an inclusive and transparent organizational culture—an essential condition for navigating uncertainty and maintaining performance in turbulent contexts. We conduct a qualitative content analysis of contemporary scholarly literature and critically review both international and domestic practices in the development of emotional intelligence among healthcare managers. We identify key barriers to the development of EI in this sector, including lack of time for reflection, insufficient access to structured training programs, limited organizational support, and the general underestimation of the economic value of emotionally competent leadership. To address these barriers, we propose a comprehensive framework of interventions, including coaching and mentoring programs, the use of EI and self-awareness assessment tools, the development of educational modules focused on reflective leadership, and the creation of feedback-rich organizational cultures. We also advocate for establishing dedicated spaces for reflection to support leaders’ emotional regulation and long-term decision-making capacity. We conclude that the systematic integration of EI development into healthcare leadership strategies leads to measurable improvements in organizational performance, employee well-being, and service quality. Our findings are of practical relevance to healthcare managers, researchers, and educators aiming to strengthen leadership capabilities and promote sustainable organizational effectiveness in the healthcare sector.