Emotional Intelligence: The Key to Mitigating Stress and Fostering Trust Among Software Developers Working on Information System Project

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Emotional Intelligence: The Key to Mitigating Stress and Fostering Trust Among Software Developers Working on Information System Project

Summary

This study looks at the effects emotional intelligence has on stress, trust, and performance. Emotional intelligence is "an individuals ability to understand, manage, and regulate their own emotions as well as those of others". Their results found that emotionally intelligent software developers are more likely to trust in other team members -- resulting in increased performance (148). Additionally, the study also found that role ambiguity increases the negative influence of stress on performance in software projects (148). The study also looks at how managers can use these results to prevent high levels of stress within software developers. Their results encourage managers and organizations to find ways which they can empower software developers on emotional intelligence skills -- which could include certain training programs. Although this study was not done in a virtual environment, it highlights some interesting points.

Key Points

• Emotional Intelligence: ability to monitor one's own and others' emotions, to differentiate between them, and to use the information to guide one's thinking and action. This becomes important in a virtual settings in order to detect important emotion and social cues from other remote workers

Software developers ability to manage and regulate emotions allows them to control their feelings and behaviors by observing and evaluations emotions and feelings of other team members (141). Here are some factors of emotional intelligence:

1. Ability to observe emotion precisely
2. Utilize emotion to facilitate thought
3. Comprehend emotion
4. Control emotion

• Emotional Intelligence and Performance
  Positive emotions impact and enables employers to improve work performance (142). On the other hand, negative emotions (exasperation, annoyance, and hostility) can make software developers feel less enthusiastic which leads to decreased performances (142). So, software developers with high emotional intelligence are able to experience, manage, and express positive emotions.

• Emotional intelligence and stress
  There has been a correlation between stress in software jobs and lack of satisfaction, depressive symptoms, and an increase in absent (142)

• Mediator role of trust
  Interpersonal trust acts as a mediator between emotional intelligence and performance. Software developers with higher emotional intelligence are more likely to cooperate and communicate with others which can increase trust. On the other hand, low emotional intelligence and the ability to communicate can lead to ambiguity on team members responsibility and can decrease team performance.

Citation

Rezvani, A., & Khosravi, P. (2019). Emotional intelligence: The key to mitigating stress and fostering trust among software developers working on information system projects. International Journal of Information Management, 48, 139-150. doi:10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2019.02.007