Emotional leadership and decision making : How can emotional leadership deal with behavioral traps in decision makingEmotional leadership and decision making : How can emotional leadership deal with behavioral traps in decision making Μεταπτυχιακή Διατριβή Master Thesis 2024-08-012024enThis study investigates the concept of emotional leadership and its impact on behavioral traps within organizations. Emotional leadership, rooted in emotional intelligence, emphasizes understanding, managing, and leveraging emotions to inspire and motivate teams. It highlights the importance of soft skills such as empathy, self-awareness, and critical thinking in leadership, contrasting with traditional task-focused leadership models. Emotional leaders create a positive work environment, foster open communication, and build trust, which are crucial in navigating the complexities of modern organizational settings. The study explores how emotional leadership can mitigate various cognitive biases and behavioral traps that hinder effective decision-making. These include groupthink, confirmation bias, anchoring, overconfidence, and the sunk cost fallacy. Emotional leaders promote psychological safety, encouraging diverse viewpoints and critical analysis, which counteracts groupthink and fosters a culture of inclusivity and openness. By being self-aware and empathetic, emotional leaders reduce confirmation bias, enabling more balanced and informed decisions. They also challenge the anchoring effect by fostering mindfulness and encouraging teams to reassess their assumptions continually. Furthermore, emotional leadership addresses overconfidence bias by modeling humility and seeking feedback, thereby promoting realistic self-assessment and critical thinking. It helps teams avoid the sunk cost fallacy by focusing on future opportunities rather than past investments, encouraging adaptability and resilience. Emotional leadership also enhances conflict resolution skills, creating a culture where conflicts are addressed proactively and constructively. The practical implications of this study suggest that incorporating emotional intelligence training in leadership development programs can significantly improve decision-making processes and organizational performance. Emotional leadership builds organizational resilience, adaptability, and a psychologically safe environment that values diversity and continuous learning. These qualities are essential in the dynamic and interconnected world of the information age, where leaders must navigate rapid technological advancements and changing market conditions. In conclusion, emotional leadership is a powerful tool for enhancing decision-making and organizational success. By fostering an environment of empathy, openness, and critical thinking, emotional leaders enable their teams to make more informed, rational, and effective decisions, ultimately driving long-term strategic goals and organizational resilience. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Πολυτεχνείο Κρήτης::Σχολή Μηχανικών Παραγωγής και ΔιοίκησηςBalampanis_Konstantinos_MSc_2024.pdfChania [Greece]Library of TUC2024-08-01application/pdf274.8 kBfree Balampanis Konstantinos Μπαλαμπανης Κωνσταντινος Christodoulou Ioannis Χριστοδουλου Ιωαννης Tsafarakis Stelios Τσαφαρακης Στελιος Zervoudakis Konstantinos Ζερβουδακης Κωνσταντινος Πολυτεχνείο Κρήτης Technical University of Crete Emotional intelligence ΜΤΙΜ Master of Technology & Innovation Management Decision making Emotional leadership