The Role Of Emotional Intelligence In The Decision Making Process Of Correctional Officers, Of The West Bengal Correctional Services | Rita Basu

One of the most significant roles of a leader or manager of any workplace is decision making, where their decisions are based on knowledge, rationality, memory as well as emotional components. Formerly, correctional homes were known as jails or prisons for punishment. With the changing scenario in the context of human values it is presently known as a correctional home, where the main objective is care, correction and counselling. The uniqueness of this service demands learning for critical decision making under stressful situations. At the same time,, the level of emotional intelligence of the correctional officers help them to precisely understand their own emotions as well as the emotions of the inmates, so that as leaders of the correctional home they can make decisions effectively. This study makes an attempt to analyse the effect of emotional intelligence on the decision making process. Data was collected from 76 correctional officers of the West Bengal Correctional Services, by means of structured close-ended questionnaires, in a series of face-to-face interaction; focusing on their self perceived emotional intelligence and decision making. Results show that the level of emotional intelligence and decision making skills of the correctional officers are satisfactorily high. Correlation studies between emotional intelligence and the decision making process shows, that the perception of their own emotions, is good predictor of the supervisor’s transformational leadership. Regression analysis indicates that domains of emotional intelligence have a facilitating effect on two types of decision making styles viz, intuitive and spontaneous. Other styles are usually free from the influence of emotional intelligence.