Studying negotiation makes leaders

This study departs from the mainstream research by examining the relationship between emotional intelligence (EI) and negotiation. Going beyond the connection between EI and negotiation outcomes, this work focuses on the reverse relationship, examining whether studying negotiation with a scientific approach (including both theory and simulating reality with role-playing) is associated with changes in self-perceived emotional intelligence and leadership potential. The foundational premise lies in the understanding that leadership is inherently relational, with EI emerging as a pivotal attribute for leadership. We suggest that individuals proficient in negotiation, and therefore more adept at deciphering the emotions and interests of others, may report higher self-perceived EI and, consequently, greater perceived leadership potential. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to verify whether the mental training occurred during the attendance in a negotiation-based course is associated with changes in the self-perception of the basic elements of EI, namely self-awareness, self-management, social awareness and relationship management. To test this idea, we involved university students enrolled in a NegotiatingLab (Experimental Group) and an alternative course, not dealing with negotiation (Control Group), over four years. The findings show that participants in the Experimental Group reported significant increases in self-perceived emotional intelligence between the beginning and the end of the course, whereas no statistically significant changes emerged in the Control Group. A similar pattern emerged for self-perceived leadership potential. While scholars have long argued that individuals with higher emotional intelligence tend to be more effective negotiators, this study suggests that the relationship may also operate in the reverse direction, with negotiation training being associated with higher self-perceived emotional intelligence and leadership potential. While these findings should be interpreted with caution given the self-reported nature of the measures, they open promising avenues for future research on the relationship between negotiation training, emotional intelligence, and leadership potential.