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Industrial Engineering and Management

Vol. 41 No. 01 (2026): Proceedings of the Faculty of Technical Sciences

EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE AND LEADERSHIP SKILLS IN PROJECT MANAGEMENT

  • Ljiljana Knežević
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24867/33GI17Knezevic
Submitted
August 23, 2026
Published
2026-08-23

Abstract

This paper explores emotional intelligence and leadership skills in the context of project management. The first part presents the theoretical framework by defining emotional intelligence, its components, and the characteristics of an effective leader. It further provides an overview of the fundamentals of project management, the role of the project manager, and the importance of building functional teams, with special attention given to the impact of modern technologies. The research methodology is based on a survey, whose results include demographic data and respondents’ attitudes regarding the importance of specific aspects of emotional intelligence (emotional awareness, self-confidence, self-regulation, empathy, and relationship management) in the work of project managers. The findings indicate that emotional intelligence plays a crucial role in effective project management and the development of leadership skills, while also highlighting possible methods for its improvement.

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