"No intervention, no change alone can fix all problems, but if the human ingredient is ignored, nothing else will work as well as it should. In the years to come, companies whose people collaborate better will have a competitive advantage, making Emotional Intelligence more vital. ” - Daniel Goleman.
The tourism industry is currently moving in a highly competitive environment worldwide, with dynamic components by nature and whose success depends on the correct interpretation of the tastes, needs and expectations of the markets, whether potential or exploited.
In Cuba, tourism plays a fundamental role for the economy, which is why it is doubly important to take advantage of all the potential that the island has in this regard. Many factors affect the success or failure of this mission, but the fundamental one is the ability to manage, in every way, the people in charge of directing the tourist activity.
In Cuba it has a very high academic level, future tourism workers are being thoroughly prepared, and those who are already practicing are offered training courses to increase their technical-professional preparation. This ensures that managers, workers in the areas of service provision and personnel supporting the key processes are, in most cases, highly qualified.
However, it is questionable whether another determining factor in the performance of the tourism worker has been given equal importance: the development of their emotional competencies.
The results of the investigations have achieved recognition by industrial leaders, the importance of the relationship between emotions and job results, specifically its notable influence on the behaviors and attitudes of workers. For these reasons, the emotional has begun to be positioned as an integrated component of working life, leaving aside the idea that emotions retard or stagnate organizations, their objectives and their effectiveness.
The emotional capacity of individuals is gaining greater credit in decision making, negotiation, problem solving, adaptation to organizational changes and the construction of satisfactory labor relations.
What happens when those who run a company are unaware of the importance of putting emotional intelligence into practice in management work?
- Demoralizing decisions are made. There is difficulty in managing creativity. The value of social activity, teamwork is ignored. Inability to motivate, much less inspire.
During the last year, an increase in the movements of cadres and managers has been observed in several of the hotel entities of the Varadero tourist pole, short tenure in positions, increase in vacant management positions and disciplinary measures. Although there are many factors that influence this issue, the author of this article considers that one of the fundamental questions that is affecting this issue is the fact that emphasis is placed on preparing the tables from an academic point of view, that is, in imparting theoretical knowledge about Business Administration, Strategic Planning, Human Capital, etc.
However, an effective treatment is not provided in managing the development of emotional competencies such as Self-knowledge, Self-control, Self-motivation, Empathy, social skills, which are decisive for the development of adequate communication, the exercise of effective leadership, the creation of a good working environment in the company, which in turn has an indisputable impact on the efficiency and quality of the service provided.
In the month of March of this year 2017, a training course for executives of the MINTUR was started in the Varadero Training Center, with an enrollment of 28 managers belonging to hotel and extra-hotel companies. Within the business management postgraduate course, a topic related to the importance of developing emotional competencies for the exercise of their management functions was included. This topic was widely accepted by the members of the course and promoted debates and reflections.
At the end of the topic, the Ryback Test of the Executive Emotional Quotient (TRCEE) was applied to 100% of the students. This test contains 60 phrases related to the aforementioned competences (Self-knowledge, Self-control, Self-motivation, Empathy), to which the subject must assign a point on the scale from 1 to 5, being 1 Never and 5 Always. It consists of three columns, which respectively reflect the responses of the subject, the responses that are considered correct for a manager with a high emotional coefficient, and the value in points corresponding to the similarity of the responses, being 5 Equal and 1 Totally opposite.
According to the sum of the points, the Ryback Test offers the following scale of results:
| Total points | Assessment |
| 240 or more | Superstar, is in a position to provide great support to those around him. |
| 180-239 | Star: With a little effort you can go a long way. |
| 120-179 | The award has not yet been awarded, but at least it is sincere.
It's a good start. |
| 60-119 | It can only improve, a great future awaits you if you apply. |
The results obtained with the application of this Test were the following:
Of the total of 28 managers, 5 obtained 240 or more points, being evaluated as superstars, for 17.8%, 6 reached from 180 to 239 for 21.4%, 6 were between 120 and 179, considering that according to the table of results they do not take the award, but at least it is sincere, for 21.4%, the remaining 11, or 39%, are evaluated between 60 and 119, so they can only improve.
As can be seen in these results, the highest percentage is made up of managers who must work hard to develop their emotional skills in order to achieve better performance in the performance of their duties, as well as in their relationships with their colleagues, bosses and subordinates.
Along with these results, reference should also be made to the fact that within the academic offerings of the MINTUR Training Center in Varadero for the year 2017, there is an Emotional Intelligence Course, aimed at cadres and cadre reserves, however, At the end of the 1st Semester, only in two hotel facilities was this course offered at their request.
There is no doubt then that more effective work is needed in terms of:
- Firstly, to raise awareness among the professionals in charge of the training, preparation and training of the cadres and their reserves, that they must work in order to develop knowledge, skills and competences both from an academic and emotional point of view. of cadres where it is decided who will occupy a management position, it must be taken into account in addition to their experience, academic preparation and the willingness to assume it, their emotional quotient and the level of development of their emotional competencies. Promote, from the internalization of their importance on the part of cadres and managers, the holding of workshops, conferences and courses on emotional Intelligence, which contribute preparation in this regard. Take into account, in the evaluation of the cadres and reservations, how they manifest themselves in their performance,the level of development of their managerial skills.
It can be concluded that directing and leading are not synonymous, but when the manager becomes a leader for his subordinates, the fulfillment of the entity's mission is guaranteed. The best leaders have experience and knowledge of business management and also a strong ability to self-motivate, self-control, communicate, listen and negotiate.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
.Codina A. Emotional Intelligence for managerial work and interpersonal relationships. Science Publishing Havana 2012.
- Cooper, R: Emotional intelligence applied to Leadership and organizations. Editorial Norma, Bogotá. 1998Garner, H: Theory of Multiple Intelligences.Edit. Paidós, Barcelona 1983Goleman, D: Emotional Intelligence, why it is more important than the IQ.Javier Vergara Editor. Buenos Aires. 1996 Handakaka, J. (2001) Ñ Emotional intelligence in the AMEX Publishing Company, Lima 2001.Martínez, C. Considerations on Emotional Intelligence. Scientific-Technical Editorial, Havana. 2009.Ryback, D: Work with your Emotional Intelligence. Emotional factors at the service of business management and effective leadership.EDAF, Madrid.1998.Segal, J: His Emotional intelligence,. Learn how to increase and use it. Grijalbo, Barcelona 1997.
- A Emotional Intelligence in the Company.Ediciones Gestión 2000, S: A, Spain 1999
Data of the Author: Graduate in Psychology-Pedagogy, Master in community work, Diploma in management of Tourist companies and Educational Psychology of Tourism, 34 years of experience in teaching. She is a professor at the Training Center of the MINTUR Delegation, in Varadero, Cuba. She teaches the subjects of Business Management, Management Techniques and Interpersonal Communication in Services.
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