1. INTRODUCTION The intelligent use of emotions has long been associated with effective leadership. Defined as the ability to control one's emotions and understand those of others, emotional intelligence (EI) is undeniably an important factor for leaders to build a good relationship with their subordinates (Weisinger, 1998). Indeed, a growing number of studies have supported the essentiality of EI in the workplace, especially among leaders (Goleman, Boyatzis, & McKee, 2002). For example, studies have shown that emotional intelligence (EI) could positively influence an individual's leadership skills (e.g., Hong, Catano, & Liao, 2011; Hur, van den Berg, & Wilderom, 2011). With EI, leaders would be able to handle stressful situations and conflicts by intelligently managing their own and others' emotions. Therefore, EI has often been used as a measure of leader effectiveness (e.g., Kerr, Garvin, Heaton, & Boyle, 2005; Madera & Smith, 2009; Thiel, Connelly, & Griffith, 2012). Indeed, individuals with high EI are perceived as a better leader than those with lower EI (Thiel et al., 2012). Therefore, the researcher believes that the link between EI and leadership needs to be further studied to better understand and benefit from it. This review discusses the link between EI and leadership by focusing on the importance of EI on leadership. The importance of studying the link between emotions and leadership Studies have demonstrated a useful link between EI and leaders in the workplace. For example, integrating the cognitive and emotional aspect would lead to better decision making as leaders approach problems more holistically (Rajah, Song, & Arvey, 2011). As countries move from a machine-based industry to… middle of paper… effective leadership. Leaders could definitely benefit from using emotional intelligence as the ability to perceive emotions, assimilate them, understand them and manage them are essential skills for leaders to manage their employees and control the situation in the workplace. Indeed, leaders who use more holistic skills are more likely to create better conditions in the workplace (Pinos, Twigg, Parayitam, & Olson, 2006). Additionally, highly intelligent leaders are perceived better and produce positive outcomes for followers. With emotionally intelligent leaders, workers will feel comfortable and enthusiastic in the workplace, gain motivation to perform, and contribute their best to achieve organizational goals. Therefore, the role of emotions on leadership should be further studied and understood to derive maximum benefit from it.