Yoga therapy for developing emotional intelligence in mid-life managers
Tikhe Sham Ganpat1, H R Nagendra
1Department of Yoga and Management, Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana (S-VYASA) University (Prashanti Kutiram), Bangalore, India.
Journal of Mid-Life Health
|September 8, 2011
Summary
Business executives experienced significant improvements in emotional intelligence (EQ) after participating in a yoga-based Self Management of Excessive Tension (SMET) program. This suggests SMET may enhance executive efficiency by reducing stress.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health
- Psychology
- Mind-Body Medicine
Background:
- Modern business environments create high-stress conditions for executives, leading to reduced efficiency.
- Excessive tension and stress negatively impact psychological and physiological well-being.
- This can result in mental and emotional drain, diminishing executive performance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of a yoga-based Self Management of Excessive Tension (SMET) program on managers' emotional intelligence (EQ).
Main Methods:
- A single-group pre-post design study involved 72 managers.
- The EQ test by Prof N. K. Chadha was administered before and after a 5-day SMET program.
- Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, and Wilcoxon signed rank test.
Main Results:
- A statistically significant increase of 72.02% in EQ was observed (P<0.001).
Conclusions:
- The SMET program demonstrated a positive association with enhanced EQ.
- Improvements in EQ suggest potential benefits for overall executive efficiency.
- Yoga-based interventions may be a valuable tool for stress management in managerial roles.
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