Inteligencia emocional y liderazgo transformacional: claves para la innovación en la gestión gerencial del siglo XXI aplicado a e-commerce.

Abstract

This work explores how emotional intelligence, together with transformational leadership, supports innovative practices within managerial roles in e-commerce organizations. Through a qualitative review of secondary sources and a comparative look at two cases—Mercado Libre and Falabella—it becomes clear that when emotional competencies are combined with transformational approaches, they reinforce creativity, adaptability, and overall organizational performance. Based on these findings, a set of recommendations is outlined to strengthen managerial soft skills and policies related to employee well-being and sustainability. The analysis indicates that emotional intelligence—understood as the ability to identify, interpret, and manage one’s emotions as well as those of others—functions as a key element of transformational leadership. It encourages empathy, self-regulation, effective communication, and cohesive teamwork. This leadership style drives organizational innovation through inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, and personalized support for employees, factors that are particularly relevant in digital environments marked by uncertainty, virtual interactions, and strong competition. In addition, the combination of emotional competence and transformational leadership contributes to more resilient, people-centered, and innovative organizational cultures, capable of balancing technological progress with social and environmental awareness. From the overall review, strategic guidelines are suggested for reinforcing socio-emotional managerial skills, fostering a digital version of transformational leadership, and promoting well-being and sustainability policies across companies in the e-commerce sector.