Development of Emotional Intelligence in the Czech Armed Forces

Abstract

Emotional intelligence has become an increasingly important competency for effective leadership, particularly in military environments characterized by high levels of interpersonal interaction, operational pressure, and complex decision-making. Despite growing international recognition of its importance, emotional intelligence is not yet systematically incorporated into the professional development of commanders within the Czech Armed Forces. This paper aims to develop an evidence-based educational framework for emotional intelligence training tailored to direct-level military commanders. The proposed methodology builds on previous quantitative research conducted within the Czech Armed Forces, a review of international military practices, and established instructional design principles. The framework defines participant and graduate profiles, learning objectives, a five-module curriculum, implementation requirements, and a multi-level evaluation strategy based on Kirkpatrick's model. A SWOT analysis is employed to assess the feasibility of implementation within the Czech military education system. The proposed educational framework provides a structured approach to developing emotional competencies that support leadership effectiveness, interpersonal communication, decision-making, and unit cohesion. The paper contributes both to military leadership development and to the broader field of human resource development by presenting a transferable framework for emotional intelligence education in high-reliability organizations.