Emotional intelligence has quickly becomes a key component of effective leadership. The ability to be in tune with yourself and your emotions, as well as having sound situational awareness, is an incredibly powerful tool that all leaders need in their tool belt.
The ability to know, understand, and respond to emotions, being aware of how your words affect others, and your ability to overcome stress at the moment, is what is known as emotional intelligence. If you want to be an effective leader, then you need to understand the required aspects of emotional intelligence.
Self-Regulation
Self-regulation, or discipline, involves your ability to control or redirect your disruptive emotions and being able to adapt to changing circumstances to keep your team moving in the right direction.
Being calm is contagious. As a leader, you can’t afford to panic when things get a bit too stressful. When you can learn to stay calm and positive, you are better able to think and communicate more clearly.
Empathy and Compassion
Empathy is your ability to put yourself in someone else’s shoes so you can understand how they feel and react appropriately to the situation. When you have empathy, your capacity to feel compassion is higher.
The emotions that you feel in response to suffering is what motivates a desire in you to help. The more you can relate to those around you, the better you’ll come to understand what motivates and upsets them. It also enables you to inspire and empower them so they take ownership in their work.
Relationship Management
If you’re distracted, you will never be able to make deep connections with others. Everyone has family obligations and a crazy to-do list, but being able to build and maintain healthy relationships is essential to your ability to boost your emotional intelligence,
You have to have the ability to communicate effectively and maintain relationships if you want to move people in the right direction within your organization.
Effective Communication
Effective communication is of the utmost importance when it comes to being an effective leader. Recent studies have shown that communication is seven percent the words you say and 93 percent tone and body language. Misunderstandings and lack of communication are usually the basis of problems between people.
Failing to communicate effectively at work leads to frustration, confusion, and bitterness among employees, and work won’t get done in the way intended. When you are competent at communicating, you can eliminate obstacles and encourage stronger relationships within your company.
Emotional intelligence is a highly desired and powerful tool that is critical if you want to exceed your goals, improve your essential relationships at work, and create a healthy and productive place to work and become an effective leader. You will connect more with those you lead, while getting more out of them in your stable abilities. Plus, you are modeling desired behaviors and work attitudes to help them succeed.
“Emotional Intelligence is the ability [to] understand and effectively apply the power and acumen of emotions as a source of human energy, information, connection, and influence.” (Robert K. Cooper)
If you want to learn to tap into your emotional intelligence, , of have managers who need this ability, reach out to learn more. Become and elite leader.