Emotional Intelligence (EI) – that is, the capacity to work effectively with your and others’ emotions while engaging in human interactions. EI is demonstrating itself to be a critical factor in leadership effectiveness. Increased numbers of empirical research studies are being produced that reveal outcomes that can no longer be ignored by serious leaders. Some of the key measures associated with emotional intelligence that are being examined are job satisfaction levels, job effectiveness, the contagiousness of moods and physiological responses to others (heart rate, health). Studies show that the emotional intelligence of the boss directly affects employee job satisfaction levels, and this in turn impacts upon employee turnover. Furthermore when a boss brings a negative mood to the workplace through displays of irritability, and anxiety it takes away from a climate of enthusiasm, which diminishes work effectiveness.
In contrast, when a boss is able to exude an optimistic and enthusiastic mood it impacts positively upon innovation, productivity, team work and increased resilience to difficult circumstances. With a greater number of research studies demonstrating the positive impact that increased emotional intelligence has upon business results, it is becoming more difficult to ignore this element of leadership development. The good news is that leaders can improve and grow in this area. I have worked one-to-one with leaders to achieve this very thing. So where do you start to work at improving this area? There are a number of options available to you. You might want to look at taking an assessment to assist you in this. I offer an online EI Assessment that breaks down specific areas for improvement. You may want to read up more on the four elements of emotional intelligence and select one that you know needs more work and set some goals for yourself, or perhaps ask those you are leading for their perspective, either directly or through a 360 assessment. The most logical place to start improving emotional intelligence is to increase your own self-awareness, for it is the building blocks to EI.
Key variables that align well with evolved EI are awareness of your own personal values, taking opportunities to reflect and knowing your strengths. When you are clear on your values – your inner guiding life principles – then your decision-making is automatically simplified. You are able to confidently say ‘no’ to opportunities that don’t match who you are, or have become. And you are able to quickly distinguish between opportunities worthy of your investment. One exploratory question I have found helpful in working with leaders to increase their awareness of their values is, “What is so important to you, that if you didn’t do it, you would consider your life a waste?”
Leaders who know their strengths are able to construct their life and business in order to cater for their strengths and potential growth areas. They openly acknowledge their weaknesses allowing those areas to be addressed in any organizational strategic planning. They know how to build teams around them that will complement their strengths and growth areas, which will create greater effectiveness. There are some great assessment tools available today to assist leaders in this process of discovering their behavioral strengths, which will also enable them to learn how to flex their style with people who are different. I recommend increasing your self-awareness in this area.
The final area that is vital for increasing self-awareness is learning to take the time to reflect over your responses to others. Optimally it is best to reflect before making decisions so you don’t simply react but you make a measured response. Sometimes we emotionally react and after the fact we know that we haven’t demonstrated emotional intelligence. Instead of beating ourselves up, these are the times to intentionally practice reflection. Use a journal if you want to get serious and write down your thoughts. Ask yourself, “What just happened? “What was going on for me in that emotional encounter?” “What hot buttons were pressed, and how could I have responded?” “If a similar encounter were to occur in the future, how would I pick up on it – what would be the indicators, and how could I recognize them as red flags in order to respond appropriately next time?
As you can see this type of growth doesn’t happen over night, which is why one-to-one coaching is effective to improving this competency. As you become more aware of your own inner responses and what triggers negative reactions, it is only then that you can make alternate decisions to a better you. I have given you a number of possible paths to improving one area of your EI, so which one are you going to take? When are you going to get started? This area is critical to effective leadership, so don’t ignore it any longer – start today?
David Allan MBus LinkedIn