Who’s bold enough to suggest their leaders might benefit from Emotional Intelligence Training?

It’s generally agreed that emotional intelligence matters more today than it used to because the workplace has changed. While today we work largely in teams, the COVID 19 pandemic has created a whole new dynamic in the relationship between leaders and their team when most, if not all the team, is working in isolation at home.

It’s been well documented over the past 20 or so years that leaders with higher emotional intelligence are more adaptable to change – a must in our fast-changing digital age. Here are six characteristics and the benefits of those leaders who possess emotional intelligence.

• Self-Awareness. Leaders who possess this behavior demonstrate an awareness of their moods and feelings and the impact they can have on decisions, behavior, performance, and the impact they have on others. Leaders who are emotionally self-aware are conscious of the role their feelings can play in these areas and are better equipped to manage this influence effectively. For leaders, it’s about being aware of the behavior they demonstrate, their strengths and limitations, and the impact they have on others. When they do so, employees and co-workers feel as if that individual is present when engaging with them as opposed to feeling disconnected.

• Awareness of Others. Is nothing more than making others feel appreciated; it’s the skill of being able to perceive, understand, and acknowledge the way others feel. This skill helps them to identify things that make people feel valued, listened to, cared for, consulted, and understood. It also helps them demonstrate empathy, anticipate responses or reactions, and adjust their behavior so it fits well with others. When individuals and leaders demonstrate this skill effectively, they come across as being empathetic. When they do not demonstrate this skill, they can come across as being insensitive to the way others feel.

• Authenticity. Leaders who are authentic are open and honest about their mistakes and they effectively express themselves, honoring commitments, and encouraging this behavior in others. It involves honestly expressing specific feelings at work such as happiness and frustration, providing feedback to colleagues about the way they feel, and expressing emotions at the right time, to the right degree, and to the right people. Leaders high in this skill are often described as genuine whereas those low in this skill are often described as untrustworthy.

• Emotional Reasoning. This behavior is viewed as using the information in feelings (from oneself and others) when making decisions. It involves considering their own and others’ feelings, combining the information of those feelings with other facts and (technical) information, and communicating this decision-making process to others. When this type of emotional information is combined with facts and technical information, leaders make expansive, creative, and well-thought-out decisions. Conversely, when not using this emotional information and focusing just on facts or technical information, leaders are viewed as limited in their approach to solving problems.

• Self-Management. Leaders who demonstrate self-management are individuals who manage their emotions effectively in difficult situations. They also manage their time effectively, strive to improve their own performance, and demonstrate a positive, energizing demeanor. The modern workplace is generally one of high demands and pressure and these forces can create negative emotions and outcomes. A leader’s mood can be very infectious and therefore be a powerful force in the workplace, either productively or unproductively. Leaders who possess this skill are often described as resilient and able to manage high work demand and stress rather than being temperamental at work. They are typically proficient in managing their own emotions, are optimistic, and look to find the opportunities and possibilities that exist even in the face of adversity.

• Inspiring Performance. The ability of a leader to positively influence the way others feel through problem solving, feedback, and recognizing and supporting others’ hard work is critical. It involves creating a positive working environment for others, helping others find effective ways of responding to upsetting events, and effectively helping people resolve issues that are affecting their performance. Leaders who adopt a more inspiring influence style are seen as empowering others to perform above and beyond what is expected of them whereas individuals and leaders not adopting this style come across as being indifferent.

The simple fact of the matter is that one’s emotional intelligence is completely under a leader’s control and improving it can be mastered over time. Having an assessment that measures the perceptions of their boss, peers, and direct reports as to how efficiently they exhibit emotional intelligence behaviors (as well as measuring the level of importance they perceive for each of those behaviors) is a first step. The second step is providing the training and coaching necessary to help them improve in the above six areas.

Are you ready to learn how your leaders can improve their emotional intelligence? Talk to us, we’d like nothing more than to help you.