Emotional Intelligence in Leadership

Emotional intelligence is a hot topic lately. Are you assessing it within your leadership team? Offering proper training to better understand and cultivate it within your organization?

Being an emotionally intelligent leader means that you can disagree with others and not be rude about it, as well as accept criticism from others and not be defensive or take it personally. It requires a level of self-awareness and empathy, recognizing and valuing the autonomy and perspectives of others, rather than seeking to control and dominate them.

Leaders who possess emotional intelligence are able to handle disagreements with others in a calm and respectful manner. They recognize that differing opinions are a natural part of any team, organization, or relationship and approach conflicts with an open mind and a willingness to listen to different perspectives. (I.E., dictators likely do not possess this trait since it requires a level of empathy.)

Moreover, emotionally intelligent leaders understand that receiving criticism is an opportunity for growth and development, rather than a personal attack. They do not feel threatened or defensive when receiving feedback and instead, take it as an opportunity to learn and improve.

Self-awareness is a huge part of becoming emotionally intelligent: reflecting on one's own emotions, motivations, and behaviors. Additionally, practicing empathy towards others and actively seeking to understand their perspectives can help to build stronger relationships and promote collaboration within a team.

Are you training your leadership team to cultivate emotional intelligence? Proper coaching can help them learn to balance assertiveness and empathy and create a culture of respect and open communication within your organization. By doing so, leaders can create a more positive and productive work environment for themselves and their teams.