We’ve all been in a position where our technical skills helped us get a promotion. But you also need the emotional element if you want to hold a better leadership position, as it enables you to connect with others, offer feedback, deal with stress, and train teams effectively. You must be thinking: What is that emotional element? That emotional element is emotional intelligence, and nearly 90% of it sets the best performers apart from competitors with the same professional knowledge and skills.
Understanding and managing your emotions and being able to identify and affect the moods of those around you are examples of emotional intelligence. Therefore, understanding exactly what emotional intelligence is is essential for effective leadership. Are you thinking about the connection between emotional intelligence and leadership skills?
A leader’s mood has the potential to spread easily within an organization, and mindset is a powerful factor in any company’s success. Leaders with high emotional intelligence have a positive attitude and a high level of enthusiasm and ensure their team members follow in their footsteps. Can you now connect the role of emotional intelligence with leadership?
Considering the pressure on senior levels, it is not always easy to be cheerful. But, this only emphasizes the need for managers to develop emotional intelligence because, as leaders, they must motivate team members in a way that inspires enthusiasm instead of fear. Employees with strong emotional intelligence are more likely to remain cool under pressure, solve disputes calmly, and express compassion for their colleagues.
4 Aspects of Emotional Intelligence
Four main competencies are commonly used to describe emotional intelligence:
- Self-awareness
- Self-management
- Social awareness
- Relationship management
It’s essential to understand what each component comprises if you want to enhance your emotional intelligence. The four aspects are described in further detail below:
1. Self-Awareness
Self-awareness is the foundation of all things. It reflects your capacity to detect your emotions and their influence on your performance and your team’s performance, in addition to your understanding of your strengths and weaknesses. Did you know that only 10% to15% of people are self-aware?
A lack of self-awareness can create issues for your team. Working with managers who lack self-awareness can significantly reduce a team’s success, increase stress, and deplete motivation. Therefore, self-awareness is important because it helps you realize your potential so you can help others do the same.
2. Self-Management
Self-management involves managing your emotions, particularly under pressure, and keeping a positive attitude when facing challenges. Leaders who lack self-control are more likely to react abruptly and struggle to control their emotions. But the easier you can switch from reaction to response, the more emotionally intelligent you are. It’s important to take a moment to relax, breathe, and clear your head so you can respond more effectively and thoughtfully to adversity and stress. Do whatever it takes to control your emotions, like calling a friend or taking a walk.
3. Social Awareness
Understanding and controlling your emotions is crucial, but you also need to be able to read a room. Your ability to identify the feelings of others and the organizational dynamics at work is called social awareness. Empathy is a skill that emotionally savvy leaders use. These types of leaders try to understand their coworkers’ thoughts and viewpoints so they may interact and work together more efficiently.
Did you know that global leadership development company DDI ranks empathy as the number one leadership skill? It states that leaders with a strong sense of empathy outperform others by more than 40% when mentoring and making decisions. Empathic communication will therefore help you support your team more effectively while enhancing your performance.
4. Relationship Management
Relationship management is the ability to persuade, educate, mentor, and successfully resolve disputes with others. While some people want to avoid conflict, it’s crucial to be able handle problems effectively when they arise. According to research, an unresolved argument can cost an organization 8 hours in gossip and other unproductive tasks, draining resources and confidence. Therefore, you must have these difficult conversations if you want to maintain the satisfaction of your staff.
The Importance of Emotional Intelligence in Leadership
Because leaders determine the atmosphere of their company, a lack of emotional intelligence could have more serious repercussions, such as reduced employee engagement and a higher turnover rate. If you work to improve your emotional intelligence, you can become a better leader and can inspire confidence, communicate clearly, and interact effectively with others in the company. This vital ability ensures you can accomplish your professional and personal targets while making the most of your team.
Ravikiran Sk is a Guest Contributor at HR Daily Advisor.