What is emotional intelligence? EI, as it is also called, is the ability to control and manage your emotions and the emotions of people around you. Individuals that have high EI are able to understand how the feel in a given situation and how others will react to their emotions at the same time. A strong leader must be able to control their emotions and understand other’s emotions at the same time. A leader that can keep their feelings in check during a stressful time can calm and reassure those around them to and keep operations running smoothly.
Key Elements of Those with High Emotional Intelligence
Empathy – This is the ability to understand a person’s feelings from their point of view, instead of from your own point of view. Using empathy means you step into their shoes and try to feel and experience the situation as they would. This type of understanding allows you to become more compassionate and understanding.
Self-Regulation – Self-regulation is the ability to control oneself. This means that you can keep your emotions in check in any situation. There is a resistance to behaviors that are impulsive and that may exacerbate the situation at hand.
Adaptability – This is the ability to change and fit new circumstances. In leadership, there may be many bumps in the road and the leader must be able to adapt quickly and efficiently in any condition that may arise. This includes being open to new ideas and adapting to unexpected demands that may arise.
Social Skills – There are leaders and then there are exceptional leaders. To be an exceptional leader, you must know how to deal with others. Social skills are highly necessary in a leadership role. There must be social skills in use when it comes to conflict resolution and communicating change in the workplace. Improve communication between staff and customers and learn how to praise your team as they earn it.
How do you Improve Emotional Intelligence?
Maybe you are in a leadership position, but your EI is not where it should be to become a successful leader. Here are some tips to help you improve your interactions with your staff:
Understand your emotions – Take the time to profile each emotion you are feeling or that you observe others feeling. Become cognitively aware of emotions and how they vary and how they are similar. Validate their feelings and let them know their perspective is valid.
Listen to others – Take some time to listen to others and truly feel what they are saying and try to understand where they are coming from and their point of view. Practice the golden rule and treat others as you would like to be treated.
Improve motivation – Realize and truly understand your motivation for your career. Go back to the roots of your position and remember why you love being there. Explore your passion for your career and show your motivation and drive to your employees to keep their spark alive as well.
