Developing Leadership Skills, in Emotional Intelligence (EQ)

Leaders who have emotional intelligence (EQ) skills have a tendency to lead teams that perform well and remain loyal. However, becoming an EQ leader requires effort and commitment. The key to improving EQ leadership skills is to focus on one or two traits at a time and practice them until they become nature. Below is a list of EQ traits and the associated behaviours that can help you get started;

• EQ Behaviours; Create an environment that’s open and welcoming. Maintain an open door policy treating individuals with kindness and encouragement consistently.
• EQ Behaviours; Maintain eye contact lean in while listening and show agreement through nods. Listen attentively without interrupting or dominating conversations.
• EQ Behaviours; Demonstrate a sense of situational awareness. Concentrate on both professional priorities while promoting synergy, within the team.
• EQ Behaviours; Think before speaking contribute when it adds value. Keep lines of communication open during challenging moments. Respond promptly to calls, emails and texts fulfilling promises made and providing progress reports.

Dealing with Conflicts; Maintains an composed demeanour during disagreements. Encourages discussions and values communication, with understanding. Believes that going through conflicts can actually strengthen relationships.

Spotting Potential; Quickly recognises the strengths and abilities of others. Feels sharing knowledge and skills. Willingly supports their personal development.

Valuing Individuality; Treats each person as an individual. Empathizes with their emotional needs, desires, fears and aspirations.

Embracing Positivity; Maintains an outlook on life and challenges. Sees obstacles as opportunities for growth and endeavours to inspire those around them.

Warmth in Interactions; Radiates warmth, smiles and takes the time to acknowledge others. Willing to offer assistance or answer questions.

Enjoying Laughter; Often expresses laughter appreciates self deprecating humour and enjoys light-hearted banter within the team.

Managing Moods; Recognises emotions as indicators, for action. Expresses emotions aligned with the shared values of the group while considering factors that influence states.

Motivation/Passion; Demonstrates an enthusiasm, for work that goes beyond status related motivations. Finds inspiration in the excitement of the tasks themselves.

Problem Solving; Takes measures when faced with challenges and anticipates obstacles. Prefers collaborative approaches to problem solving focusing on finding solutions without assigning blame.

Relationships/Connections; Establishes meaningful networks. Actively fosters connections between individuals and readily shares information, resources and ideas. Maintains an open door policy. Cultivates relationships through check ins.

Self Awareness; Possesses an understanding of oneself confidently recognising strengths well as areas for improvement. Seeks feedback demonstrating transparency and appropriate vulnerability.

Self Regulation; Manages impulses effectively while adjusting emotions and perspectives, for growth. Maximises strengths while minimising factors that may hinder performance or relationships.

Social Skills; Initiates greetings, smiles engages in conversations making others feel valued. Prioritises establishing relationships.

Stress Management; Demonstrates self awareness by recognising when it’s necessary to recharge.

Finding a balance, between professional life by aligning schedules with our rhythms is key to achieving fulfillment in our work. This approach helps minimise stress. Allows us to focus on both aspects without feeling overwhelmed.

When it comes to teamwork having a high emotional intelligence involves providing and seeking feedback that promotes the growth of the team. Trusting our team members and maintaining an approach of inspiration, encouragement and accountability are essential. It’sequally important to contribute to the workload and recognise the efforts made by others in a manner. Improving thinking skills is a hallmark of high emotional intelligence. One way this is demonstrated is by playing the devils advocate when scrutinising ideas, which helps ensure thoroughness and careful consideration. Additionally asking clarifying questions can greatly enhance understanding in situations. A person with emotional intelligence relies more on relational power rather than positional power when exercising authority or influence, over others.

To effectively use your intelligence skills;

Inspire and motivate others. Collaborate to create synergy. Build trust through improvesty and integrity. Support the growth and development of your peers and team members. Building meaningful relationships and address concerns. Emotional intelligence is a leadership skill that plays a role in achieving success in any professional environment.

Why is Emotional Intelligence (EQ) Leadership Important?

The significance of EQ leadership cannot be denied in the business world. The results speak for themselves as companies that invest in enhancing the intelligence (EQ) of their leaders and employees tend to experience improved profitability, productivity, employee retention and overall satisfaction. Research indicates that when senior level management undergoes EQ training it positively influences management.

For individuals holding positions ranging from managers to senior executive leaders EQ plays a pivotal role, in their leadership success. It’s evident that successful leaders have emotional intelligence compared to their less successful counterparts or the average individual. Most leadership challenges can be traced back, to the skills related to intelligence (EQ). When individuals move up to positions it is generally expected that they have the necessary technical skills and experience. However, at this level effective leadership relies more on managing and leading teams of people. Unfortunately many new leaders struggle during this career transition because a significant 60% of them do not receive training in leadership.

There are potential executives and emerging leaders who show exceptional talent and quickly advance in their careers. However, they often find themselves unprepared when faced with feedback that could potentially hinder their promising futures. Many are unaware of how to transition from being experts to becoming inspiring leaders often failing to realise the need, for a new set of skills.

Learn more about Emotional Intelligence with a tailored training session for your team/ workplace.