The term “emotional intelligence” has been around for some time, but it has become a topic of discussion among educators and organizational leaders in the past few years.
Unlike traditional leadership skills, emotional intelligence is not something that you are born with. It can be learned by anyone willing to put in the effort to change their mindset and approach others. This article will discuss why emotional intelligence is so important for leadership success.
1) Self-awareness of your personal feelings and managing them, and displaying them appropriately for the situation are essential parts of emotional intelligence. This means being aware of when you are feeling overly excited, anxious, or angry so that you can control these emotions and not let them impact others in the workplace.
2) Emotional intelligence includes being aware of the feelings of others and how to handle difficult situations in which emotions are involved effectively. This means you will be able to determine an appropriate course of action that is both sympathetic and practical, a balance that many leaders with little emotional intelligence have trouble maintaining.
3) Self-management skills, which are vital both in the workplace and in your personal life. This ability includes self-discipline, as well as the ability to adapt your behavior when necessary. If you need to take charge and be assertive to get the point across or resolve an issue, having self-management skills will allow you to control yourself and not react emotionally.
4) The ability to manage relationships with others is another component of emotional intelligence that can help you become an effective leader. Knowing when it’s appropriate and productive to approach someone and how much conflict is acceptable in the workplace is vital. This means being able to read situations effectively, even if they are unpredictable, to find the most productive solution possible.
5) Being aware of and in control of your own emotions can lead to an ability to manage the feelings of others as well. Suppose you have a subordinate who is acting out or getting too emotional. In that case, a leader with skill in this area will recognize the situation and take charge without exacerbating the problem by responding emotionally. Of course, once you have identified the problem, you will need to know how to address the incident to lead to better performance and change in the future.