Emotional Intelligence (EI)

Emotional Intelligence is the ability to manage both your own emotions and understand the emotions of people around you. 

Understanding Emotional Intelligence

There are five key elements to EI: self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skills. Studies show that there is a correlation between people with high EI and positive workplace performance, although no causal relationships have been shown. EI is typically associated with empathy because it involves a person connecting their personal experiences with those of others. 

What are the Key Components of Emotional Intelligence?

Effective leaders are often very emotionally intelligent. In the workplace, it’s important for leaders to be self-aware and able to view things objectively. 

• Knowing Yourself: This means understanding your own emotions, like when you're happy, sad, or angry. Try to self-reflect and have a conversation with yourself asking: “Why am I feeling this way?”. Writing your thoughts (also known as “journaling”) can be helpful while trying to identify what’s going on inside because putting words and context to emotions helps to shape them.

• Controlling Yourself: Once you know how you feel, you can manage those emotions. So, if you're angry, you can stop yourself from saying or doing something you might regret later. It is very important that you allow yourself to feel your emotions, but sometimes we get carried away by what happens to us and act in ways that are later counterproductive. Feel your emotions but observe them, don't let them take control over you.

• Understanding Others: This isn't just about you, it's also about understanding how others feel. When you understand how others feel, you can work better with them. Try to listen to what they share with you and put in the effort to understand what people are communicating non-verbally. If you ask someone to help you on a project and they agree, but sound hesitant, recognize that they may feel overwhelmed, confused or they come from a different background and understanding than your own. It’s important to validate and address that before moving forward. 

What Strategies Can Leaders Use to Improve Their Emotional Intelligence?

A good leader always wants to improve and look for their best version, so here are some tips to practice and be better prepared to face hard situations: 

• Pay Attention: Start noticing how you feel in different situations. Are you stressed during meetings? Happy when you're helping others? Understanding your own feelings is the first step. You can use the journaling tip we mentioned before.

• Manage Stress: Learn healthy mechanisms for stress like exercise, mindfulness techniques, or hobbies. When you're less stressed, you will handle your own emotions and support others way better. 

• Points of View (POV’s): Surround yourself with people from different backgrounds and experiences. Engaging with diverse viewpoints can improve your understanding of emotions and enhance your ability to relate to others.

• Practice Patience: Patience is the ability to wait with serenity. Developing EI takes time, so be patient with yourself. Keep trying, and don't get discouraged if you don't see instant results.

What are the Consequences of Low Emotional Intelligence in Leadership?

Keep in mind that when being a leader and working with people, they are not robots and they have emotions. These are some consequences that may exist:

• Upsetting People: It’s possible that you unintentionally upset or offend others because of your unawareness of your team emotions, fears and POV’s. 

• Creating Conflict: Not being able to manage emotions can lead to arguments and disagreements within teams, which can make it hard to get things done.

• No Trust: If people don't feel understood or respected by their leader, they're less likely to trust them and might look for opportunities elsewhere.

Conclusion

Leaders set the tone of their organization. If they lack emotional intelligence, it could have more consequences, resulting in lower employee engagement and they will choose to leave. If you want to be a good leader, the most important characteristic is to be open to improving. Why not take that option that would allow you to be closer to your team and build trust? Not only with them, but also with you.