Importance of emotional intelligence in leadership

In the Corporate world we all get the opportunity to show our leadership skills some day or the other.We all want to become good leaders which is crucial for the success of the Company as well as our own. Good leadership is the ability of an individual to motivate and inspire others to do good work in an Organisation by displaying characteristics like self confidence,strong communication and management skills,creative and innovative thinking,perseverance and most important in today’s times emotional intelligence.

What Is Emotional Intelligence?

Emotional Intelligence is defined as the ability to understand and manage one’s own emotions as well as the emotions of others. It helps in building long term strong relationship with friends, colleagues etc. People with high emotional intelligence show stay more calm under pressure, resolve conflicts comparatively easily and is empathetic towards their coworkers and that is why it is now considered to be an important must have soft skill.

To inbuilt high emotional intelligence we need to know about the components of Emotional Intelligence.Lets have a look at them.

Components Of Emotional Intelligence

According to Daniel Goleman,an American Psychologist who wrote extensively on the subject there are 5 components of Emotional Intelligence.Let’s take a look at them in detail.

1. Self Awareness-A critical emotional intelligence skill in leadership it refers to being aware of your own emotions,mental state and moods as well as how your emotions and feelings impact those around you.Individuals having high self awareness know their own strength and weakness and learn from others which in turn helps them in taking sound and profitable decisions which is helpful for the Organisation as well as the team involved.



2. Self Regulation-Knowing about your emotions in itself is not enough.You should be able to regulate your emotions properly.You should know when,how and where to express your emotions,an important characteristic of emotional intelligence in leadership.Individuals having high self regulation are able to handle conflicts and difficult situations effectively.Such individuals take responsibility for their actions and easily adapt to changes.



3. Motivation-Intrinsic motivation is another important component of people high on emotional intelligence in leadership.Such individuals are motivated beyond external factors like fame,money,rewards etc.They are action oriented and committed people and find high levels of satisfaction in achieving a goal.



4. Empathy-A critical component to emotional intelligence in leadership empathy is defined as understanding other people’s moods and emotions.An individual having high empathy is able to understand other’s moods and can respond accordingly.They understand the power dynamics at play in their work settings and take decisions accordingly.



5. Social Skills-Defined as the ability of an individual to interact with others social skills are an important component of emotional intelligence in leadership.It includes active listening,persuasiveness and expressing your opinions clearly.It helps in developing strong relationships with your counterparts and higher ups.

Importance of emotional intelligence

Individuals having high level of emotional intelligence tend to become good leaders in the future since they are friendly,kind,empathetic,good listeners and problem solvers.Let us look at some of the points-

1. An individual having a high level of EQ knows their emotions,strengths,weakness and hence can self motivate themselves even in the time of a crisis.Since they have confidence in themselves they are able to engage effectively with others and get the work done.



2. Such Individuals are able to self regulate their behaviour and hence can avoid conflicts and unfavourable situations which is a boon for the Organisation.



3. They are high on empathy and treat everyone with kindness hence fostering an environment where no one is scared to speak their hearts out.Such environment nurtures creative minds and out of the box thinking which inturn is helpful for the Organisation.



4. Since they have good interpersonal skills and have good listening abilities they are able to manage adverse situations effectively.



5. They are self motivated and hence they impart the same motivation,zeal to work and succeed to all the members of their team.

The corporate world today is changing at a fast pace.Technical skills can be taught to people but in such an ever changing environment Organisations require individuals having high emotional intelligence.Let’s look at some of the ways in which emotional intelligence in leadership can be improved.

5 ways to Importance of emotional intelligence at work

1. Understand and analyse your emotions so as to manage them efficiently. Note down what you feel in which type of situation and label them.



2. Similarly identify the strengths and weaknesses of others in your team so as to get the best out of them.Each and every person is unique and they would be having different skills, ability and emotional response to different situations.



3. TChange your viewpoints regarding conflict.Conflicts are mainly there because people have different viewpoints regarding the same.So conflicts can be constructive also and can help in reaching desired results.



4. Give your employees the opportunity to voice out their opinions so that they also feel valuable and the Organisation can also benefit from their creative and out of the box thinking.



5. Practice with your team the various components of emotional intelligence.Roleplay with them possible conflict situations and it will provide proper insights as to what your team and you are lacking and how you can work on them.

Conclusion

In today’s era emotional intelligence(EQ)is of critical importance.Employees having high emotional intelligence will lead the organisation well,and in turn create a team of individuals who will also develop high emotional intelligence.It should start at entry level of an individual only.It improves management,problem solving and is a skill that can be improved by continuous practice.

Also Read : Networking- 5 things you need to keep in mind

Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com

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