Being an effective leader today requires more than just technical know-how and business strategies. Emotionally intelligent leadership has emerged as a vital skill set for managers. Amplified by the pandemic and augmented by employees’ desire to belong at work, emotionally intelligent leadership separates decent managers from inspirational leaders. The good news is that emotional intelligence (EQ) isn’t something you’re born with. It’s a skill you can develop through EQ leadership training.
What is emotional intelligence in leadership?
The idea that employees and managers can leave emotion at the door is outdated and
thankfully disappearing. Emotions are part of being human. Rather than squash emotions, we can manage the unhelpful ones and use the productive ones to benefit ourselves and our colleagues.
This is emotional intelligence.
Psychologists at Yale University turned the ideas into a scientific theory in 1990. A little later, another psychologist divided the necessary skills into four areas:
1. Self-awareness: Recognising and understanding our own emotions
2. Self-regulation: Managing our emotional responses in a productive way
3. Social awareness: Our perception of others’ emotions
4. Relationship management: How we use this insight to develop healthy bonds
Abbreviating emotional intelligence as EQ is a nod to IQ and the equal importance of the two characteristics. Just like IQ, someone can have high or low EQ.
Research shows that employees with high EQ are:
- More committed to their company
- Better colleagues and “organisational citizens”
- More satisfied with their work
- Less stressed
- More productive
The bottom line is that EQ is an organisational imperative.
So it’s worrying to learn that a 2022 Gallup survey found “Fewer than one in four U.S.
employees feel strongly that their organisation cares about their wellbeing – the lowest
percentage in nearly a decade.”
A decline in emotional intelligence in leadership – whether real or perceived – has significant repercussions. The same survey found that employees who feel cared for are less likely to look for a new job, less likely to burn out, more likely to be engaged and advocate for their company, and more likely to thrive outside of work.
How EQ leadership training can help you build a thriving culture
It’s obvious from the statistics above that emotional intelligence in leadership is
mission-critical.
But how do you go about building these skills?
As you can likely tell from the breakdown above, emotional intelligence in leadership (and in life) is a skill set with two parts.
The first is how you relate to yourself. The second is how you relate to others.
Developing one without the other won’t result in a high EQ. For example, if you try to skip the self-awareness step, you risk misinterpreting and manipulating your team’s emotions rather than accurately reading and empathetically responding.
After honing your EQ, the next challenge is looking for gaps and opportunities in your
leadership style. Our new course, The Art of Emotionally Intelligent Leadership, teaches you to do all the above. In a packed one-day EQ leadership training session, you will learn the key principles of emotionally intelligent leadership and learn to apply them in your daily work.
A quick guide to The Art of Emotionally Intelligent Leadership
The Art of Emotionally Intelligent Leadership is the result of deep research into psychology, workplace culture and motivation. There is a lot covered in one day. To make it digestible, relevant and applicable, we have divided the course into six modules that build on each other to increase your EQ.
1. Shifting perspectives: Agile emotional intelligence
Awareness of workplace personalities and their importance allows you to respond effectively to diverse viewpoints and foster a more inclusive environment.
Agile emotional intelligence involves:
- Developing a framework to recognise and respect the unique perspectives of team members
- Enhancing agility in emotional intelligence to respond dynamically to new challenges and opportunities
- Using emotional insights to strengthen interpersonal connections and promote a culture of trust
2. Embracing change in your leadership approach
Integrating emotional intelligence into various leadership styles is essential for fostering a resilient and adaptable workforce. As an emotionally intelligent leader, you will:
- Lead with empathy, Building trust and rapport by showing genuine concern for team members’ well-being
- Implement strategic changes that ensure a smooth transition for everyone involved
- Promote adaptability and encourage a continuous learning mindset to navigate the ever-evolving business landscape
3. Embracing change through emotionally intelligent leadership
Change can be challenging. Emotionally intelligent leaders understand the critical role emotions play during these periods. The change management strategies you will learn
include:
- Understanding how emotions impact and influence team dynamics and individual
performance during changes - Leveraging emotional intelligence to provide support and direction, helping team
members cope with transitions - Developing and implementing emotionally intelligent strategies to minimise disruption and maintain morale
4. Creating a value-driven work culture
When your team is united behind organisational values, they have a clear vision and higher motivation. Emotionally intelligent leaders foster this alignment by:
- Recognising and valuing each team member’s unique contribution
- Implementing practices that encourage innovation, ownership and a sense of
belonging - Building a culture of appreciation and mutual respect where employees feel motivated and valued
5. Positive influence and motivation
EQ leadership training teaches you how to use your new-found knowledge to get the best out of people. This means being a positive influence:
- Learning motivational strategies that align with emotional intelligence principles to
enhance team morale and productivity - Using positive reinforcement and encouragement to uplift and motivate team
members. - Establishing a workplace atmosphere where employees feel supported and inspired to perform at their best
6. Ethical dilemmas of emotional intelligence in leadership
While emotional intelligence helps you understand who you work with, there are ethical dilemmas to applying what you know.
Our EQ leadership training helps you stay well back from the line, not walk it:
- Balance empathy and objectivity to ensure you make fair, equitable decisions
- Use emotional intelligence ethically to support and empower rather than manipulate or exploit
- Uphold high ethical standards in all interactions, fostering a culture of trust and
respect
Conclusion
Boost your EQ to build a future-ready workforce
By learning the art of emotional intelligence in leadership, you can inspire, motivate and
guide your team to achieve exceptional results – no matter the challenges that come your way.
Our one-day EQ leadership training course is designed to help you do just that. Through
interactive sessions, discussions and practical activities, you’ll gain deep knowledge and
practical skills to foster a more engaged and productive culture at work.
Book your place in the course today or learn more about The Art of Emotionally Intelligent Leadership.
