It’s one thing for leaders to talk about emotional intelligence and another to put it into practice. As with any leadership skill worth having, some of the EQ principles can be more challenging than others to understand and implement, but if you put careful thought and practice into building your EQ muscles, it will pay off for you tenfold.

So how can leaders be more intentional about improving their emotional intelligence? Let’s look at how you can powerfully transcend to the next level in your leadership effectiveness and performance.

#1 – Be Authentic 

If you don’t operate with authenticity, you won’t find many employees following your lead. Your people will be more apt to follow someone whose thoughts, actions, beliefs, and values are aligned and consistent. In other words, when you say what you mean, mean what you say.

Building authenticity as a habit means you need to be mindful of your words and actions. Are you paying lip service to others, telling them what they want to hear or trying to impress everyone? Or are you taking the time to be thoughtful about what you’ll say next and sharing the “real” aspects of you with others? Nothing will break trust more than a leader who isn’t authentic.

#2 – Be a Constant Learner

Grounded, emotionally intelligent leaders are self-motivated to learn, whether that be from their people, peers, or other colleagues in the organization. Those who think they have all the answers might find themselves falling short on their own level of effectiveness.

Learning to be a student of life will not only help you hone your own leadership skills, but it will also help you build meaningful relationships with others. When we view every interaction as an opportunity to learn something new, it encourages curiosity and growth in others too. Your role as a leader isn’t to have all the answers. It’s about learning and collaborating with others to come up with ideas and solutions together. 

#3 – Be a Relationship Builder

Emotionally intelligent leaders recognize the importance of building lasting relationships that straddle both the business and personal lines. If you take care of your people, they will take care of your business – it’s that simple. Successful companies thrive because they understand the importance of making their people a priority. Growing and nurturing relationships is essential to furthering everyone’s well-being, including that of the organization.

Irrelevant of the products and services you offer your clients, remember that you’re in the people business. The depth of relationships you build with those around will either make or break your success. When done with care and authenticity, it can take performance and results to a whole new level.

#4 – Be A Leading Example of Compassion

As a leader, you establish the tone and environment for others to follow.  Emotionally intelligent leaders understand that it’s not about perfection and sometimes people might not deliver according to your expectations. Before casting judgment, seek to understand what might be happening to cause this as your people do have lives outside of their work responsibilities. It is your job to listen, seek to understand and help them through whatever challenges they might be encountering.

In addition, if you are compassionate with yourself, it will make you a better leader in many ways, not the least of which is having a clear mind and heart that can make good decisions without letting emotion or judgement get in the way. Compassion can positively transform your relationships, culture, and business results in the process. 

Emotional Intelligence is a Game Changer 

Emotional intelligence is almost an abstract concept, but by following its well-known principles faithfully, you can become a master of EQ. As with any habit, it will take time to develop and nurture, but the benefits of EQ can be truly remarkable if you are up for the challenge of pursuing it!

Are You Finding It Difficult To Strengthen Your EQ Muscles?
There are many nuances to building your EQ muscles and I can help create a customized plan for you that will move you through learning stages so you feel more at ease about the process and how it will affect you, your people, and your organization.

Please reach out to me by sending an email at joanne.trotta@leadersedgeinc.ca, or give me a call at 1.855.871.3374.