Developing Emotional Intelligence
Emotional intelligence is the ability to accurately understand and manage your own emotions , as well as recognise and influence the emotions of those around you. Often when we think of emotions, we label them as positive and negative. However the ability to experience all of our emotions with curiosity about their message is a healthy part of being human.
According to psychologist Daniel Goleman, leaders who lack emotional intelligence have far-reaching consequences, resulting in lower employee engagement and a higher turnover rate. Emotional intelligence is one of the larger predictors of success in leadership along with assertiveness. In my view these two concepts go hand in hand supporting each other. If you are unclear emotionally then it can be more challenging to be assertive, or you can be overly assertive and miss the emotional responses of others.
By mastering your own emotional intelligence, you can advance the performance of your teams and organisation. Goleman said in the Harvard Business Review:
“The most effective leaders are all alike in one crucial way: They all have a high degree of what has come to be known as emotional intelligence. It’s not that IQ and technical skills are irrelevant. They do matter, but...they are the entry-level requirements for executive positions.”
The first step to training this intelligence is being able to identify what emotions you are experiencing. This map of 21 emotional frequencies can be helpful in developing your emotional language beyond mad, sad and glad. Can you identify which emotions you have experienced in the last 24 hours? Have you asked your team what they are experiencing emotionally lately?
Evolving Careers helps leaders become more emotionally intelligent through courses and coaching. I also host resiliency sessions to support teams through uncomfortable conversations, change programmes and to understand how minority and female employees are experiencing the workplace and could be better supported. Contact holly@evolving.careers to enquire.