Many people think that conventional skills like charm, determination, and vision are what make a successful leader. Emotional intelligence, though, is more significant than all the other traits and is a quality shared by all the best leaders. The most effective and prosperous leaders are those that possess emotional intelligence, or the capacity to comprehend both their own and others’ emotions.
When Dan Goleman wrote “Leadership: The Power of Emotional Intelligence,” which defined the five components of emotional intelligence as self-awareness, self-regulation, internal motivation, empathy, and social skills, the phrase gained popularity.
The 5 elements of emotional intelligence listed below are essential for a strong leader:
Awareness of Oneself
The capacity to recognize one’s own feelings, passions, and impact on others in the moment is known as self-awareness. You are aware of the influence your emotions have on your actions and that they may spread. This indicates that a leader who has emotional intelligence will maintain a pleasant and motivating tone in order to inspire their team and maintain a tranquil workplace.
The morale of their team will surely be affected by someone who has a short fuse and unreasonable reactions to certain situations. The team will admire a leader who displays more composure and ease, especially in the face of unforeseen difficulties or hurdles.
2. Self-Control
Understanding your emotions and how they affect you is one thing, but the capacity to self-regulate—that is, to transform potentially destructive feelings into helpful actions—is a genuinely crucial component of emotional intelligence. For instance, fear might motivate a leader to face their fear rather than causing them to fail to act.
Personal responsibility or maintaining emotional control are two definitions of self-regulation. Instead of holding your breath and counting to ten when you feel the want to vent your grievances on someone else, consider putting them down on paper and then shredding them. This may be a great way to blow off steam and restore your composure.
“Holding onto anger is like grabbing a hot coal and tossing it at someone else; you get burnt.” The Buddha
3. Individual Drive
Self-motivation is essential to emotional intelligence. This indicates that a person’s job is not motivated by things like money or status that provide external affirmation. A self-motivated individual will have high standards by nature, be upbeat, and be passionate about reaching their goals. This in turn inspires others who work for such a boss.
How can you increase your sense of motivation? Think about why you do what you do and why you initially became enthusiastic about it. Knowing your purpose and constantly reminding yourself of why you like your work are crucial. If you encounter a difficulty at work, look for a benefit or a lesson you can learn from it.
4. Compasion
Empathetic leaders are able to identify with what other people are experiencing and may change their strategy accordingly. A leader that demonstrates empathy will pay attention to their team’s verbal and non-verbal indicators, including tone and body language. This is essential for a strong leader since it develops a diverse team with committed and devoted employees.
A leader without empathy won’t be aware of how their actions or words effect other people, which impairs their capacity for self-control. A leader that has empathy will recognize the uniqueness of each person’s position and how that influences their job. They won’t ask for too much from their team or make unrealistic demands.
Putting yourself in another person’s shoes is a straightforward way to increase your empathy. Understanding someone else’s intentions requires being able to see things from their point of view.
If there is one key to success, it is the capacity to understand another person’s viewpoint and consider issues from both your own and that person’s perspectives. Ford, Henry
Social Competencies
Relationship building, teamwork, and networking are examples of social skills. Social skills are crucial for handling uncomfortable circumstances, resolving conflicts, and inspiring and rewarding team members.
Every aspirant leader should be aware of these 5 aspects of emotional intelligence. You may control your emotions and utilize them to inspire and encourage your team if you are an emotionally savvy leader. A person has a greater possibility of being a successful leader the more adept they grow at controlling these 5 factors.