This week’s article is on Emotional Intelligence.  Wikipedia defines Emotional Intelligence as the ability to identify, assess, and control the emotions of oneself, of others, and of groups.   Are the best leaders ones with a high degree of emotional intelligence? 

Emotional Intelligence

 In business we tend to associate traditional qualities with leadership such as intelligence, toughness, vision, determination and willingness to make tough decisions as the qualities required for success.  Emotional intelligence includes self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy and social skills.  This is a ‘soft’ skill and for some seen as unbusinesslike, yet Daniel Goleman found a direct tie between emotional intelligence and business success.

Every Business Has a Story

Every business has a story about a highly skilled executive who was promoted into a senior leadership role only to fail.  There are also many stories about someone who was less extraordinary but with solid abilities that was promoted and sky rocketed to success.  What’s the difference between these two individuals?

Having the ‘right stuff’ is more than intellectual prowess, strong analytical capabilities or even being a great visionary.  What separates those leaders who succeed and those who fail, or at least those who don’t reach their full potential is having a high degree of emotional intelligence.

Daniel Goleman’s Five Concepts of Emotional Intelligence

Daniel Goleman lists five components of emotional intelligence at work.  They are:

1. 1. Self Awareness:  The ability to recognize and understand your moods, emotions and drives as well as their effect on others.
2. 2. Self Regulation:  Ability to control or redirect disruptive impulses and moods.   It also includes the ability to suspend judgment – to think before acting.
3. 3. Motivation:  A passion to work for reasons that go beyond money or status.  Pursuing goals with energy and persistence.
4. 4. Empathy:  Ability to understand the emotional make-up of other people and the skill of treating people according to their emotional reactions.
5. 5. Social Skills:  Proficiency in managing relationships and building networks.  An ability to find common ground and build rapport.

How Do These Concepts Play Out in Business?

As you think about these five components of emotional intelligence what have you observed with leaders you know?  When you think of someone who is realistic about themselves (and others), or open to change, or is service focused, what do you think?  You may not relate these qualities to emotional intelligence but they are.

Have you ever worked in an organization where the leader screams and yells all the time or blames everyone else for their mistakes?  When someone is impatient or judges others harshly do you think ‘they are a jerk’?  I bet yes, and this behavior  demonstrates a lack of emotional intelligence by the  leader.

Even those individuals who have high emotional intelligence may not be equally proficient in each of the five components listed above.  Yet I suspect that what you do notice is someone who understands how to build high trust relationships and sees them as important.   They are sensitive to others, not at the expense of making good business decisions but are able to empathize with others and still recognize what they as the leader need to do. 

Where does emotional intelligence intersect with great leadership?  It’s one and the same.  Great leaders all have a high degree of emotional intelligence.  Can you run a successful company without emotional intelligence?  Sure!  But expect turnover and unhappy employees and less productivity and more time spent handling problems and…well you get the picture.

Look at the five components Goleman outlines.  Where do you fit?

What if you could find out your leadership style, and learn how to use it to get the results you want?  Click the link below and take our leadership quiz.