Today’s Tuesday Reading is from Justin Sipher, Program Leader, Leadership Coach, and Consultant at MOR Associates. Justin may be reached at [email protected] or via LinkedIn.
Emotional Intelligence (EI) wasn’t always a concept I grasped fully. Early in my career, I was oblivious to the messages my emotions conveyed. I recall a meeting in my early 20s where I was told my emotions were “speaking volumes,” even when I was verbally silent. This was a revelation – I hadn’t realized my emotions communicated even when my words didn’t.
Later, as a CIO, I discovered my overly calm demeanor made me difficult to read. In that case, I failed to communicate in ways that would have helped my team. I needed to enhance my emotional intelligence.
These experiences taught me that EI is a vital skill. Recognizing and understanding our own emotions and those of others can significantly impact our interactions and leadership effectiveness. It’s not about suppressing emotions but rather understanding and managing them in a way that fosters positive communication and relationships.
I came across this quote recently. It really impacted me: “Emotions can get in the way or get you on your way.” – Dr. Mavis Mazhura.
The challenges of the past five years highlighted the critical importance of emotional intelligence and empathy in effective leadership, including the COVID-19 pandemic, its ripple effects, recent changes in federal funding, shifting compliance mandates, and enrollment pressures. Leaders with emotional intelligence have been more successful in guiding their organizations through these unprecedented challenges.
Research consistently demonstrates that leaders with high emotional intelligence are more adept at inspiring and motivating their teams. They are skilled at resolving conflicts and cultivating a collaborative environment where individuals feel valued and empowered. By practicing empathy, leaders create a supportive workplace culture that fosters higher employee engagement and job satisfaction.
Employees who feel understood and supported by their leaders tend to be more productive and innovative. Emotionally intelligent leaders provide constructive feed-back, feed-forward, and motivation, which encourages employees to reach their full potential.
The education sector, like many others, is constantly evolving. Leaders with emotional resilience are better equipped to manage uncertainty and guide their employees through transition periods with less turmoil and less stress.
A leader’s emotional intelligence is pivotal in shaping workplace culture, influencing everything from team morale to how employees interact with stakeholders and the broader community. By cultivating emotional intelligence and empathy, leaders can create a positive and productive work environment where employees feel valued, supported, and motivated to excel.
So, evidence is clear that our EI can make a difference. What can we do with this knowledge to help your EI be an asset and avoid it being something that holds you back? Here are five strategies to improve emotional intelligence for better leadership:
- Raise Self-Awareness. Ask for feedback from colleagues or mentors to identify blind spots. Keep a journal to track your emotions and reactions in different situations.
- Practice Emotional Regulation. Remember to pause before responding to challenging situations to avoid emotional outbursts. Reframe challenges by focusing on solutions rather than dwelling on problems.
- Develop Empathy. Be an active listener when presented with concerns. Apply coaching principles such as asking open-ended questions to understand their perspectives better. Don’t interrupt.
- Strengthen Social Skills to Enhance Relationships. Invest your time to build rapport with your team & constituents. Be approachable and maintain open communication to foster trust.
- Find Pockets of Joy to Improve Outlook. Cultivate a growth mindset by embracing challenges as opportunities to learn and inspire your team by displaying optimism and resilience, even in tough times.
With a commitment to strategies like these, you can strengthen your emotional intelligence. Remember that our emotions and connections are powerful, especially in our capacity as a leader. I learned to take my emotional intelligence and turn it from kryptonite and instead make it one of my superpowers. You can also!
Which will most help you improve your emotional intelligence?
Last week, we asked which area of focus can help you most as you navigate through uncertainty toward trust:
- 29% said take a pause
- 22% said have a process
- 34% said create a plan
- 15% said community of people
For more than one in every three of us, having a plan is most beneficial as we consider uncertainty. It can seem difficult to have a plan in such times. Consider planning for the most likely scenarios and planning next steps based on what may be certain amidst the uncertainty. As nearly one in three of us identified, remember to pause, take a deep breath, and think critically to identify the core of the issues you want to address.