Emotional intelligence, or EQ, is all about your ability to understand and manage emotions, both your own and those of others. It includes traits like empathy, emotional regulation, and motivation. On the flip side, IQ measures your intellectual abilities, such as memory, analytical thinking, and how well you retain knowledge.
While IQ often gets all the attention, EQ is just as crucial, if not more so, especially in business and everyday life.
Sure, having a certain level of IQ is important for success, but I believe that emotional intelligence plays a bigger role in navigating the world around us.

The importance in leadership

Achieving something truly remarkable often takes a team effort. It’s all about bringing people together and creating an environment where everyone, with their unique personalities, can collaborate effectively.
A leader plays a crucial role in this by fostering a space where empathy and emotional understanding thrive. But that's just the beginning.
A great leader also needs to be able to read people and situations well, knowing just how to act in different circumstances.

Lots of smart folks find themselves moving up into leadership roles because they've done really well in their previous jobs. That's great! It means they're top performers and likely have a lot of drive and determination. But here's the thing:
Being a leader isn't just about being the best at what you do.
It's about guiding and supporting the team that's doing the work now.
Excelling at the day-to-day tasks is important, but it's not enough if you want to build a workplace where your team can thrive and feel fulfilled.

Here are some signs of a leader with high emotional intelligence.

4 signs of a high EQ leader

1. Empathetic listener

2. Empowers growth

3. Calm under pressure

4. Positive outlook

Empathetic listener:
There are two types of listeners.
The first type of listener is the one who truly pays attention and engages with us.
They make us feel valued by asking questions and showing genuine interest in what we're saying. It's clear they really care.
On the other hand, there's the listener everyone dislikes—the one who's not really listening but just waiting for their turn to talk. With them, we often feel ignored and unimportant, and let's be honest, that's probably the case.
People can easily tell the difference, and the way we listen can have a huge impact on how others feel.

Empowers growth:
It's not uncommon to encounter leaders who might not be the best fit for their roles. Promotions often come with a pay raise, and understandably, most folks aren't keen on stepping back and earning less. This can lead to some people clinging to their positions at all costs. Those who feel they're not quite right for their job might hesitate to uplift others, worried about being outshone.
On the flip side, leaders with high emotional intelligence are confident in their skills and actively encourage their team members to thrive and grow.
Empowering others is a sign of strength and confidence.

Calm under pressure:
When a leader stays calm in a hectic and stressful situation, it helps the whole team stay composed too. A calm demeanor shows confidence and reassures everyone that things are under control. Unfortunately, not everyone manages pressure well, and some may start to panic.

When you're leading a team, staying calm is key.
If you start to panic and shout, how do you think your team will react?

Positive outlook:
In many workplaces, it's not uncommon to encounter negativity.
There are always some people who might feel dissatisfied with their coworkers, the company, the boss, or even themselves. As a leader, you're human too, but it's important to strive for professionalism and avoid adding negativity to the mix.
This doesn't mean you have to pretend everything is perfect, but constantly focusing on the negative can really bring your team down. It might even cause unnecessary stress and anxiety.
Embracing a positive mindset is the way forward, helping everyone to work without added worries.

In conclusion

There are plenty of brilliant minds out there, but that doesn't automatically make someone a great leader. True leadership is all about empathy and emotional intelligence. To really connect with people, you need to be able to read emotions and understand different situations.
It's about listening actively and with empathy to your team.
Strong leaders empower others to grow, which is crucial if you want to retain talented individuals.
Staying calm under pressure and maintaining a positive attitude, even when things get chaotic, is key.
If you can keep your cool and stay optimistic, your team will sense it and feel reassured that everything is under control.

As a leader, you embody the role model, fully embracing the responsibility for those under your guidance.


Thank you for reading.