Emotionally Intelligent Leadership: leveraging the talent within

Today’s leaders are required to meet constantly evolving demands. Keeping pace with technological advances, managing the need to create sustainable change, and meeting the expectations of the shifting demographics of the workforce are just a few of the challenges faced as you walk through the door of your office every day.

A different type of leadership style and skills are needed to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow wholeheartedly. Styles that worked in the past are no longer effective or desired by companies seeking to be on the cutting edge of their market. Consultation, collaboration, communication, and shared decision-making are the methods preferred by both employers and employees. Disappearing are the days when decisions are made solely by a CEO, or by a team of executives. Leading with heart in addition to the head or emotional intelligence (EI) is now required along with a more flexible, adaptable leadership style.

Leaders who possess a high level of emotional intelligence are intuitively using variations of “Adaptive Leadership”, or “the practice of mobilizing people to tackle tough challenges and thrive” (Heifetz, Grashow, & Linsky) which employs these skills. Adaptive leadership has become increasing popular over recent years and is being successfully applied in a variety of marketplaces.

What is it about emotionally intelligent leadership that makes a difference?

Emotionally intelligent leaders use their self-awareness as a guide as they assess situations; they
are aware of their triggers, and check their assumptions as they work collaboratively with others.Skilled at interpersonal relationships, they use emotional information and a curious approach in appropriate ways to communicate realistic decisions. They express themselves respectfully and with empathy.                                                      They manage their stress levels by living their values, modeling honesty, integrity and demonstrating flexibility, resilience, optimism, and confidence.

They are connected to their core purpose, comfortable with living in disequilibrium, adept at challenging the status quo, savy at experimenting and taking risks smartly, and engaged whole-heartedly in their leadership!

Where’s the proof?

Recent studies showed a powerful and direct relationship between leadership performance and emotional intelligence:

The Centre for Creative Leadership in conjunction with MHS, (the EQI-i provider) recently conducted a study of 302 leaders and senior managers, which concluded that eight emotional intelligence subscales could predict high leadership performance 80% of the time.

Telecom New Zealand wished to understand the relationship between EI and leadership competencies. Of their study population of leaders, they discovered that one-half of the skill set required for successful execution of their organization’s leadership competencies is comprised of emotional and social skills.  (http://downloads.mhs.com/attachments/leadership.pdf)

So, what’s stopping YOU from enhancing your leadership performance by leveraging your emotional intelligence?

Call Endless Possibilities Executive Coaching & Consulting TODAY to arrange to take an EI assessment!