Emotional Intelligence is vital to success.
Welcome to the first entry of The Q. We know that traditional measures of intelligence (IQ) fail to account for the full range of smarts required to succeed as a leader. In this new series, we’ll explore other skills great leaders possess and practical steps you can take to improve your own abilities.
We’ve all heard of IQ or the Intelligence Quotient. For more than a century, researchers have looked for a way to measure intelligence, and theoretically, that’s just what IQ does. But even Alfred Binet, an IQ pioneer who developed the first test in 1905, acknowledged the diversity of intelligence he observed throughout his studies and the limitations of his own test.
Today, we know that while IQ may measure a kind of intelligence, it doesn’t come close to capturing the full extent to which a person can be savvy. Indeed, researchers across the world have continued to try to define and measure the many forms of human intelligence, and in 1990, Yale’s 23rd president Peter Salovey and Jack Mayer, a professor from the University of New Hampshire, proposed a new kind of intelligence—emotional intelligence.
Emotional Intelligence or EQ relates to a person’s capacity to understand and manage their own emotions and those of others. People with high EQ know what they’re feeling and how it might affect the people around them. They’re similarly adept at noticing and interpreting emotional cues from others.
It’s not hard to see how EQ could be vital to a leader’s success. According to Sara Canaday, a leadership expert, EQ matters when it comes to leadership because emotionally intelligent people tend to be empathetic, can understand perspectives different from their own, are considered open-minded, bounce back from challenges and pursue their goals despite the obstacles they face—all of which are important leadership skills.
Emotional Intelligence tends to be broken down into five categories: self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy and social skills. Below we take a look at each of these categories and what you can do to develop your own EQ.
Self-awareness
Being self-aware as a leader means having a clear understanding of your own strengths and weaknesses, and being able to self-assess requires both honesty and humility. At the Leadership Summits, students complete an activity called My Lifeline. This activity asks students to chart the highs and lows of their lives and examine the traits they’ve developed as a result of their experiences. Through this self-assessment, students discover their strengths and identify where they may need to rely on the strengths of their peers to accomplish the team project.
TIP: PAUSE-THINK-DO
Whenever you experience a strong emotion, pause to examine what you’re feeling. Before you do or say anything, think through why you might be feeling this way. You can’t always control your emotions, but you can always control your reaction. Just by pushing pause on your knee-jerk response and thinking about your feelings, you’ll give yourself the chance to make a smart choice about what to do.
Self-Regulation
Self-regulation is all about staying in control. Great leaders don’t lash out, make rushed or emotional decisions, make hasty assumptions about others or compromise their own values.
TIP: Value Print
In a blog about his Foundations for Success workshop facilitated at the Ambassador Leadership Summit at Yale, Sunjay Nath describes a value print, a document outlining a person’s core principles. A value print, like a finger print, is unique to the individual and allows people to make decisions and take action guided by their values. When you’ve committed to paper what your values are and why they matter to you, you’ll have a powerful tool to help you self-regulate.
Motivation
Motivation, especially intrinsic or self-driven motivation, keeps leaders going to achieve their goals and consistently produce good work. Intrinsically motivated people find emotional satisfaction in doing what they set out to do, and like a snow ball rolling downhill, they gain momentum the more goals they reach.
TIP: One Good thing
The best leaders are optimistic by nature, and remaining hopeful, even in the face of challenges, keeps leaders motivated. It’s easy to focus on the negatives when you experience failure, but the next time it happens, try finding one good thing (however small) that you can take away from the situation. This practice will radically change your mindset and help you find the silver lining as well as reasons to persist.
Empathy
Empathy is the ability to stand in someone else’s shoes and feel what they’re feeling. Good leadership demands empathy because good leaders know how to approach each member of their team—when to push, when to offer help and when to step back and listen.
TIP: Counter Argument
Understanding your own point of view is simple; it’s yours after all. What’s trickier but more valuable is the ability to examine circumstances from all sides. Rather than dig your heels in and take a “my way or the highway” approach, try arguing a viewpoint other than your own. To support the counterargument, you have to learn more about it and understand why people might be in favor of it. This doesn’t mean you have to change your mind. It just means you’ll have the ability to see things from a new perspective. The more you do it, the easier it becomes.
Social SKills
Good social skills truly boil down to good communication. Leaders with high EQ and strong social skills know how to motivate and support their team, manage conflict, and handle changes as they come. They set an example for their teammates about how to talk to and treat one another.
tip: Genuine Compliment
One the fastest and easiest ways to build trust and loyalty is to notice the ways in which your teammates shine and then sing their praises. Research has shown that people will work harder and longer when they feel appreciated. However, it isn’t enough to offer a generic “Good work.” When you praise someone, your compliment should be specific, sincere and timely. Don’t wait to say something. We know giving praise might feel awkward at first, but if you want to be a great leader, you’ll get over that discomfort and be generous with your genuine compliments.
By Corie Bales
Corie is the Academic Affairs Manager of Ambassador Leaders. As a lifelong educator and avid traveler, she believes in empowering students and teachers to learn and lead through experiential education.