It’s very likely that you have heard of IQ. That is your Intelligence Quotient.

But have you heard of EQ?

It means your Emotional Quotient- or the ability to recognize, understand, and manage your emotions and the emotions of those around you.

Although a good EQ is very important for each of us, there is a reason why leaders need to have a high EQ.

According to Daniel Goleman, the American psychologist who coined the word, there are five key elements of an Emotional Quotient. Let’s see how they each contribute to better leadership:

1.      Self-awareness:

A leader is well-aware of their own strengths and weaknesses. They know how situations affect their emotions and pay attention to their response to circumstances. Being self-aware will allow a leader to be authentic and enable them to respond in a measured and appropriate way to situations.

2.      Self-regulation:

A leader who regulates their emotions is able to keep their composure even in times of stress and does not have to resort to verbal lashing and attacks. When everyone else is panicking, a calm leader helps in restoring order and provides a sense of security.

3.      Motivation.

Can you imagine being led by someone who does not have any motivation to achieve high goals? When a leader is motivated and has high standards for quality and performance, they also motivate those around them. Knowing “What” you want to do and “Why” you want to do it requires self-awareness but knowing what motivates others also requires high Emotional Intelligence. Both of these are important for good leadership.

4.      Empathy.

An empathetic leader is crucial when building a positive work atmosphere. They challenge stereotypes, place themselves in others’ shoes, and don’t make rash judgments. The ability to be a good listener when their team needs someone to talk to during difficult times and the ability to receive feedback constructively are signs of a reliable and responsive leader.

5.      Social skills.

This one is fairly obvious. When you are a leader, you have to manage the differences between your team members effectively so as to reduce conflict and improve team dynamics. You also have to know how to manage situations in a diplomatic way whilst understanding the sensitivity of a situation. A leader with good social skills knows how to boost the morale and confidence of their team and is skilled in the art of communication.

Now that you know what constitutes EQ and why it’s important in good leadership, have you figured out what you need to work on?

Feel free to book a call with me to discover how you can incorporate positive change in your life and achieve BIG results.