The Role of Emotional Intelligence in Effective Leadership

NFL coach Vince Lombardi once said, “Leaders are not born, they're made.”Though it may sound like a generic statement, it is very true. One can have all the logical/ technical skills or other know-how of their field, but they do not rise up in the corporate hierarchy. Gone are the days when a handful of people could run a business. The larger the organization’s footprint, the more employees it houses. To soar in such environments, one needs to be equipped with the intellectual prowess of handling people, emotional intelligence is a powerful piece of equipment for the mind.

According to Harvard University and the Carnegie Foundation, 85% of career success comes from having well-developed soft skills and people skills. People skills are the most important skills any leader can possess. Though qualification can get a leader equivalent title, people skills and effective socialization skills are what truly make an exceptional leader. Good leadership and emotional intelligence go hand in hand. Here are some pointers on how emotional intelligence correlates with good leadership.

Knowing One’s Limitations

“Know thyself”, One must know one’s own strengths and weaknesses, only then can he excel as a leader. Effective leadership can only manifest when one is self-aware. It is a common sight to see management staff make unreasonable demands and enforce them only to later see it was a bad decision to implement.  Poor management has resulted in a lot of major companies paying a huge price. The emotional component plays an important role in any management position to make sound decisions in a sound mind. This awareness can also help foster a strong team where everyone can play on each other’s strengths and cover up corresponding shortcomings.

Emotional Restraint

The cutthroat nature of a corporate workplace will result in emotional outbursts and tantrums are a common sight to witness. Sometimes it is important to know that uncomfortable situations are unavoidable and what can be controlled is the response. No one wants to work with a bad boss, if they do, it is a chore. A leader must practice emotional restraint and should possess the intelligence to navigate out of such situations, not only will the task be completed, the repertoire as a good leader will be cemented. Adversity goes hand in hand with how high the leadership level is. Controlled, analyzed response is an invaluable skill to pick up.

Social Awareness

Man is a social animal, his life is dependent on his interaction with others. Likewise, an organization does not operate in solitude. It is important to understand and empathize with one’s peers during one’s cooperation. No matter how professional one’s workplace might be, personal connections will be made and everyday interactions will take place whose outcomes are built on those relationships. A leader should be capable of thinking from various perspectives of his peers and it is this empathizing nature that will earn the respect of his peers and this will go a long way. Giving a Cold shoulder and not empathizing when someone has grievances, demanding optimal performance when one is incapable will permanently lose respect from subordinates which is detrimental to any organization.

Relationship Management

It is well known that how you rise up is minor related to your skills and majorly on how well you know people. A good leadership position is not given out at random, it is given based on the relationship you have in your professional circles, and this emotional quotient plays an important role in how well you manage your relationships along with your core skills.

Leaders on the highest rung of the ladder have to maintain good relationships with their partners, clients, customers, vendors, departmental heads, investors, board members and many more. One can only reach that rung if they are capable of juggling a good relationship with all of them.

It is common to see good leads well accustomed to other leaders. For this shows how well they know how to manage their relationships. Conflict is unavoidable, and people do not want to work in an organization which has rampant conflicts. Lesser conflicts correlate to higher job satisfaction. And it is a leader’s job to make sure such an environment is fostered.

The road to being a good leader is not a smooth one and leadership skills are not achieved overnight. There will be situations which aren’t under anyone’s control and more often than not, there will be no conclusion to some situations instantaneously. These skills will take time to master and still, there will be shortcomings. But at the end of the day, it is the leader’s job to get things done and make sure the team is in good hands.