- All
- Customers
& Sales - Leadership & Management
- Marketing
& Strategy - Productivity & Execution
Are you an emotionally intelligent leader?
06-May-2010
Research shows that top business leaders have higher levels of Emotional
Intelligence than average leaders.
Emotional Intelligence ("EQ") means you understand the emotions,
desires, and tendencies of yourself (self-awareness) as well as the people
around you (other-awareness) - and are able to communicate in ways that move
everyone in the direction of a common goal.
Here are a few key points to help you develop your EQ:
Different does not mean
difficult
People behave differently. Behavioral profiling tools like Extended DISC
have identified 164 different behavioral “styles”. There is no “good” or
“bad” style. What you may think of as “difficult” people – may just be
people who interact with the world differently than you do. Leaders with
high EQ use behavioral profiling tools to learn about and empathize with people
who have different styles – and make the effort to communicate with others on
their terms.
Everyone has strengths
and weaknesses
Just as a coin has two sides - all strengths have an associated weakness, and
all weaknesses have an associated strength. The key to success is to
capitalize on strengths – not try to change weaknesses. People are more
engaged and fulfilled when they perform in roles where they get to play to
their strengths most of the time.
Its takes all styles to
make a great team
All behavioral styles come together and add their own unique strengths and
insights to a team. You don’t want everyone to think and act in the same
way. Leaders with high EQ encourage different points of view and promote
vigorous debate on their teams. As General Patton said, “If everyone is
thinking the same, then someone isn’t thinking”.
Everyone wants something
different
Don’t assume that your people want the same thing you do. Ask them!
Some people are strongly task-focused and want to: “do it right”, or “do it
fast”. For them the joy is about the work, and they are not so interested
in the social aspects of business. Other people are more socially-focused
and think along the lines of: “let’s do it happily”, or “let’s do it together”,
or “let’s do it as we agreed”. There is no right or wrong – but you as a
leader need to appreciate these differences in your people.
Know thyself
The best place to start with EQ is to become more self-aware first. Learn
about your natural behavioral style, your strengths and weakness, how you
prefer to communicate, and how you appear to others. Don’t expect people
to conform to your way of seeing the world. High EQ leaders know
themselves, AND they know how to adapt their behaviors to meet other people on
their turf.
Stephen Lynch
Chief Operating Officer - Global Operations
RESULTS.com
Do you want growth tips sent to you weekly?
To ensure your Weekly Growth Tip does not end up being blocked by your spam filter make sure that you whitelist info@RESULTS.COM in your e-mail and with your ISP.
Follow Us
RSS
At your weekly management meeting (you do have one don't you?) - share the latest Growth Tip with your team and ask the question: "How can we apply this information in our business?"
Commit to taking some form of action. You will be glad you did.
Comment