EQ for Leaders
When we think of the traits of great leaders, many of the things we first think of are linked to Emotional Intelligence or EQ.
"CEOs are hired for their intellect and business expertise - and fired for a lack of emotional intelligence" - Daniel Goleman
When we think of the traits of great leaders, many of the things we first think of are linked to Emotional Intelligence or EQ. These can be classified as follows:
Self-awareness:
- Emotional Awareness
- Accurate Self-Assessment
- Self-confidence
Self-management:
- Self-control
- Trustworthiness
- Conscientiousness
- Adaptability
- Achievement orientation
- Initiative
Social awareness:
- Empathy
- Organisational Awareness
- Service orientation
Social skills:
- Developing others
- Leadership
- Influence
- Communication
- Change catalyst
- Conflict management
- Building bonds
- Teamwork and collaboration
All of these skills are vital for effective leadership and management. Seriously! Have a look down that list. Can you see one you can completely do without and still be effective? I can't.
What does this tell us? Well, it tells us that leadership at any level is primarily about people. Squishy, emotional, fascinating people, so business smarts and technical competence can only get you so far.
Have a look at this video👇, where I try to explain why gaining these "soft" skills is so much harder than gaining new technical skills. I then go on to show you how to start to build them in yourself and others: