EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE
a quality of a leader
"I have set you an example that you should do
as I have done for you."
-John 13:15
A leadership team is a vital piece of an organization. If it weren’t for the leadership team, an organization wouldn’t be able to function; a leader is needed to lead the team into an assignment and to meet the deadlines of an organization. In every organization, the role of a leader is as important as the role of the follower. The definition for a leader is, “the person who leads or commands a group of people”.
When the topic of leadership is brought up, we often believe that leaders are the only individuals who are required to set an example. A leader is not only the individual who is given the role but it is also someone who understands the importance of being socially responsible. One individual can make a difference either consciously or unconsciously and their actions can lead a group of people to take action. An individual is so powerful… their actions can affect a group of people for good or bad. If we want to see a difference in our home, work, community, business, and organizations we must be socially responsible and act for the benefit of others. No matter the position we are in, all individuals have the responsibility to set an example. Our children are the next leaders and in order to train our next generation, we must be responsible for our actions because our children are constantly watching our every move.
A great leader must possess the quality of being emotionally intelligent. The word is defined as follows, “the ability to identify and manage one’s own emotions as well as the emotions of others”. You must say, there is no such thing!! But, guess what? You can! Yes, you can manage your emotions and the emotions of others by the way you interact with them. Therefore, your words of choice, demeanor, body language, facial expressions matter when you are interacting with others. Statistics show that 55% of our communication is body language, 38% is the tone of voice, 7% is the actual words spoken. So, let that sink in.
There are five components that create emotional intelligence and they are the following:
1. SELF AWARENESS
When you are aware of yourself, you better understand yourself. You understand that there is no such thing as being perfect. You are better able to build on your areas of strength and also make the necessary improvements in the areas that you should. When self-awareness is absent, pride can take control and it can lead individuals to feeling as if they are perfect and have no need to improve.
2. MANAGING EMOTIONS
We can never manage how others react to us but we can manage how we react to others. Learning how to manage our emotions is an important piece of being a successful leader. It’s important that you are always prepared to answer back courteously and respectfully to any given situation no matter how intense it gets.
3. MOTIVATING YOURSELF
So often, the biggest struggle we have is with ourselves. In the midst of it all, we must know how to motivate ourselves no matter the circumstances we face as a Leader. Dealing with individuals can be pretty demanding both from individuals and ourselves. In the end, the perspective is all that matters. Understanding that every situation can lead to bettering yourself is key. As a Leader, you must understand that you will never be perfect but can definitely learn how to handle situations better next time.
4. EMPATHY
As a leader, it is important that you are compassionate and understanding of everyone’s situation. A leader can easily fall into being a task-oriented leader and not much of a people-oriented leader. In the midst of your, “to do list”, don’t forget that your followers are as human beings. Your followers might often need a pad in the back, time to rest and recharge, or simply a conversation to follow up on how they’re doing. We will all have some cloudy and happy days; days when we can meet the deadline and days where we just simply won’t. There are many responsibilities that come with the role and this one is important.
5. SOCIAL SKILLS
We can all have awkward moments when trying to socialize with others. I know I’ve had so many weird moments! Ha.. Take them as a learning experience. As leader’s, it’s important that we communicate effectively with others, display good manners, and are considerate of others feelings because as individuals, we appreciate those qualities. Understanding how to use your verbal and non-verbal forms of communication is a key component of solid social skills.