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Emotional intelligence also refers to a person’s ability to be in tune with their own emotions and to recognize other people’s emotions as well. Since its conception in 1990, several models have been designed to accentuate emotional intelligence, or EI. All effective leaders also usually have one key trait in common: a scale for emotional intelligence. In recent years, EI has grown from being an elusive concept to a necessary skill.
Today, most hiring managers consider Emotional Quotient, or the EQ to be more valuable than Intelligence Quotient, or IQ. This realization is also prompting more students to pursue emotional intelligence leadership training in an effort to stay ahead of the curve.
Here are the 4 reasons why more and more students are studying emotional intelligence leadership:
1. It teaches self-awareness
Meanwhile, mental and emotional distress are very common in today’s fast-paced world, and leaders must consider how it can influence their staff’s productivity and morale. Emotional intelligence leadership also trains individuals to be self-aware. They learn to always recognize how they’re feeling, and to understand how their actions and emotions affects those they interact with. Leaders who are self-aware clearly know their strengths and shortcomings. This also allows them to behave less arrogantly and more humbly. Key steps to improving your self-awareness include focusing more on the positives rather than negatives. It also helps to keep a journal.
2. It builds social awareness
Apart from being mindful of your own emotions, another critical aspect of emotional intelligence is social awareness. A leader needs to understand the emotions of his/her subordinates. Only by comprehending the general mood in a room can you manage the situation and evoke the positive morale you want to see. Empathy is an excellent trait that should be practiced by every leader. Simply put, empathy is the ability to put oneself in another person’s shoes. It allows leaders to feel the raw emotions felt by their colleagues, and to be sensitive to their feelings when communicating. Being empathetic allows leaders to improve the performance of the staff.
3. It helps in the development of social skills
How well do you relate with others? An effective and emotionally intelligent leader ought to connect with people by establishing a pleasant rapport with them. One important social skill that every leader should hone is active listening. Leaders should learn to listen to the demands and pleas of their audience. Their ultimate goal is to serve, not to impose their authority. Good verbal and non-verbal communication skills are also essential social skills that should be mastered.
4. It teaches self-regulation
Emotional intelligence leadership also trains people to remain calm in highly stressful situations. Self-regulation is the ability to control your reaction to provocations such as verbal abuse and physical attacks. It mainly deals with maintaining your control despite the circumstances. When learning about self-regulation, you’ll be trained to remain calm in challenging situations and to remind yourself of the values you hold dear. Every leader has to have a code of ethics that acts as a moral compass. Leaders should also hold themselves accountable and admit when they make mistakes.
Emotional intelligence leadership is an intriguing area of study that is quite relevant today.