On ‘EI’ as the common stance of effective leaders

As more facts are emerging about the claim that ‘leadership’ is the most important factor in business, more interests are also being shown in asserting the common stance of effective leaders. When talking about leadership qualities, emotional intelligence (EI) is becoming a recurring decimal and more and more significant for leaders worldwide. In fact, experts argue that it should be as important as any other skill a leader should have, if not the first. There has been a sudden rise in the discussion about emotional intelligence, especially in leadership circles in the business environment. Effective leadership in the modern world is complex and tasking. The paradigm shift in leadership is the main reason behind this increased focus on emotional quotient (EQ), the level of a person’s ability to manage his emotions in positive ways. Leaders are no more just the person in charge but the person that is moving passionate followers.

While, previously, a leader was defined as someone who could drive followers in a team without force, today’s leaders are different. They are self-aware and care about fostering relationships rather than just giving directions. Today’s leaders are role models, more accountable, show empathy to their followers, listen more than they hear, see more than they look, they are generous  and attuned to their peers and subordinates, and they understand emotions. This understanding and empathetic approach is a direct result of emotional intelligence. In short, emotional intelligence creates leaders who are accountable, sentient, value and cultivate lasting relationships, and understand and regulate personal and non-personal emotions in the most positive ways.

By definition, emotional intelligence is our ability to understand and regulate our own emotions as well as recognize and influence others around us. In 1990, researchers John Mayer and Peter Salovey first coined the term Emotional Intelligence. Later on, it became popular with psychologist Daniel Goleman. In 1998, Goleman wrote an article entitled “What Makes a Leader” in Harvard Business Review (HBR). He stressed emotional intelligence in leadership and said: “The most effective leaders are all alike in one crucial way: They all have a high degree of what has come to be known as emotional intelligence.” It is not that intelligence quotient (IQ) and technical skills are irrelevant. They do matter, but they are the entry-level requirements for executive positions. Goleman research, along with other recent studies, clearly shows that emotional intelligence is the sine qua non of leadership.

Without it, a person can have the best training in the world, an incisive, analytical mind, and an endless supply of smart ideas, but he still would not make a great leader. There are numerous benefits of emotional intelligence in business organisations. Leaders are responsible for setting the tone of an organisation. That is why emotional intelligence is as important a skill-set as communication and technical skills. In today’s complex, competitive world, for a business to survive, a leader must be emotionally intelligent in order to ensure that the organisation survives in the environment. 

Emotional intelligence in leadership can be beneficial in that it can help leaders: to create a positive work culture within the organisation that will increase efficiency and productivity; encourage growth, innovation and creativity in the organisation, help everyone in the organisation put their best foot forward, make the right decisions in the face of challenges, and build a strong bond between the leader and team members.

There are four major components of emotional intelligence in leadership. These are: 

1. Self-Awareness: This quality makes a leader aware of their strengths and weaknesses. In a complex or challenging situation, they can regulate their emotions while taking the right step in the direction of the solution. It is important to be self-aware as a leader, as leaders need to guide the team to manage and accomplish the tasks at hand. It will not only help in decision-making but also ensure individual and organisational growth. Leaders must be able to rely on 360-degree feedback and be conscious of their behaviour to be self-aware.

2. Self-Management: This is a vital component of an emotionally intelligent leader, and it refers to the ability to manage one’s emotions in any situation. For a leader, it is also essential to promote a positive outlook for the team in any situation, and self-management on the part of the leader can lead to that. Having this quality enables a leader to tackle difficult situations and retain their mental peace and calm to make the right decisions.

3. Social Awareness: Leaders of business organisations have to be aware and conscious of the social environment they want to operate and thrive in. This is important to formulate strategies, implement plans, develop adaptability goals for employees, and, in the end, encourage satisfaction within and outside the organisation. Social awareness for a leader is important not only for dealing with the outside world of the business, the customers, but also for the people who are integral to the organisation. Only empathy can enable a leader to regulate the emotions of such a large number of people. An empathetic leader with an understanding of human behaviour can take the organisation to the next level of success.

4. Relationship Management: A leader plays a crucial role as a coach. They are responsible for resolving conflicts, motivating the team, and directing them towards the accomplishment of the task at hand. On the other hand, it is the responsibility of a leader to ensure clear and concise communication with clients and customers. Hence, relationship management is an important component too. A leader can influence how friendly and encouraging a work environment will be and how people will work together. Leaders are motivators and comforters. In some cases, they make their chests available for team members to rest their heads.

Emotional intelligence is the capacity to be aware of, control, and express one’s emotions, and handle interpersonal relationships judiciously and empathetically. Amongst all the good qualities of leaders and no matter the type of leader, whether corporate, traditional or political, military leader or association leader, etc, emotional intelligence stands tall and in a world of its own. In a nutshell, we can say that emotional intelligence is a non-negotiable quality that a leader must possess. Therefore, a leader must work on employees’ emotional intelligence with the same dedication, or more, as his other technical or communication skills.

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