In the busy world of leadership, having strong emotional intelligence (EQ) can make a big difference in your success. Let’s explore real examples to see the clear differences between leaders with low EQ and those with high EQ.
What they say: “I don’t care about anyone’s input; I’ll decide what’s best for the team.”
What they do: The leader makes unilateral decisions without considering the expertise or insights of team members. This approach may lead to suboptimal choices and reduced team morale.
What they say: “Let’s gather everyone’s perspectives before deciding the best course of action.”
What they do: The leader values collaborative decision-making, considering diverse viewpoints to ensure well-rounded choices that benefit the entire team.
What they say: “I can’t control my reactions; if something bothers me, everyone needs to know.”
What they do: The leader reacts impulsively to challenges, expressing frustration openly without considering the impact on team dynamics. This behavior can create a tense and unpredictable work environment.
What they say: “I’ll take a moment to cool off before responding; let’s discuss this calmly.”
What they do: The leader manages emotional reactions by taking a step back before addressing challenges. This approach fosters a calm and composed work environment.
What they say: “I don’t need facts; my instincts are enough to make decisions.”
What they do: The leader relies solely on personal opinions and instincts, dismissing the importance of factual information. This approach may result in poor judgment and misguided actions.
What they say: “Let’s gather data and facts to inform our decision-making process.”
What they do: The leader emphasizes the importance of factual information in the decision-making process, ensuring well-informed and strategic choices for the team.
What they say: “I keep my feelings to myself; emotions have no place at work.”
What they do: The leader suppresses emotions and avoids expressing feelings, creating a work environment where emotional openness is discouraged, potentially hindering team cohesion.
What they say: “Let’s share how we feel about this project; honesty fosters collaboration.”
What they do: The leader encourages open expression of emotions, creating a culture of transparency and trust among team members.
What they say: “I’ll agree with whatever the team decides; my opinion doesn’t matter.”
What they do: The leader lacks assertiveness, often conforming to others’ opinions without advocating for their own perspectives, potentially hindering decision-making.
What they say: “I have a different viewpoint; let’s discuss the pros and cons before deciding.”
What they do: The leader confidently expresses their opinions, fostering constructive discussions and ensuring diverse perspectives are considered.
What they say: “I need constant guidance; I can’t handle tasks on my own.”
What they do: The leader heavily relies on others for guidance, demonstrating a lack of confidence and self-reliance, potentially impacting productivity.
What they say: “I’ll tackle this challenge independently and then update the team on my progress.”
What they do: The leader demonstrates self-reliance, confidently handling tasks and challenges, contributing to a more efficient work environment.
What they say: “I don’t need to connect with my team personally; work is work.”
What they do: The leader maintains a strictly professional relationship with team members, neglecting personal connections and potentially creating a less cohesive team.
What they say: “Let’s get to know each other beyond work; strong connections enhance collaboration.”
What they do: The leader actively fosters personal connections, promoting a supportive and collaborative team dynamic.
This is a snapshot to demonstrate possible scenarios of how different scales of EI competencies may play out in business. It is important to note that Emotional Intelligence competencies are interconnected. Which means, that they influence each other.
Another important factor is that the levels of each competency is unique to each and every individual. Which means that the low and high bars do not mean as a negative or a positive sign, but rather it is required to assess how it shows up in you work life and at home.
In EQ coaching we often refer to a sound board metaphor:
To navigate the demands of your role more effectively, consider exploring your EQ through the EQ-i 2.0 online assessment. Discovering more about your EQ can help in different ways:
- Better hiring decisions
- Higher team performance
- Improved employee retention
- Customer satisfaction
- Effective management