Emotional Intelligence in Leadership

I often get asked by prospective clients, "What kind of leadership do you teach?" While I confirm that I coach clients versus educate, I then explain one of the core pillars of my program is emotional intelligence in leadership.

Based on my experience, emotional intelligence is crucial to becoming a great leader. Leaders with a high sense of self-awareness and empathy tend to get better results out of their teams than those who are self-insulated and emotionally rigid. My clients who embrace emotional intelligence find their employees become more proactive, as well as more open with their communication. This in turn leads to a happier overall team, more productivity, and less work for the leader to take on themselves.

But it is not just me who thinks emotional intelligence is crucial to leadership. In his article "Understanding Leadership," published in the Harvard Business Review in January 2004, Daniel Goleman argues that emotional intelligence is the key to effective leadership. Goleman defines emotional intelligence as the ability to "recognize and manage one's own emotions, as well as the emotions of others." He goes on to say that emotional intelligence is more important than IQ or technical skills in determining a leader's success.

Goleman supports his argument with research from a variety of sources, including his own work at the Consortium for Research on Emotional Intelligence in Organizations. He finds that leaders with high emotional intelligence are more likely to be effective in a variety of settings, including the workplace, the military, and the family.

Goleman also identifies five key components of emotional intelligence: self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skill. He argues that leaders who are strong in these areas are better able to understand themselves and others, build strong relationships, and motivate their followers to achieve common goals.

A lot of progress has been made since the publication date of Goleman's article. In the last 19 years, we have seen a rise in the popularity of emotional intelligence with leaders across the private & public sectors. While there is certainly room for improvement and growth, it is clear that leaders who work on their emotional intelligence skills have a competitive advantage.

Not everyone I talk to has bought into the benefits of emotional intelligence in leadership. That's perfectly understandable. But when you do the research and talk to those who have been through coaching programs like mine, you can see the benefits for yourself.