Five Reasons Why Emotional Intelligence Is Essential In Effective Leadership
Rose Bryant-Smith (main photo) is founding co-owner of workplace advisory firm Worklogic and author of Fix Your Team (Wiley, 2018) and Workplace Investigations (Wolters Kluver, 2018). In her latest post for B&T, she says emotional intelligence is too often overlooked as an important office skill…
Anyone who pretends that emotional intelligence is a ‘soft’ skill has never managed a bullying claim, told an employee that their position is redundant, or been involved in an industrial negotiation. Many management tasks that are essential in today’s workplace require understanding of the emotional issues that employees and teams face. Resolving them takes strength, decisiveness, compassion, strategic thinking and integrity – and the importance of these skills shouldn’t be underestimated.
Emotional intelligence can be understood to be the ability to recognise and understand your own feelings and the feelings of others, and to choose how to respond to them. Rutgers psychologist Daniel Goleman named five elements of emotional intelligence back in 1998:
- Self-awareness;
- Self-regulation, being the ability to manage constructively your own emotions, in order to act in your long-term best interest;
- Motivation beyond money and status;
- Empathy for others; and
- Social skills, such as managing relationships and building networks.
Other skills more recently discussed as important in leadership include cultural intelligence, which is the ability to adjust to different contexts, and contextual intelligence, which enables leaders to identify and work within implied norms.
These emotional elements of leadership are worth thinking about, and developing like a technical skill. Here are five reasons why.
- Your business will be more competitive by improving employees’ engagement
Whatever your management style, being able to build relationships with your direct reports and the broader team is essential. Inspiring and engaging staff will not only make the company a ‘nicer’ place to work, but it will also make it more competitive. Inspired employees are twice as productive as satisfied employees, and three times more productive than dissatisfied employees (Bain & Company, 2015). Employees’ engagement with their manager and with the workplace is another indicator of productivity: organisations with a high level of engagement report 22 per cent higher productivity (Gallup Organization, 2013).
- Conflict between your team members is inevitable, and you’ll need to get them back on track
In 2016 research by Dr Lindsay McMillan, 20 per cent of Australian workers had experienced major problems in communication with a co-worker, and 50 per cent had experienced serious incidents of conflict at work. Conflict is distracting and stressful, and employees look to their manager to help them through it. Low-level interpersonal issues should be resolved by the employees themselves, but if the conflict continues, you’ll need to intervene – holding the employees accountable for their conduct and how it is impacting on the team’s achievement of its objectives, and supporting them to resolve the issues between them.
- One in 5 of your co-workers will suffer from a personal crisis or mental illness in the next year
When you employ someone, you don’t just enjoy the benefit of their skills, experience, industry connections and work ethic. You might also manage them through tough times in their lives, as they experience personal issues such as illness, divorce, or addictions. For example, according to BeyondBlue, 1 in 5 Australians experience a mental health condition in any given year, and 45 per cent will experience a mental health condition during their lifetime.
Employees’ behaviours in the workplace and their relationships with the rest of the team – including their happiness, ability to focus, constructive input into interactions and discretionary effort – can be significantly impacted by what is going on at home. As their manager or leader, your guidance and support through difficult times can make a profound difference to the individual and the broader team.
- Change can’t be effected without engaging people’s hearts and minds
Change initiatives designed to improve business performance commonly fail; leadership and people issues are the most commonly cited reasons. A leader who is able to ‘read the room’ and support employees through their fears about the change will be far more likely to create a credible, guiding vision for the future. They can influence the team’s emotional state proactively, building optimism and enabling cooperation during the transformation process.
- Your workforce increasingly cares about EI
As younger people join the workforce, the value of leaders’ emotional intelligence will only increase. In a 2017 study by the Levo Institute, 80 per cent of the Millennial respondents reported that emotional intelligence is something they actively focus on as they develop their careers, and 87 per cent of Millennials indicated a strong connection between their personal motivation to help the company succeed and the emotional intelligence of the company’s leaders.
Emotional intelligence is hard to learn, and self-reflection can be uncomfortable, but they are both increasingly important in today’s workplace. Organisations with leaders who demonstrate strong character and emotional intelligence – including letting go of mistakes, showing empathy and genuine concern for the common good – have been found to have an average return on assets of 9.35 per cent over a two-year period, which is almost five times the ROA of organisations with low-rating leaders (KRM International, 2015). Leaders, can you afford not to build the emotional intelligence of your leadership?
Latest News
Revium Snags Peter Bauld From Deloitte Digital
Revium, a leading full-service digital and AI consultancy, has announced the appointment of Peter Bauld (lead image) as Executive General Manager. Revium is a full-service digital and AI consultancy with over 20 years of experience creating engaging digital experiences for leading organisations and their customers. Bauld joins Revium after an illustrious career spanning over two […]
EMG/Gravity Media Names New Managing Director
The makers of Australia's Got Talent has been a magnet for senior hires in recent times.
Opinion: Shark Tank’s Sabri Suby Slams Politicians Jumping On TikTok Ban Bandwagon
Are politicians actually scaremongering about TikTok or just fed up of you doom-scrolling in the work bogs?
TV Ratings: “Ivana Was Robbed” – Final Three Contestants Revealed On Australian Idol
B&T's unsure if these Idol contestants look extra young or whether we are as old as we feel.
Veridooh Snatches Prashand Menon From ScentreGroup
Out-of-home OOH) and digital media leader Prashand Menon (lead image) has joined OOH ad tech company Veridooh as group business director within NSW and QLD. Menon joins Veridooh from his most recent role as ScentreGroup’s group business director and brings with him more than 10 years of experience in Australian media. Previously, he held positions […]
Creative Content Studio OK COOL Answers APAC’s Call, Opening In Melbourne
Life set to get extra confusing for new agency staffers mistaking OK COOL for a pass-ag housemate text message.
Harry’s Cafe de Wheels & Hipages Launch New Pie To Fuel Tradies While On The Tools
The pies should apparently be better for tradies' health, apparently but won't be better for on-site ribbing.
Women Leading Tech’s Woman Of The Year Megan Dalla-Camina: What’s The True Cost Of Cutting DEI Spending?
Cutting DE&I spending might seem easy but you might change your mind when faced with Dalla-Camina's ire.
Thrive Introduces A Batch Of New Senior Leadership Roles
You could say that Thrive is set to thrive with these new hires. But that would be too obvious.
It’s Coming Home! Sponsors Make Subbuteo World Cup Finals Free
No idea what Subbuteo is? You clearly had a more exciting childhood than our editorial team.
Media Bigwigs Bet On Predictive Intelligence Platform Prophet In $5M Seed Funding
Prophet, profit, geddit? Must be laugh-a-minute in this startup's office.
CommsDeclare Brands Shell Energy An “Olympic Gaslighter” & Urges Agencies Not To Pitch For Creative Account
And we thought the gaslight Olympics took place in the Coogee Bay Hotel smoking area!
AFL Wins Battle With Warner Bros. As New AFL Team Is Revealed
There hasn't been this much wrangling over a cartoon animal since, well, ever!
BBC Podcasts Go Global With Amazon Music
Ironically, BBC podcasts unlikely to be available in the Amazon given the lack of signal.
Johnson & Johnson’s Former Consumer Healthcare Arm Reviews Creative
J&J inspired by Scottish term for knowledge 'ken' in its rebrand; nothing says 'wise' like a shot of Listerine.
Kat & Co Transforms Into THE WORLD OF Experiential Agency
After more than twelve years of producing experiences for some of the world’s most innovative brands, including Hermes, Van Cleef & Arpels, Louis Vuitton, and Tiffany & Co, Kat & Co has quietly metamorphosed into THE WORLD OF. THE WORLD OF is an experiential agency at the juncture of culture, technology and the human condition. […]
Adobe Brings Firefly Generative AI Into Substance 3D Workflows
Still unclear of what generative AI actually is? Steer clear of this story.
Clemenger BBDO Introduces Saucy Campaign With Declan Cleary & Lee Kum Kee
When we heard this was a saucy campaign, we thought it be the barbecue and ketchup showdown we'd been waiting for.
Gawk Acquires 40 Billboard Locations From Transad
Gawk makes it move out of VIC into NSW with acquisition. Has promised to stop going on about Melbourne nightlife.
All About Attribution: Commission Factory Releases New eBook
Ever wanted to dive deep into channel attribution? Consider this the perfect springboard.
SMG Studio Launches Risk: Global Domination X Dune Part Two
Through a licensing agreement with Legendary Entertainment, SMG Studio inked the rights to adapt Dune: Part Two into a game based on Risk: Global Domination, Hasbro’s interactive board game. Inspired by Denis Villeneuve’s cinematic masterpiece, Dune: Part Two, this new digital adaptation, RISK: Global Domination X Dune: Part Two, is poised to captivate players from […]
RMIT Study Reveals That 73% Of Employees Don’t Believe Gen AI Is Relevant
Noticing staff switching off when you tell them about gen AI? Understand why here.
Australian Eggs Launches Egg-citing New Campaign Via Connecting Plots
How do you like your eggs in the morning? We usually skip them and go straight for the darts and whisky.
Future Lions 2024 Invites Young People To Be Heard With Spotify
Future Lions, of course, is the AKQA-backed student initiative at Cannes Lions, not a feeder for the rugby team.
QMS: Taylor Swift, Lunar New Year & Mardi Gras Were Boon For OOH Market
Taylor Swift, Lunar New Year and the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Festival have had a dramatic impact on the number of people moving in and around Sydney over the past month, drawing big crowds into the heart of the city and its surrounding suburbs. New data from digital outdoor company QMS reveals a […]
Legend John McEnroe Joins Pepperstone’s Team Of Global Tennis Ambassadors
Despite the deal, McEnroe remains confused about difference between above- and below-the-line marketing.
LinkedIn Launches New Thought Leader Ads For Companies To Promote Member Posts
Though LinkedIn couldn't get any more insufferable? You thought wrong.
Latrell Mitchell Smacked On Wrist After Dropping Multiple F-Bombs In Post-Match Triple M Interview
Andrew Abdo has confirmed he is not angry... just disappointed.
TV Ratings: “When You Do Love Yourself, You’re Amazing” – Is This MAFS Most Heart-breaking Split?
Hold the press. MAFS groom and bride actually shown to be nice people.
Opinion: The Only Drag Marketers Should Be Worried About
Thought Transactional Drag was a lifeless club night in Newtown? Read this and you'll think again.
AWARD School Welcomes Class Of 2024
It's best to think of AWARD School like Survivor but with pitch decks instead of swimwear.
Interest In Motorsports Reaches New Heights As Formula 1 Grand Prix Revenue Expected To Surpass $100 Million
Need to get a dull sports client some quick results? Rustle up a Netflix series and watch the dollars roll in.
Chair Rob Murray To Depart As SCA Considers ARN’s Latest Takeover Bid
Struggling to make heads or tails of the SCA & ARN saga? Add this to your woes.
Adland Legend John Singleton Separates From Seventh Wife
Singo calls it quits with seventh wife as his race with Rupert Murdoch to become the most-married man continues.
ACCC Eyes Search Competition, Citing ‘Decreasing’ Quality & Rise In Generative AI
The only decline in search quality we notice is when B&T doesn't appear at the top of Google.
“Imagine A Career Above The Clouds”: Royal Australian Air Force Launches New Campaign Via VML
Don't worry about the forthcoming war with China - at least you'll get a bird's-eye view of the apocalypse.