3 Ways to Develop More Emotional Intelligence as a Leader
There's a lot you can do to develop more emotional intelligence.
However, there are a few things that are most effective. These approaches allow you to develop all, or several, emotional intelligence qualities at once.
Here are 3 practical ways to develop your emotional intelligence:
Practice mindfulness
Mindfulness is one of the most effective ways to develop both your self-awareness and self-regulation (the ability to manage and respond to our own emotions).
By raising your awareness of what's going on within yourself mentally and emotionally, you're able to notice changes as well as understand how outside influences affect you.
Learn to accept feedback
You'll only become as good a leader as you can be when you're open and honest with yourself and your team. That's something learning to empathize with your employees can also help with.
If you want to be less defensive next time you receive feedback try the following:
Pause when you receive feedback. Count to 10 in your head if you need to, so you can let any initial emotion pass.
Thank them for the feedback. Let them know you appreciate them having the courage to come to you.
Ask clarifying questions and for examples of what they're describing so you can understand the feedback and the impact it has.
Use 1-on-1s and downtime to develop empathy and mentor employees
1-on-1s are the most natural place to do this. From the context of emotional intelligence, it's no surprise why they're so effective. They're the single best way to learn about your employees on a personal level.
By making an effort to learn how your employees feel and think, you can come to understand them on a deeper level. You can learn all kinds of vital things about your employees by sitting down with them for even 30 minutes, whether it's for a 1-on-1, having a chat at lunch, or during happy hour at a local bar.
This sustained time opens up deeper relationship building than happens when solely focused on work or small talk that happens in tiny bursts.
References:
https://getlighthouse.com/blog/how-to-improve-emotional-intelligence/