The importance of emotional intelligence in leadership – and how coaching can help
- April 2024
It’s Q&A time!
I’ve seen firsthand how people skills like empathy, self-awareness and strong relationship management are pivotal in pushing good leaders ahead of others into greatness.
So let’s answer some questions about leading with emotional intelligence – and how coaching can play a huge part.
What is emotional intelligence for leaders and why is it important?
Emotional intelligence in leadership is having the ability to recognise, understand, and efficiently manage both your own emotions and those of others.
We’re all sentient beings and emotional intelligence is a crucial skill that strengthens interpersonal relationships – giving us a heightened social awareness. I think the most emotionally intelligent leaders do so with their hearts and minds. It’s about finding the balance between empathising and making rational decisions.
What are the benefits of leading with emotional intelligence?
Leaders with high emotional intelligence tend to be better at:
- helping employees feel understood and valued
- cultivating a positive work environment
- building a collaborative and cohesive team
- inspiring creativity and innovation
- facilitating personal growth
- enhancing employee retention through motivation
- handling conflict fairly and constructively
- making informed decisions that take everyone’s feelings into account.
The list goes on. If your team is happy, chances are your business is also succeeding. I have five other ways you can boost employee satisfaction and retention.
How can coaching develop emotional intelligence for leaders?
With decades of experience running global businesses and coaching fellow leaders to brighter futures, I like to think my emotional intelligence has helped me succeed in both.
Through tailored one-to-one sessions, we can dive-deep to uncover insights into your own emotional intelligence – and areas of improvement. I’m a great listener and always provide a safe and supportive space for self-reflection.
What coaching strategies can be used to enhance emotional intelligence and leadership skills?
The work we’ll do will focus on improving five key components of emotional intelligence: empathy, self-awareness, communication, active listening, and conflict resolution.
My strategies might include:
- a beginner’s self-assessment: tools like personality tests and 360-degree feedback to gather info on your strengths and weaknesses
- mindfulness and emotional regulation techniques: ways of managing stress in challenging anxiety-inducing situations
- simulating role-playing: setting up scenario-based exercises for practising what you’ve learnt about empathy, active listening, and conflict resolution
- feedback and reflection: regular feedback and accountability, to reflect on, for maximum personal growth and development.
Is there a clear link between emotional intelligence and leadership effectiveness?
Absolutely. Research clearly shows just how important emotional intelligence is for team management and business success. For example, businesses that value emotional intelligence are 3.2x more successful at leadership development. Plus three out of every four careers tend to face setbacks due to issues surrounding emotional skills (including things like ill-handling work relationships and the inability to earn trust). It has also been found that 75% of Fortune 500 CEOs account their people skills to their long-term successes, compared to only 25% to technical knowledge.
It’s safe to say the importance of emotional intelligence in leadership is scientifically backed.
My leadership coaching
Emotional intelligence and leadership go hand in hand, which is why my comprehensive coaching programme covers all bases of defining who you are as a headstrong leader.