Photo by Milad Fakurian

The future belongs to emotionally intelligent leaders.

According to reports from TalentSmart, 90% of top performers in the workplace demonstrate high emotional intelligence, while a study conducted by Johnson & Johnson found that 83% of participants with high EI scores were also in the top-ranked job performance group.

PayScale found that people who exhibited emotional intelligence earn an average of $28,000 more a year.

Multi Health Systems shows that managers with high emotional intelligence ratings bring in 20% more annual revenue.

Research from the University of Haifa found that high emotional intelligence can reduce job burnout by 36%.

Once regarded as a “soft skill” that was less than necessary for business success, emotional intelligence has proven to be a defining trait of high-performance.

Emotional Intelligence at Work

Emotional intelligence speaks to your capacity to effectively recognize, understand, and regulate your own emotions and how you respond to them. But, EQ goes beyond self-awareness and self-management, to include social awareness, and the ability to successfully navigate interpersonal relationships, too.

Emotionally intelligent individuals – aka the top performers in the workplace – are able to recognize, understand, and respond to emotions of other people in situationally appropriate ways. 

Emotional intelligence in action might look like:

• Gracefully de-escalating tensions between team members and facilitating an effective resolution to the conflict.
• An encouraging pep talk to affirm and encourage an employee who is growing in their role.
• Making more strategic, nuanced decisions around delegating, hiring, and internal promotions.
• Adapting to changing business goals and circumstances with agility and curiosity.

Foundations of High Performance: The Four Pillars of Emotional Intelligence

“How you deal with conflict and setbacks, how you encourage people when they’re down, your ability to negotiate or get things done ­– all of those things touch on emotional intelligence.”  

– Mark Craemer, author of Emotional Intelligence in the Workplace

Competing demands, stressful situations, and unexpected obstacles are everyday occurrences in the workplace. Emotionally intelligent leaders are able to leverage the four pillars of emotional intelligence to foster trust and alignment to successfully achieve their objectives.

1. Self-Awareness

Being aware of and understanding their emotions and personal triggers empowers leaders to be less reactive in responding to stressful situations and challenging decisions. By practicing regular self-reflection and seeking feedback from others, self-aware leaders expand their personal perspective while nurturing open communication and collaboration with their teams.

2. Self-Regulation

Because emotionally intelligent leaders understand their personal emotional responses, they’re better equipped to regulate them. As a result, they’re able to stay calm in times of crises, maintain their objectivity, and avoid impulsive decisions by responding with intention instead of reacting emotionally.

3. Motivation

Emotionally intelligent leaders are more motivated and engaged in their work because they have a strong  understanding of what drives and motivates not only themselves, but also the people around them. Through this personal lens, they are able to communicate and delegate more effectively, nurture stronger interpersonal connections, and inspire their teams.

4. Empathy

Highly emotionally intelligent leaders aren’t just self-aware, they’re socially aware and invested in understanding others’ emotions and personal perspectives. By responding with empathy and curiosity, they foster a culture of trust and belonging which makes their team feel seen, heard, and valued.

Emotional intelligence plays a critical role in personal and professional growth, especially for business owners and leaders. By prioritizing self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, and empathy, you can build and improve your emotional intelligence to become more successful in the workplace and beyond.

High-Performance Practices: Cultivating Emotional Intelligence

While some folks may demonstrate more innate emotional intelligence, the good news is that it can also be learned and developed. Building emotional intelligence takes time and effort, but the benefits are well worth it.

The six steps below are easily accessible, yet profoundly impactful personal practices to actively and intentionally cultivate greater emotional intelligence as a leader in your life and your business.

1.     Keeping a daily journal
2.     Seeking feedback from your team and loved ones.
3.     Practicing active listening in your meetings and conversations.
4.    Engaging in empathy exercises.
5.    Pursuing new experiences.
6.    Staying positive and focusing on solutions.

With consistent effort and commitment, anyone can become a more emotionally intelligent leader. Experimenting with incorporating these 6 practices into your daily routines will help you cultivate greater emotional intelligence and awareness that will position you to perform at a higher level while empowering your team – and your company – to do the same.

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