Enhanced emotional intelligence? There’s an app for that...
Emotional intelligence is frequently cited as a key attribute of effective leaders, and rightly so, but how is this elusive skillset best expressed in a business context, and—crucially—how can we improve our emotional intelligence if it doesn’t come naturally.
Sometimes referred to as EQ (which stands for ‘emotional quotient’), emotional intelligence is the ability to objectively perceive one’s own emotions, as well as an awareness of, and sensitivity to, the emotions of others. It’s also the ability to identify the source of these emotions and to understand what they mean when they arise, as well as how they can affect other people.
The Building Blocks of Emotional Intelligence
At the heart of emotional intelligence lie five key competencies: self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy and social skills. Within each of these are a variety of sub-skills, which include:
A realistic appreciation of your own strengths, weaknesses and intrinsic motivations, as well as how these may appear to others.
An understanding of your triggers—both positive and negative—and how you respond in certain situations.
Making an effort to uncover your emotional blindpsots (psychological vulnerabilities or behaviors that you’re not aware of)
The ability to pause and reflect before reacting.
Taking responsibility for the way you interact with, and act around, others.
A willingness to try and see things from other people’s perspectives.
An interest in understanding other people’s motivations and values, especially if they differ from your own.
An appreciation for conflict resolution.
Leaders who possess and leverage these abilities are better equipped to effectively overcome business challenges and create a positive culture.
And while emotional intelligence may not translate directly to increased revenue, high performing teams tend to operate in environments characterized by its byproducts—such as alignment, engagement and psychological safety—which in turn has a tangible impact on the bottom line.
Developing Emotional Intelligence
So how can leaders develop these skills? There’s no magic bullet solution unfortunately, but awareness—inward and outward—is key. That means not only attempting to understand yourself more deeply and being more mindful in your actions and interactions, but also taking the time to do the same for your team members while learning to recognize cues, both visual and verbal. In short, it takes a lot of time and effort, and a lot of trial and error.
One of the reasons we created Attuned was to save leaders and managers some of this time and effort and remove the guesswork in these areas.
Attuned’s Intrinsic Motivator Report (Click the image to see the full report)
Firstly, self-awareness: by taking the Attuned Intrinsic Motivator Assessment, managers (and their team members) can see instantly which drives and values are most important to them, and then use that information for self-reflection.
Secondly, self-regulation: armed with the data-driven knowledge of what truly motivates us, we can be more honest in our assessment of our behavior and processes. And by understanding ourselves better, and gaining greater clarity around the values that underpin everything we do, we can be more mindful of our actions and interactions with others—and ultimately control these better.
Thirdly, motivation: as well as making each person’s intrinsic motivators visible, Attuned also allows managers to see how engaged their team members are through regular pulse surveys, and recommends actions to motivate individuals and teams more effectively.
Fourthly, empathy: to be truly empathetic requires understanding, not just of what motivates other people, but also how those different motivations can manifest. By having a clear view of team members’ values, supported by an abundance of tips and suggested actions that help to explain how people who score highly for each motivator view the world, leaders can immediately put themselves in the shoes of people who they might otherwise have spent months (or even years) trying to figure out.
And lastly, social skills: while Attuned isn’t going to bestow effortless charm and unerring intuition on every user, it does make conflict resolution a much less daunting challenge. Using the Interpersonal Motivator Gaps feature, managers can identify areas in which any two team members have polar-opposite values. This in turn allows them to communicate more effectively, and more empathetically, by first recognizing the points of contrast, and then developing a common language that can be used to bridge the gaps.
Conclusion
Emotional intelligence doesn’t come easy, nor does it come fast. It requires a considerable time investment, consistent practice and dedication. But there are shortcuts. So while signing up for Attuned won’t make you an emotionally intelligent leader overnight, it will make the path a whole lot clearer.