Setting the Tone and Achieving Leadership Success Through Emotional Intelligence
As a leader, your emotional tone sets the stage for the entire organization. Our brains are inherently tuned to align, both consciously and subconsciously, with the emotional states of others—a phenomenon that has particular significance for leaders. Team members instinctively look to their leaders for emotional cues, synchronizing with those they trust and respect.
The emotional climate of your organization begins with you and is heavily influenced by your emotional intelligence (EI). When employees feel positive and motivated, they are more likely to extend themselves to satisfy customers, leading to tangible business outcomes. For instance, a mere 1% enhancement in service climate can result in a 2% increase in revenue, illustrating the direct correlation between EI and business success.
Insights from TalentSmart’s Dr. Travis Bradbury reveal striking contrasts in behaviors exhibited by leaders with varying levels of emotional intelligence:
- Leaders with High EI: Conversely, these leaders judiciously speak out to improve situations, maintain open communication despite frustrations, recognize the influence of emotions, welcome feedback, show genuine care for people, and accurately read the room’s mood.
- Leaders with Low EI: These leaders might sound off even when it is unwise, dismiss colleagues when frustrated, deny emotions’ impact, become defensive when challenged, focus solely on tasks, and are unaware of unspoken tension.
| Leaders with Low | EI Leaders with High EI |
| Sound off even when it won’t help | Only speak out when doing so helps the situation |
| Brush off people when bothered | Keep lines of communication open, even when frustrated |
| Deny that emotions impact their thinking | Recognize when other people are affecting their emotional state |
| Get defensive when challenged | Are open to feedback |
| Focus only on tasks and ignore the person | Show others they care about them |
| Are oblivious to unspoken tension | Accurately pick up on the room’s mood |
Emotional Intelligence in the Leadership Hierarchy
Research examining measures of EI among half a million senior executives, managers, and employees across diverse sectors reveals a curious trend. Emotional intelligence scores rise through hierarchical levels, peaking at middle management before plummeting at the highest executive echelons. Surprisingly, CEOs typically score the lowest in workplace EI.
This discrepancy arises because leaders are frequently promoted based on technical expertise, individual achievements, and tenure rather than for their ability to manage and influence people effectively. Achieving organizational goals requires strong relationship management skills; great leaders are adept at forming alliances and persuading others—a direct facet of high EI.
EI’s profound impact is evident in corporate reputation and performance. Leaders unable to express genuine empathy struggle to garner trust and support. High-profile scandals often underscore this deficiency. Dr. Fabio Sala’s 2001 study highlights that senior executives often overestimate their emotional competencies, diverging from others’ perceptions. This disparity can be attributed to two factors:
- A Sense of Isolation: Senior executives have fewer feedback opportunities.
- Inhibition of Constructive Feedback: People tend to be less candid with more senior colleagues.
Given the critical role of EI in business and the tendency for overinflated self-assessment among senior staff, there is a pressing need for effective performance management systems that evaluate emotional competencies accurately.
Advancing Emotional Intelligence Through Leadership Coaching
One effective method to enhance EI among executives is leadership coaching. A skilled coach provides essential feedback, fostering the development of emotional regulation abilities and refining interpersonal skills. If you seek to elevate your leadership capability through emotional intelligence, consider exploring coaching options. I’m here to assist you in selecting the right coach to guide your journey towards becoming an emotionally intelligent leader, ready to set an empowering tone and drive success.
Creator of the KASHBOX: Knowledge, Attitude, Skills, Habits
Helping You Realize Your Potential
I help people discover their potential, expand and develop the skills and attitudes necessary to achieve a higher degree of personal and professional success and create a plan that enables them to balance the profit motives of their business with the personal motives of their lives.
