THE IMPORTANCE OF EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE AS A MANAGER

A good manager is someone qualified, experienced, and analytical… right? Yes, but that’s not all.

Leadership demands emotional intelligence. EI is all about self-awareness to recognise someone else’s emotions, whilst being able to put yourself in their shoes. Without it, you may struggle to respond appropriately in different situations, and evidently, build meaningful relationships – something that is crucial as a manager.

If you want to create a work environment where employees feel inspired, work hard, and collaborate, you as an employer need to learn to communicate with them effectively, as well as adapt awareness to understand how your actions impact others.

THE COMPONENTS OF EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

Before you assume that you have your emotional intelligence down pat… stats say you probably don’t. Nearly everyone (95%) thinks of themselves as self-aware, but only 15% of people actually are (Harvard).

This is one of five components of EI that psychologist Daniel Goleman theorised. They are:

1. SELF-AWARENESS – you’re aware of your emotions and their consequences

2. SELF-REGULATION – you control your emotions

3. MOTIVATION – you work consistently toward your goals

4. EMPATHY – you put yourself into other people’s shoes

5. SOCIAL SKILLS – you communicate well and build rapport

See how all these relate to management? This is why it matters.

EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE MEANS EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

As a manager, you’re conveying your vision, goals, and expectations constantly. Whether that’s through a simple 1-1 catchup, or even just setting someone a task, in order for employees to remain not just inspired but also certain in what they have to do. Confused employees are a recipe for failure and a lot of the time, it has to do with how you’re communicating with them. 

It could be that they’re confused about a project, or it could be that they’re confused about their overall career progression… either will lead to issues with productivity and morale.

This is where emotional intelligence comes in. This won’t just enable you to communicate clearly, you’ll also be equipped to read other people’s emotions as well as tap into your own and ensure you’re showing empathy. 

This is because different individuals need different communication styles and different situations need different communication styles, and unless you have emotional intelligence, you won’t have enough self-awareness to adapt.

By being aware of their own emotions and using empathetic listening, leaders can tailor their messages to resonate with their audience, foster collaboration, and drive productivity.

For instance, some team members may respond better to certain communication approaches, such as providing constructive feedback privately or publicly acknowledging achievements. By taking time to understand the emotions and needs of their team, you can communicate in a way that inspires trust, motivates performance, and nurtures a positive work environment.

EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE MEANS STRONGER RELATIONSHIPS

Trust is key for sustainable relationships with your employees… something that is impossible without empathy.

Empathy can be a taboo word at work due to the pressures of wanting to come across as professional, but your job as a leader is to ensure your employees feel valued as a person, not just a worker. You’ll find it difficult to build good relationships with your employees if that’s not the case.

This means taking the time to recognise employee satisfaction if anyone is struggling with burnout, or if the workload can be managed better. This showcases intentional care for your employee's wellbeing as well as your willingness to make changes to suit them.

Another way to ensure you’re strengthening relationships with your team is by allowing contributions. Anyone with emotional intelligence has the humility to know that every team member has valuable perspectives, unique experiences, and innovative ideas. As a result, the culture becomes naturally collaborative where team members feel comfortable sharing their ideas, as well as their concerns and challenges.

This isn’t to say as a leader your opinion doesn’t hold the most weight, but it is to say that by allowing for contributions, you have the ability to get different perspectives before making changes.

And guess what? Your employees will truly respect you for that and trust that every decision you make (even the ones they’re not involved in) are for the success of the company, and in turn, for the success of their careers.

This fosters trust, loyalty, and a sense of belonging, leading to increased engagement, strong relationships, and enhanced overall performance.

EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE MEANS A POSITIVE WORK CULTURE

Want a good culture? Don’t look to your employees to create it, this is a product of your own actions and keeping employees engaged.

Leaders who possess emotional intelligence create an atmosphere of psychological safety. This sort of environment naturally produces innovation, collaboration, and a sense of belonging. 

We of course discussed how emotional intelligence helps your relationship with your employees, but it also helps your employees develop relationships with each other.

If every interaction they have with you is one full of self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and good communication, they’ll be far more likely to interact in the same way with their team members.

This isn’t to say you won’t ever make a bad hire where someone’s character is not fit for the culture, but this is to say that your actions are highly influential to the way the team operates and you’ll be less likely to have to deal with conflict between colleagues.

EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE MEANS YOU’RE ABLE HANDLE STRESS

A large part of being a manager, is, of course, managing. But another crucial aspect, probably even the most important aspect, is managing your own emotions. 

Being a manager is tough. 

Not only are you responsible for everyone’s success, but you’re also responsible for your own. With endless projects, meetings, and goals to set, as well as the constant pressure to reach financial goals, it can become tough to manage it all internally. 

Emotional self-awareness is the ability to recognize and understand one's own emotions. This allows you as a leader to regulate your emotions by pausing, reflecting, and dealing with challenging situations in a healthier way.

You’ll be far better at managing stress, making rational decisions, and avoiding impulsive reactions. 

- Written by Oliver Howson

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