This is Conner the Communicator, and he has dropped by the Breakfast Blog today to help us with Emotionally Intelligent Leadership.
As you can see Conner has some special articles of clothing on today, which provide us with anatomical representations of EI in Leadership! The five features of emotionally intelligent leadership are Self-Awareness, Self-Regulation, Motivation, Empathy, and Social Skill. On the diagram of Conner there are five arrows pointing to items corresponding to each of the features of a Leader with high EI.
1) Thinking Cap: Conner’s thinking cap is his favorite cranial attire, it comes complete with a lantern above the bill, which comes on much like the light bulb in your head when you have an idea! Emotionally intelligent leaders have lots of “aha moments.” Unlike most leaders, however this special group gets these ideas about themselves and their own behaviors. This is Self-Awareness! This is the ability to think deeply about ourselves, our deepest desires and how our behavior affects others. This ability allows a leader to better interact with their followers, understand how people make them feel, and how to make their emotions constructive.
2) The Heart: Conner has a big heart that allows him to do more than just share his emotions and passions. Conner’s heart has the ability to keep his mouth in check. This is Self Regulation. The ability to keep oneself calm in the emotional storms of life is important for a leader in times of turbulence for a group. Importantly, self-regulation is the function that bears us integrity by preventing impulse driven behavior. For a leader, the ability to hold your self back from making self promises allows you to build credibility. Integrity builds ethos. When people can trust us to do the right thing for the right reasons, they become easily convinced that we indeed have a big heart.
3) Fire in his belly: Conner like many great leaders has a blaze lit deep in his gut. That fire is what keeps him going even in the darkest of times. This fire represents his most inner motivation. Leaders who know their motivation love their work, and like to practice their trade. Truly motivated leaders live by the “practice makes perfect” concept. Although these leaders like to keep score and constantly compare themselves to others, which can cause friction, they are extremely loyal and committed to the team.
4) Someone else’s shoes: Conner has two different shoes on, and that has a lot to do with the fact that the black shoe isn’t his. See Conner is a very empathetic, and is taking the time to walk a mile in another persons shoe. Empathetic people consider other peoples emotions before making a critical decision. Empathy is perhaps the function of EI that is the most desired in the world today. Empathy can build team understanding and chemistry crucial for successful goal completion. More importantly when we understand the emotions of others we can keep up team morale in the face of external issues. Unfortunately, empathy for all its need, is by far under represented in the work place.
5) Social Skill: Lastly, Conner has a foam finger on his had to represent one of the many things the arms are capable of. Arms have the ability to hold you up when your weak, pat you on the back when you’ve done well, and point you out when your not being accountable. Arms like leaders with EI can cheer and jeer you for the betterment of the team. Social Skill encompasses all of these ideas, and is the cumulative product of the other four components of emotional intelligent leadership. It is defined as friendliness with a purpose, but perhaps could be better defined as constructive and collaborative interaction. When a leader with EI works with his followers from their level with the intention of improving the team dynamic he is exercising a level of social skill.
Conner is an emotionally intelligent leader who uses his whole self to lead the people that matter to him. Team CHARM would like to thank him for stopping by for a little show and tell.
Cam
The Breakfast Blog 