How can you develop emotional intelligence as a team leader?

One of the key elements of EI is self-awareness. In my Principles of Management course, Bachelor students complete various self-assessments, such as Type Dynamic Indicators (typology as defined by Carl G. Jung). This allows them to enhance their self-awareness but also to better understand others.

Emocional intelligence is one of the important factor of leadership science. Strong leaders should be aware about the importance of managing their own emotions. People whom have a strong emocional intelligence, know what they are feeling and how those emotions could affect on others. There are some elements to develop emotional intelligence for leaders: Self awareness Empathy Motivation

As I aim to enhance my leadership, I'm honing my emotional intelligence. Actively listening and understanding my team's emotions, staying composed in tough situations, and fostering a positive team culture are my priorities. Recognizing achievements and providing constructive feedback are habits I'm cultivating. Continuous self-improvement through reflection and building strong relationships based on trust are key elements in my journey to becoming a more emotionally intelligent team leader.

The first step is to know yourself. You should have knowledge of your own weakness and strength. Apart from that, understand your own patterns when dealing with team members. Asking feedback from team members,and other people with whom you work with is important as well as working on the feedback is also important.

Apply: 1.Self-Awareness: Reflect on emotions for deeper understanding. 2.Self-Regulation: Manage stress, control impulses, and maintain composure. 3.Motivation: Set inspiring goals to drive team enthusiasm. 4.Empathy: Actively listen, demonstrating understanding and compassion. 5.Social Skills: Foster open communication and collaboration. 6.Continuous Learning: Seek feedback, embrace development, and adapt strategies. 7.Cultural Sensitivity: Understand diverse perspectives valuing uniqueness. 8.Conflict Resolution: Address issues constructively, promoting a healthy dynamic. 9.Adaptability: Navigate change positively, fostering resilience. 10.Positive Influence: Inspire and motivate the team through a positive and supportive leadership style

Let's put this in a real-life context. Imagine you're in a meeting with your team to discuss a project timeline. As you actively listen, you notice a team member expressing concerns non-verbally through tense body language and a hesitant tone. Instead of brushing it aside, you address it directly, showing empathy by acknowledging their unease. You ask open-ended questions, encouraging them to share their perspective. Through active listening, you uncover their apprehensions about meeting the deadline due to workload. In response, you collaboratively reevaluate the timeline, ensuring it aligns with everyone's workload capacity.

Not only actively but empathetically! this means first make the person feel validated and understood in their concerns, feedback, etc. Try to ask open ended questions and enquire details, show interest! Avoid using ‘WHY?’ and replace it with ‘WHAT?’ (Why did you do that? is not the same as What made you do that? for example?)

We must know that the word success is not easy as it is said, but rather to say behind it was suffering, perseverance, serious pursuit and diligence in order to reach your goal.

La escucha activa es importante porque muestra empatía, respeto y curiosidad. Esto puede ayudar a construir confianza y compenetración. Además, nos permite aprender más sobre las necesidades, expectativas y perspectivas de la otra persona. Esto puede ser útil en cualquier tipo de relación, ya sea personal, profesional o social.

Consider a scenario where a project deadline is approaching, and the team is feeling overwhelmed. Instead of pushing harder, you recognize the signs of stress. Practicing what you preach, you initiate a brief team mindfulness session, incorporating breathing exercises to alleviate tension. Simultaneously, you acknowledge the team's efforts, providing positive reinforcement. Recognizing the importance of a work-life balance, you suggest a team outing or encourage individuals to pursue personal hobbies to unwind. By proactively managing stress for yourself and your team, you not only enhance your own emotional resilience but also foster a supportive work environment.

As a team leader, managing stress is crucial. Here are a few tips: 1. Prioritize self-care: Take breaks, exercise, and get enough rest to recharge. 2. Delegate tasks: Share responsibilities with your team to lighten the workload. 3. Communicate openly: Foster a supportive environment where team members can express concerns. 4. Set realistic expectations: Avoid overwhelming yourself and your team with unrealistic goals. 5. Seek support: Lean on colleagues, mentors, or friends for advice and guidance.

Managing stress always sounds easier said than done! But trust and believe that it is attainable. You just have to prioritize the things that are truly important and valuable to you. #1 Life Expectancy I value the LEGACY that was laid before me and understand the significance of continuing that legacy for my children/grandchildren and community. In valuing that, I must put my health at the forefront of this journey. #2 Grace & Mercy The traditional ways of doing things are being removed and replaced with actual delegation and a sense of understanding that people are human and we should allow each other grace. The rat race isn't a rat race anymore. It has become a healthy jog. Deadlines are always adjustable. Life is precious.

As a team leader, expressing emotions is important for building strong relationships with your team 1. Be open and approachable: Create a safe space where team members feel comfortable sharing their emotions and concerns. 2. Active listening: Show genuine interest in what your team members have to say and validate their emotions by listening attentively. 3. Empathy: Put yourself in your team members' shoes and try to understand their emotions. Offer support and reassurance when needed. 4. Celebrate achievements: Express excitement and pride when your team accomplishes their goals. Celebrate their successes together. 5. Provide constructive feedback: When addressing areas for improvement, deliver feedback with empathy and understanding.

Learning isn't the final step. It is, in fact, the only step that binds and makes the remaining steps. The best way to develop emotional intelligence is to cultivate mindfulness and perspective towards yourself and the world. To believe that change is possible in others, one must have undergone the transformational journey oneself. Until we go through this process ourselves (be it negative traits or aspects that need improvement), we can never accept others for who they are or be kind and empathetic. Mindfulness, perspective, awareness and authenticity are the by-products of this journey, making us aware of the words we should use while talking to ourselves and others, the tone in which we speak, and the mindset with which we approach life.

Remember this about learning: Traditional learning is not the only form of learning. While I value education and think it is important to be a student, remember that nothing beats lived experiences. Put some stock and value in seeking counsel from an Elder in your community or family. Mentors have proven to be extremely valuable in my personal life. You can explore online courses, self-study with books, participate in workshops, attend seminars, join community groups, and leverage hands-on experience through internships or projects. Remember when seeking a mentor, look for the characteristics that attract you to the individual and approach them with humility but most importantly, you MUST respect their time.

One thing that has always been important in my life is maintaining not only a circle of influence, but a small circle. Do you remember your parents telling you to watch who you hang out with, well that still applies today, even in business. You do realize that the more people you have around you will result in more personalities to manage, an increased potential for conflict & even the potential for jealous and envious people. In order to remain sharp and at peace, you must protect YOUR YES. Which means that everyone doesn't need access to you, everyone doesn't require a call back immediately, you don't have to attend EVERYTHING that you are invited to & please stop telling the world (social media) your personal business.

First, we are the ones who create artificial intelligence. What is the meaning of artificial intelligence? It is intelligence made by humans. That is, we are the ones who feed this field with information and data so that it appears in this way. That is, artificial intelligence is the result of ideas and innovations placed in one place. But these ideas and innovations go back to the original human being and the innovator. We must be aware of this information well