What are the best strategies for developing emotional intelligence as a strategic leader?

The initial step in enhancing your emotional intelligence (EI) involves understanding your current level. There are several approaches and resources available to evaluate your EI, including self-reports, 360-degree feedback, and online tests. The objective is to pinpoint your strengths and areas for improvement in the key domains of EI: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management. Additionally, seeking feedback from peers, mentors, or coaches, and reflecting on your responses to various situations and emotions can be beneficial in this process.

To truly assess your EI, go beyond standard metrics. Reflect on recent conflicts or stressful situations. How did you respond? Did you defuse tension, or did it escalate? Ask a peer or mentor or deeply trust to give you candid feedback. Real-world interactions reveal more about your EI than a test can.

When it comes to emotional intelligence, I don't believe there is a ready-made recipe. But based on some pillars, it is possible to outline efficient strategies. Each person is unique, has a unique story, and therefore reacts emotionally differently depending on the stimulus or pressure. I always look for: ? Maintaining continuous and transparent communication facilitates understanding and reduces conflicts and anxieties; ? Be willing to practice genuine active listening, give the other person attention; ? Get to know the people you interact with as much as possible, some are more rational others more emotional, knowledge will help you navigate better; ? And finally, get to know yourself, your triggers, weaknesses and strengths.

Según mi experiencia, una de las mejores formas es ser conocer y comprender quienes somos, nuestro caracter, que nos afecta o que nos motiva. A partir de este autoconocimiento puedes crear estrategias para compartirlas en todo el equipo. Estas estrategias puedes ser: -Practicar la meditación al iniciar el día: Esta práctica aquieta nuestro cerebro, sobre todo en días como los que vivimos que todo tiene sentido de urgencia, nos ayudará a priorizar las cosas y no sentir el estress mental, lo cual se traduce en mejores relaciones con los compa?eros de trabajo y con los clientes. -Llevar un registro de situaciones que hemos pasado, como reaccionamos a ella.

Developing emotional intelligence as a strategic leader involves self-awareness, interpersonal skills, and effective stress management. Leaders should reflect on their emotions, actively listen to others, and cultivate transparent communication. Managing emotions under pressure, fostering a positive workplace culture, and adapting leadership style to different situations are crucial. Recognizing and addressing team members' emotions, continuous learning through one-on-one conversations, coaching, and integrating emotional intelligence into decision-making contribute to effective leadership. A strategic emotionally intelligent leader promotes a collaborative, resilient, and adaptive organizational culture, fostering long-term success.

Humans are hard-wired and EI plays a significant role in all interpersonal relationships and it is an ongoing process. Here are some key elements of EI: Self-evaluation which can yield valuable insights. Take responsibility for your actions/reactions. Be open to constructive feedback. Developing motivation and a positive attitude when facing adversities is crucial. Keep in mind good leaders give praise let the team shine and don’t seek recognition for their accomplishments. Empathy and social skills are expected from good leadership. Do apologise because it means you value your relationships more than your ego and it doesn't mean you are wrong. By improving our EI we certainly take our career to the next level and boost our well-being.

To enhance your EI, consider immersing yourself in environments that differ from your own experiences. Joining an affinity group or ERG where you do not self-identify can offer invaluable insights and build your EI. It encourages active listening, fosters empathy, and helps you understand diverse perspectives. Going a step further - being an ally can also amplify your emotional growth, as it pushes you to confront biases, bridge gaps in understanding, and support others in meaningful ways.

Una vez en el trabajo estabamos bajo un constante estress debido al cambio repentino de nuestro jefe. Esto me produjo ansiedad y vaya sorprensa al descubrir que el sentimiento era colectivo, nos reunimos todos en una cena y hablamos de nuestros temores. Esto me ense?o que muchas luchas se deben hacer acompa?ados, no somos seres humanos solitarios, sino que desde tiempo ancestrales aprendimos a ser sociales, esto nos ayuda en los procesos sin importar cuando fuerte sean.

The teams I've been fortunate enough to learn from focus on a few areas to keep feedback from going unused. ?? Systematic Integration: Make feedback a driving force in your daily practices. Integrate it systematically, whether through self-reflection or specific goal-setting, ensuring it becomes a part of your daily or weekly process. ?? Dialogue: Maintain ongoing conversations with feedback providers. This approach holds you accountable and deepens your insight into the feedback received through continuous exchange of meaning. ?? Seek EI-Focused Support: Partner with a coach or mentor with experience in EI development. Their expertise can help you to navigate and implement feedback more effectively.

Building on feedback loops, the most impactful teacher is often experience. Here's how we leverage both triumphs and setbacks for EI growth: ?? Reflective Analysis: After significant events, take time to reflect. What strategies led to success? What missteps occurred? Use tools like reflective journals or SWOT analysis to dissect these experiences. ?? Celebrate Successes: Recognize and celebrate your achievements. They are not just wins but confidence builders and motivational milestones in the growth process. ?? Embrace Failures as Lessons: 'Failing' is just another analysis opportunity; to understand what can be improved, turning each misstep into a stepping stone and a lens through which to view your next challenge.

Según mi experiencia, simpre acostumbro a documentar las situaciones que enfrento. Celebro mis éxitos con alegría y mucho agradecimiento y aprendo de mis fracasos. Un libro de apuntes es una buena opción para luego usarlo de consulta con situaciones aún mayores y nuevos retos.

To concretely integrate the strategy of continuous learning into your daily routine as a strategic leader developing emotional intelligence (EI), start your day by dedicating time to EI-focused materials. This could involve reading a chapter from an EI-focused book, listening to a relevant podcast during your commute, or skimming through insightful articles. Consider setting aside specific intervals throughout the day for short EI exercises, such as reflective journaling or mindfulness practices, to actively engage with and internalize EI concepts.

Understand yourself, what are your triggers and why, if you can not manage your own ego and understand your own emotions how can one be truly emotionally intelligent?

Analyse past behaviour, find your triggers and find strategies to identify them before solving future problems. If you don’t know how you’re going to react to certain situations, especially conflict, others don’t either. Be consistent in approach and you’ll receive consistent feedback.