What are the most effective ways to improve your emotional intelligence as a leader?

As leader, effectively listening, celebrating others victory, genuine encouragement, being example to team members , continues learning on the new technologies and market or industry changes .. staying healthy for own soul . I feel these all the critical characteristics to become successful leader and achieve emotionally

EI HACK: Sleep on it! The more you say, "let me ponder this and get back to you tomorrow," the richer a response will be. When we give ourselves ample time to digest important issues, our inner dialogue works its magic and results in a better analysis and more mature decision. You may even buy some time to seek input from mentors and do some research.

I recommend honing your emotional leadership with self-reflection to understand your triggers. Employ active listening to grasp others' emotions, and vulnerability to build trust. Empathise with your team, manage stress, and make informed decisions guided by reason, not emotions. Avoid micro-management. Celebrate diversity, resolve conflict constructively, and never stop learning and growing. This journey to emotional intelligence will transform you into a leader who inspires and empowers.

There are three generally accepted ways to measure EI -self-reporting: asks candidates to evaluate their own emotional intelligence, similar to a personality test -other-reporting : flips the self-reporting script and tasks others with rating the EI of another person. This method, sometimes called observer rating, makes sense at first glance. -ability testing: This type of testing is the most reliable form of assessment for technical skills. And since EI is skill-based, it’s best measured with ability testing.

Knowing your personal level of EI is very important so you can recognize your own emotions and triggers which can be a continuous process. Understanding this information will then be crucial in how you can control your emotions in order to empathize with others and create meaningful relationships that can produce positive outcomes.

I always pause and think “Response versus Reaction”. Then, I measure mentally what a good response in the given situation should be—-and if I’m not sure I table said response. Typically my HR world has mechanisms to allow for disengagement to reset and the re-engage when myself and/or all parties are in a better space to minimize emotionally driven discourse.

Consistent mindfulness practice can lead to better emotional regulation and improved overall well-being. Additionally, emphasizing the non-judgmental aspect of mindfulness, where one observes thoughts and feelings without attaching labels, could further enhance the understanding of its application.

I have learned to respect each of my teammates special ways of handling tasks. Sometimes, they actually start a task in ways that are so different from how I could have done it. I learned to observe and also pick one or two things from their methods, give them my input when asked and continue to encourage them.

Consider actively practicing self-awareness, reflecting on your own emotions, and seeking constructive feedback from others to gain insights into areas for improvement. This self-reflection enhances your ability to navigate emotions effectively and contributes to overall EI development.

As security executives, our jobs are to manage risk. It’s such a challenging role because security doesn’t generally own the security risks in a business because we must act as advisors to our stakeholders. To be affective as an advisor and a true leader in the business is built around our ability to build effective relationships with our teams and our stakeholders. You can’t do this without exercising you EI muscles. Assess where you are, get some independent advice on your relative strengths and areas for improvement. Devise your own plan to incorporate EI skills into every relationship and conversation you’re involved in and get one or more trusted people to give you objective feedback so you can constantly improve and evolve.

In security, we say zero trust. Security professionals can add "Zero Assumption" and "Zero Expectation" to their emotional intelligence skills in real-life situations. When security professionals have zero assumptions about a situation, they can remove bias that could negatively influence their reactions to a situation. When security professionals have zero expectations, they can nip in the bud, any form or negative reaction to a situation.

The importance of ongoing self-assessment, where individuals continuously evaluate their responses, adapt strategies based on feedback, and remain open to refining their EI skills over time. This iterative process contributes to sustained growth in emotional intelligence.

Emotional intelligence is arguably more important in a leadership role where you have to get teams to effectively communicate and put your personal feelings aside.

It is necessary to foster a supportive network or community where individuals can share insights, challenges, and best practices related to emotional intelligence. Connecting with others in the InfoSec field can provide a valuable resource for learning and mutual growth.

The most correct way is to know that you can always be wrong, so you will be open to understanding and changing your way of thinking about a certain subject. Isyo goes for everyone! With this idea alone, we take away the burden that everything must be perfect and start to deal better with our emotions. In seginfo this is a constant variable, as we constantly need to change, re-plan, get frustrated and follow through, in other words, be flexible to seek to be better. I agree with this view! There is no perfect recipe for any initiative, especially in seginfo, there is actually a better idea that for that occasion becomes the most ideal.

In the summer of 2000, attending the FBI's crisis negotiation school transformed my understanding of communication. I always considered myself a capable speaker, I was surprised to learn the critical role of active listening in crisis situations. Active listening, a vital aspect of emotional intelligence (EI), involves genuinely hearing and empathizing with others. This skill became a cornerstone in my FBI career, guiding me through complex negotiations and interactions (Many times with kids ??) It taught me that listening often yields more impact than talking, a challenging but essential skill for effective communication. I'm going to be honest it's takes constant practice. Have you experienced the power of listening in your conversations?

In my experience of 30 years in leading Digital Forensics, Incident Response and Cyber Threat Intelligence teams, I am familiar with the pressure and the demand for rapid, high-stakes decision-making. The non-stop vigilance required in these roles, combined with irregular hours and the profound responsibility of safeguarding sensitive data, can severely impact mental health and well-being. It's crucial for organizations to recognize and address these challenges, providing access to mental health resources, promoting discussions around stress, offering resilience training, and emphasizing a balance between work and personal life are not just beneficial for the individual's health but also enhance the team's efficiency and effectiveness.

1) Learn what emotional intelligence is. Study it like you would any other certification. 2) Be intentional about wanting to improve in this area. Hold yourself accountable, if you have problems doing that find someone to hold you accountable. 3) Get a little bit better every single day. It’s not going to happen overnight.

1. Be genuine 2. Speak with people across the pond 3. Listen without judgement 4. Empathise and see from their POV 5. Interaction to understand and not provide solutions 6. Keep the conversations private, don’t let others know about it. It hurts your reputation and credibility.

The information security industry has become extremely vast in the last few years. There is a constant drive to become efficient from a technical perspective with relevant skills, however most technical skills truly only adds value if it can be conveyed to others, shared with peers and communicated to stakeholders. Learning soft skills are often overlooked and disregarded. It is important to focus your growth in the industry both on the technical and non-technical areas to ensure you set yourself up for long term success. Emotional intelligence is therefore a valuable asset in your ever growing arsenal to make a difference, communicate and grow.