What do you do if you need to evaluate a leader's emotional intelligence?

1 Understanding EI

Emotional intelligence is made up of four core skills: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management. Self-awareness is the ability to recognize your own emotions and their effects on your thoughts and behavior. Self-management involves controlling impulsive feelings and behaviors, managing your emotions in healthy ways, and adapting to changing circumstances. Social awareness is your ability to understand the emotions, needs, and concerns of other people, pick up on emotional cues, and feel comfortable socially. Relationship management is the ability to develop and maintain good relationships, communicate clearly, inspire and influence others, manage conflict, and work well in a team.

3 Evaluating Self-Management

When assessing self-management, look for a leader's ability to stay calm and clear-headed under stress. Notice how they handle pressure, maintain a positive attitude, and keep disruptive emotions and impulses in check. You can also evaluate their adaptability and how they respond to change or uncertainty. Leaders who excel at self-management tend to be reliable and demonstrate integrity in their actions.

4 Gauging Social Awareness

To gauge a leader's social awareness, consider their level of empathy and how they respond to the emotional climate of their team. Observe their listening skills and whether they can accurately read social cues. You might also assess how they handle power dynamics and politics within the organization. A leader with strong social awareness will be skilled at recognizing others' needs and building rapport.

5 Judging Relationship Management

Judging a leader's relationship management involves looking at how they navigate social complexities to lead, inspire, and influence others. Evaluate their ability to communicate effectively, resolve conflicts, and build bonds. Notice if they foster an environment of trust and cooperation and whether they are adept at coaching and mentoring. Effective leaders in this area are often seen as approachable, collaborative, and supportive.

6 Practical Application

Finally, consider the practical application of a leader's emotional intelligence in their daily work. Observe how EI informs their leadership style, impacts their interactions with others, and contributes to the achievement of organizational goals. You can assess this through the outcomes of their team's performance, the culture they cultivate, and their overall effectiveness as a leader. Leaders with high EI typically create more cohesive and high-performing teams.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?