What do you do if your executive leadership development program lacks emotional intelligence integration?

2 Seek feedback and coaching

The next step is to seek feedback and coaching from others who can help you develop your EI. You can ask your peers, mentors, managers, or clients to give you constructive feedback on your EI-related behaviors, such as how you communicate, collaborate, empathize, or handle emotions. You can also hire a professional coach who can guide you through your EI development journey, provide you with personalized advice, and hold you accountable for your progress.

3 Practice EI skills daily

The third step is to practice your EI skills daily, both in personal and professional settings. There are various techniques and exercises that can help you enhance your EI, such as self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management. Self-awareness involves reflecting on your emotions, thoughts, and actions and how they impact others. Self-management requires utilizing positive coping strategies to deal with stress and challenges. Social awareness means paying attention to the emotions, needs, and expectations of others while showing empathy and respect. Lastly, relationship management requires effective communication, collaboration, and conflict resolution skills to build and maintain positive relationships with others. To do this, you can use feedback, praise, or negotiation techniques to influence, motivate, and support others.

4 Learn from EI experts and role models

The fourth step is to learn from EI experts and role models who can inspire you and teach you best practices. You can read books, articles, blogs, or podcasts that cover EI topics, such as Emotional Intelligence 2.0 by Travis Bradberry and Jean Greaves, The Emotionally Intelligent Leader by Daniel Goleman, or The Happiness Lab by Laurie Santos. You can also follow or network with leaders who demonstrate high EI, such as Brené Brown, Simon Sinek, or Oprah Winfrey, and observe how they use EI in their work and life.

5 Evaluate your EI progress and outcomes

The fifth step is to evaluate your EI progress and outcomes, and celebrate your achievements. You can use the same tools and tests that you used to assess your EI level, and compare your results over time. You can also use other indicators, such as your performance reviews, feedback from others, or your personal satisfaction, to measure your EI impact. You can reward yourself for your efforts, and share your success stories with others who can appreciate and support you.

6 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?