Data + Emotional Intelligence: The new DEI.

I speak several “languages.”?

Business, bulls #*t, strategy, profitability, culture, crisis communications, virtue signaling, engagement, motivation, #GSD, etc. These are languages every leader should speak.?

However, regardless of how many languages and dialects you master, the most successful leaders have higher degrees of emotional intelligence (EQ) than normal. In fact, several studies suggest that about 90% of top performers have higher EQ than normal.?

NOT to be confused with being “emotional.”

The power of EQ is to know yourself. Leaders with high EQ are better at self-motivating, self-regulating and managing difficulties while making it look easy.

Why are some leaders so much better at that than others?

They have built secure foundations on which to stand. As a result, they are more effective at engaging with others regardless of their differences and clearly articulating their position. High EQ leaders also know when to engage and when to hold off. The foundation is everything.?

View this from a DEI perspective. At the height of 2021, a few were silent when nearly every American corporation shouted from the rooftops about the importance of diversity, posting fists and black boxes on Instagram and announcing their new Black hires in press releases.

Were they silent because they didn’t care about diversity? I’m sure that was the case for some. However, I argue that most of those who remained silent were due to their EQ.?

They saw through the fear, pandering, race-baiting, virtue-signaling, anger, and general wokeness and instead decided:

Nothing good comes from highly emotional or charged decisions, so we’ll remain silent.?

I’m not sure what to do, so we’ll wait.

We don't have enough data. We'll wait until we do.

Some still haven’t spoken out into 2022. I would argue that their perspective was to see how it all plays out and gather more information until then.?

Businesses need to have EQ as well.

Look at the damage ignorant leaders have caused in the name of “DEI.” Not understanding the difference between wokeness and DEI has contributed to significant disinvestment in an area designed to help, not hurt, businesses.??

Do these two things to start building a business EQ: Respect and Regulate.

Build a culture based on RESPECT. Not race or gender. If you’re hiring or promoting to tick boxes, you disrespect the candidate, other employees and the organization's overall mission. STOP.

Normalizing accountability can regulate negative emotions and toxic behavior. With the woke narrative of “belonging” and “authenticity,” it can be perceived as negative for establishing healthy boundaries. It isn't negative; it's necessary. And it must be done.?

Is it okay to have a bad day? Of course, it is. But it is not okay to have a negative attitude that affects the performance of others or constantly have “bad days” (ie, toxic behavior) and call it “authenticity.” It is also not ok to bring up subjects or make comments that result in division or isolation. This is regulation. Establish a space where individuals are shown respect and encouraged to express themselves (within professional reason) and know what is and isn’t acceptable.?

Just as you’re probably not dropping F-bombs at a child or expecting them to cook a meal, content and behavior vary by environment and audience. Work is one of those environments where all content and behavior are not acceptable, and it is 100% within a leader's authority (and responsibility) to regulate it.??

Remember that less than 35% of Americans acquire emotional intelligence, so there’s a significant chance that you are working for (or with) very few individuals with high EQ. This leaves us to deduce that those with it must pick up the slack of those without it.

So, enforce respect and regulation.?And don't apologize for it.

If you’re uncomfortable doing so because your race, gender, religious beliefs, sexual identity, etc., differ from the individual that needs to be regulated, it proves you have awareness, as that is a legitimate concern.?

It still needs to be done.

#EQ #data #emotionalintelligence #leadership #accountability #respect #regulate #tlthoughts #figit #DEI #antiwoke #woke #diversity #inclusion