Emotional Intelligence: Practice Makes Proficient

A Deep Dive Into Emotional Intelligence

Good news for coaches and those in human resources: if you register for my flagship course in emotional intelligence , you can now get 40 Continuing Coach Education credits from ICF, and SHRM offers 41.5 such units to those in HR.

There are many courses in ‘EI’ (or ‘EQ’), each based on slight differences in what the concept means. The more, the merrier - that’s great, so far as they go.

A survey of executive coaching inside companies, done by The Conference Board, found that the majority of coaching aims to help leaders with deficits in EI abilities like managing their upsets, empathy and effective communication.?

But in many organizations It may not even be called ‘emotional intelligence.’?Instead, EI has become part of the DNA in many companies, put into language that fits that particular organizational culture.

For coaches or those designing leadership training it can help to take a deeper dive in the specific strengths based on EI, like resilience, adaptability or empathy. A coach might be asked to help build an executive’s capabilities in any of these without it falling under the label ‘emotional intelligence’.

Research has found these EI-based competencies, detailed in my EI online program, distinguish top performers:

onward...

The Hidden Cost of a Dictatorial Boss

?“Does an authoritarian boss, one who orders underlings to do this or that but does not listen to them, get good results?”? That question, which I’m often asked, came up recently when I talked to a group of lawyers.

In the days after the economic recession many businesses promoted leaders with dictatorial leadership styles because they could hit their quarterly targets.?

So what’s the downside?

It’s this: That kind of leader too often meets targets by relentless, stressful pressure on their direct reports. This inevitably creates negative feelings in those people: resentment, stress, emotional exhaustion, and the like.?

In short, dictatorial leaders burn people out. One sign: talented people leave.

I’ve written in my new book Optimal about the impact on climate among direct reports created by different kinds of leaders.? The research, done by what was then the Haygroup (now part of Korn Ferry) evaluated leadership style in close to 4,000 high-level executives, and asked their direct reports, in confidence, what it felt like to work for that executive.

Bottom line, the dictatorial leader – called ‘command-and-control’ in this research –created the most negative climate.? In contrast leaders who motivated people by being inspiring or by coaching them created the most positive climate.??

Too often at work, in life, and in politics we see such command-and-control leaders. Smart decision-makers will realize Inspiring leaders do more than get results: they strengthen an organization in the long run.

and now...

Emotional Intelligence and Positive Leadership

Emotionally intelligent leaders are inspiring. These leaders coach their direct reports, realizing this creates leadership strength for the future.?

Research shows such leaders have positive impacts: greater engagement and higher satisfaction among those who work for them and lower turnover – which means instead of talented people fleeing a toxic boss, they stay with their company.?

As I show in my most recent book, Optimal , research finds inspiring leadership is emotionally intelligent. It makes people more likely to get into their optimal state – where they are engrossed and engaged in what they’re doing, high performing, and feel good.

My latest views on EI are in this month’s Leader to Leader .

next...

Think Like Someone With Emotional Intelligence

“I can get better and so can you.”?

That thought signifies positivity, one of a dozen emotional intelligence skills. This way of seeing yourself and other people powers self-improvement, and in a leader makes you a great coach or mentor.

Hear more about Positive Outlook here:

And to see the 12 key thoughts of people with high emotional intelligence, go here .

to close...

Want to develop and practice your EI skills?

Grab your spot for the cohorts starting next month —available in English or Spanish, and as 12 or 6-week courses.