Leading with Emotional Intelligence Strategies for Success

Welcome back to The Global Network Insight, your go-to resource for insights and practices in behavioral change, self-development, communication, relationships, and human dynamics! This is Sayaka Kinashi from the BCon Global Network Team.

Emotions play a profound role in shaping our decisions, relationships, and workplace dynamics. Dr. Britt Andreatta’s insights on emotional intelligence connect these threads, emphasizing that fostering EI in leaders can transform organizations.

What is EI(EQ)?

Dr. Britt highlighted that while many companies are investing in employee benefits to boost well-being, the real impact comes from "changing the workplace" by increasing the EI of managers.

She shared her interpretation of Daniel Goleman’s four quadrants of EI, focusing particularly on the science behind "self-emotion management."

To learn more about the four quadrants of EI presented by Dr. Britt, you can check her video on "How to Lead with Emotional Intelligence."

Understanding Emotional Triggers to Improve EI

The word "emotion" stems from the Latin verb "to move." Emotions influence our thoughts and actions, causing biological changes in the body:

• Anger: Increases blood flow to the fingers, preparing for confrontation.
• Fear: Boosts blood flow to the legs, priming you to flee.
• Surprise: Sharpens perception, enabling quick responses to unexpected events.
• Happiness and Love: Activates the parasympathetic nervous system, fostering calmness and coordination.

Dr. Britt referenced "amygdala hijack" to explain emotional triggers, which is a popular term based on triune brain theory. According to this model, when the amygdala detects strong emotions like fear or anger, it overrides logical thinking, causing us to react impulsively.

While modern neuroscience, such as Adaptive Brain Theory, offers new perspective on brain function, the concept “amygdala hijack” has helped many people visualize how emotions may affect behavior.

Developing Emotional Intelligence for Leaders

Let’s turn to practical ways leaders can cultivate this vital skill. Dr. Britt highlighted key strategies for developing EI to navigate workplace challenges effectively.

Steps to Enhance EI:

1. Predict triggers: Identify situations or people that trigger your emotional responses.
2. Plan for dealing with triggers: Develop strategies for managing these triggers effectively.
3. Heal the cause: Work on healing underlying traumas or causes through methods like cognitive-behavioral therapy.
4. Daily maintenance: Practice mindfulness, journaling, and regular physical activity to maintain emotional health.

To help you and the people around you in enhancing EI, we have created a free self-survey based on the EI quadrants.

This survey will guide you through reflecting on your EI development, followed by a worksheet to analyze your results.

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