| Canan Ünverdi, PMP, Customer Services Manager |
To play an active role in your organization's change management, you can develop your leadership skills, raise your awareness, and move your organization forward along with yourself.
Let's look together at how to do this.
What kind of person comes to mind when you think of a "leader"?
You might think of someone who stays calm whatever the problem, does not panic, and finds solutions without losing composure; or someone who always listens carefully to their team, personally helps the team do its work, and makes decisions with care.
These are clear signs of high emotional intelligence and also the most important character traits a leader should have.
What Is Emotional Intelligence?
Emotional intelligence is the ability to understand and manage your own emotions and those of the people around you.
People with high emotional intelligence know very well what they feel, what their emotions mean, and how these emotions affect other people.
High emotional intelligence is a must for a leader to succeed.
According to American psychologist Daniel Goleman, emotional intelligence has five main components, and if a person can develop in these five areas, their leadership skills shine like a star.
Emotional Intelligence in Leadership
1. Self-awareness:
Someone who is aware of their emotions always knows how these emotions affect themselves and others.
A self-aware leader has a very good idea of their strengths and weaknesses, which shows in their humble attitude.
Two ways are suggested to develop yourself in this area:
. Keep a journal: Taking a few minutes each day to write about your thoughts will increase your self-awareness.
. Slow down: When you feel irritable or stuck in a hopeless situation, stop for a moment and ask yourself why. After all, whatever situation you are in, how you respond to it is your choice, and that response is what truly defines you.
2. Self-regulation:
You rarely see leaders who regulate themselves effectively attack others verbally, make careless and emotional decisions, or compromise the values they believe in.
How do you develop yourself in this area?
. What values do you believe in? Do you know exactly what you will never compromise on? Take time to define your own code of ethics. If you know what matters to you, you will not need to think twice when a situation arises.
. Hold yourself accountable. The moment you start blaming others when something goes wrong, stop right there. Admit your mistakes and face the consequences yourself.
. Observe your behavior when you feel helpless. Do you find relief by shouting at someone? Write down all the negative things you want to say, then tear the paper up and throw it away. Putting all those negative feelings on paper is much better than saying them.
3. Motivation:
Self-motivated leaders work tirelessly toward their goals and set a high bar for the quality of their work.
How can you increase your motivation?
. Take time to remember why you chose this career. Remind yourself of the reasons you love your career. Make sure your goals are energizing and vivid.
. Think positively whatever the problems, and keep your hope fresh. The energy of a hopeful person will spread to the whole team.
4. Empathy:
Having a successful team and organization requires empathy. Empathetic leaders can put themselves in others' shoes and see things through their eyes. They help team members develop, listen to those who need it, and give constructive feedback.
How can you develop your empathy?
. Defending your own ideas is easy. Take some time to look at things from other people's perspectives too.
. Pay attention to your body language. If you cross your arms, avoid eye contact, or play with your phone while listening to others, you are not giving a positive impression. You can benefit from training on this.
. Recognize other people's emotions and adjust your behavior accordingly. If you ask your assistant to work late for the 3rd evening in a row and they agree, tell them you are grateful for their dedication and, if needed, give them half a day off.
5. Communication skills:
Leaders with good communication skills are masters at managing change and resolving conflicts. They are as open to bad news as to good news, and they start new projects with great enthusiasm.
To be good in this area:
. Learn to be good at conflict resolution. A leader succeeds when they can resolve conflicts among team members, with customers, and with vendors in the way that produces the best outcome for the organization.
. Do not hesitate to praise and recognize others when it is deserved.
. Nurture your friendships and social circle. In today's technological world, make time to meet family and friends face to face instead of calling them, and to go to theaters and concerts instead of watching them online.
Sources
https://hbr.org/2004/01/what-makes-a-leader
https://hbr.org/2015/04/how-emotional-intelligence-became-a-key-leadership-skill
https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/pub/muhakeme/article/731270
https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newLDR_69.htm
https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/level-5-leadership.htm
https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newLDR_45.htm
https://www.xing.com/communities/posts/liderlik-yetisi-ve-duygusal-zeka-1003533268
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