In the modern-day workplace, emotional intelligence (also known as EQ) is a crucial ability that every business leader must possess. EQ is basically the ability to manage your emotions and understand the emotions of the people around you. A high EQ helps you to establish relationships, minimise team stress, and defuse conflicts. It is a critical factor in building rapport with employees and the main ingredient for achieving significant milestones in business.
How to Tell if Someone Has High Emotional Intelligence
Having a high EQ has been increasingly prioritised in the workplace. As a matter of fact, many companies now require an individual to possess a high EQ as a prerequisite for applying for a leadership position. As such, in Singapore, leadership workshops already include EQ development as an important component of their programmes. In this article, we will discuss some common signs that a business leader has a high EQ.
They respond rather than react
Oftentimes, people react emotionally when they face a challenging situation or a difficult colleague or customer. It is human nature to act out in fear or become defensive about something that triggers you. However, when you have a high EQ, you tend to figure out the root cause of your negative emotions so that you can respond rather than react to every situation or problem that comes your way.
By formulating a proper and effective response instead of letting your emotions get the best of you, you set a good example for your colleagues or employees to follow as a cultural attribute. Indeed, one of the best things about people with high EQ is that they choose to reflect on what is pushing their buttons so that they can process their emotions better and come up with more reasonable responses.
They are open to criticisms
Good business leaders are not afraid to ask their peers and employees the difficult question, “How am I doing as a team lead or manager?” And when their weaknesses are pointed out, they listen. They are open to receiving honest feedback from their colleagues so that they can have self-awareness and develop further as a leader.
The most important thing here is to act on the feedback you receive. By having the willingness to change when given constructive criticisms, you can show your employees that you care about their ideas and sentiments. Moreover, this will encourage them to come to you whenever they have questions or concerns because they know that they will be heard and addressed properly.
They empathise well with their staff
Being empathetic should not be confused with being sympathetic. Empathy is the ability to understand the feelings of others, while sympathy means sharing certain emotions with another individual. Being empathetic is a crucial factor in having a high EQ and is usually a key trait of good business leaders.
When you have a high EQ, you can understand why your employees are sad or frustrated and help them get to the root cause of their problem. Once the problem is identified, you can then guide your staff towards a sensible solution. Sometimes, being empathetic can be as simple as frequently asking your employees, “How are you doing today?”
They always keep their composure
Being a leader comes with heavy responsibilities, and those who exhibit self-control tend to always have the advantage. Self-control is a personal capacity that every business leader should develop. To determine whether you have self-control, ask yourself this question, “Can I handle my behaviour and emotions to reach a positive outcome?”
According to well-known psychologist Daniel Goleman, people with great control over their behaviours and emotions are the ones who can maintain fair and safe environments, where productivity is extremely high and drama is very low. As such, it is important for every leader or manager to have self-control and to know how to keep their composure, especially in times of high stress.
They set realistic goals
Business leaders must aim for perfection but should also accept that it is not always attainable. It is necessary to support and guide employees to the path of success while not pressuring them. Extreme pressure gives employees anxiety and stress, which can sometimes debilitate rather than motivate them.
For this reason, it is necessary for a leader to set realistic goals, which can give their employees some insights into what they expect to be accomplished. Establishing realistic goals is something that business leaders with high EQ do. Keep in mind that failure is not necessarily a bad thing; it can provide your team with the opportunity to be creative and to understand what solutions work and what does not.
Conclusion
It goes without saying that individuals who exhibit high levels of EQ are significantly more self-aware, empathetic, composed, and realistic. As such, they work better with other people and are promoted to leadership positions at a much faster pace. If you want to become a good business leader who facilitates a positive work environment for your employees, be sure to improve your EQ through a leadership training workshop in Singapore.
At StrengthsAsia, we are dedicated to helping individuals and businesses achieve their corporate goals with our effective and comprehensive online corporate training courses and workshops. By participating in our leadership workshop, you will be able to sharpen your skills and improve your emotional intelligence so that you can lead your company to success. We also provide reliable corporate team-building workshops for those who wish to boost the organisational culture of their companies.
Contact us here for more information.
