Physical to Virtual meetings, Increased social distancing and forced business closures! These were some of the effects that COVID-19 has brought into the year 2021. A strong surge in the need for mental health and well-being programs has pushed companies to prioritise the people amidst struggling profits. This calls upon leaders and team managers to enhance their emotional intelligence to help their team tide through their challenges
If you do not know much about emotional intelligence (EI), most people assumed that EI is just about listening to team members. EI is just like any learning anything, practice is required to reach a certain level of competency. If you like to improve your EI, you need to be willing to work towards it in 2 major areas as highlighted in green :
1. Personal Competence
Your personal competence refers to the capacity of self-awareness and self management that one possesses. Leaders tend to spend the least amount of time in this aspect, leading others requires leaders to lead self as well. To achieve a high personal competence, there are several aspects to look into :
A > Emotional awareness: Recognizing one's emotions and their effects.
People with this competence:
• Know which emotions they are feeling and why
• Realize the links between their feelings and what they think, do, and say
• Recognize how their feelings affect their performance
• Have a guiding awareness of their values and goals
B > Accurate self-assessment: Knowing one's strengths and limits.
People with this competence are:
• Aware of their strengths and weaknesses
• Reflective, learning from experience
• Open to candid feedback, new perspectives, continuous learning, and selfdevelopment
• Able to show a sense of humor and perspective about themselves
C > Self-confidence: Sureness about one's self-worth and capabilities.
People with this competence:
• Present themselves with self-assurance; have presence
• Can voice views that are unpopular and go out on a limb for what is right
• Are decisive, able to make sound decisions
D > Self-control: Managing disruptive emotions and impulses.
People with this competence:
• Manage their impulsive feelings and distressing emotions well
• Stay composed, positive, and unflappable even in trying moments
• Think clearly and stay focused under pressure
E > Adaptability: Flexibility in handling change.
People with this competence:
• Smoothly handle multiple demands, shifting priorities, and rapid change
• Adapt their responses and tactics to fit fluid circumstances
• Are flexible in how they see events
As you have looked through the list of description for each of the aspects of personal competence, reflect on how well do you exhibit the different aspects in your daily leadership world. Now, it would be great to say, I can do everything but it is how it is being perceived by others as well. Example, you could think you have high self confidence but do your members feel and sense that you are confident.
2. Social Competence
Social competence is defined as the ability to handle social interactions effectively. In other words, social competence refers to getting along well with others, being able to form and maintain close relationships, and responding in adaptive ways in social settings. Here are the aspects of social competence :
A > Empathy: Sensing others' feelings and perspective, and taking an active interest in their concerns.
People with this competence:
• Are attentive to emotional cues and listen well
• Show sensitivity and understand others' perspectives
• Help out based on understanding other peopleís needs and feelings
B > Developing others: Sensing what others need in order to develop, and bolstering their abilities.
People with this competence:
• Acknowledge and reward peopleís strengths, accomplishments, and development
• Offer useful feedback and identify people's needs for development
• Mentor, give timely coaching, and offer assignments that challenge and grow a person's skills.
C > Leveraging diversity: Cultivating opportunities through diverse people.
People with this competence:
• Respect and relate well to people from varied backgrounds
• Understand diverse worldviews and are sensitive to group differences
• See diversity as opportunity, creating an environment where diverse people can thrive
• Challenge bias and intolerance
D > Political awareness: Reading a group's emotional currents and power relationships.
People with this competence:
• Accurately read key power relationships
• Detect crucial social networks
• Understand the forces that shape views and actions of clients, customers, or competitors
• Accurately read situations and organisational and external realities
E > Service orientation: Anticipating, recognizing, and meeting customers' needs.
People with this competence:
• Understand customers' needs and match them to services or products
• Seek ways to increase customers' satisfaction and loyalty
• Gladly offer appropriate assistance
• Grasp a customer's perspective, acting as a trusted advisor
Studies have shown that the differentiator being great and average leaders are self-awareness and self control. This combined with social competence can create a highly influential leader who is compassionate and knows what is happening on the ground. Help you team members by focusing your efforts on being a better leader.
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