Tweet

Social Emotional Intelligence in Leadership

Guest post by: Tim Schneider

Article Overview: Leaders and entire organizations have discovered that success in the workplace has significantly less to do with intelligence or core job competencies and more to do with emotional and behavioral intelligence. The best technicians and the most brilliant team members will often end up with the highest degree of dysfunction when their emotional intelligence is very low. The fattest human resource files have very little to do with job knowledge and generally, have a great deal to do with poor behavioral adaptation and emotional intelligence.

Social Emotional Intelligence in Leadership

You have seen her. She works the room effortlessly. She has great working relationships with just about everyone in which she comes in contact. She glad hands with a huge population of people. She plays the game.

She also gets promoted, sometimes ahead of people with superior technical skills. She is elected to office. She is asked to serve on important projects. She is well thought of and very few speak ill of her.

Leaders and entire organizations have discovered that success in the workplace has significantly less to do with intelligence or core job competencies and more to do with emotional and behavioral intelligence. The best technicians and the most brilliant team members will often end up with the highest degree of dysfunction when their emotional intelligence is very low. The fattest human resource files have very little to do with job knowledge and generally, have a great deal to do with poor behavioral adaptation and emotional intelligence.

Emotional intelligence is the very popular behavioral science related to being in tune with the emotional functioning of our being. Leading behavioral scientists estimate that over eighty percent of typical decision making, including decisions related to verbal responses is emotionally driven. The study of emotional intelligence helps people realize how to identify and manage their emotional reactions for greater effectiveness.

The concept of emotional intelligence is broken into two distinct quadrants. The first is about self-recognition and self-management. Understanding individual emotions and providing situational management to assist in their control. The second tenet of emotional intelligence is social skills and working successfully with others.

Some people will sub-title social emotional intelligence as playing the game at work and that moniker is pretty accurate. In fact, the social side of emotional intelligence is all about interacting and working with others. It is also largely concerned with your public perception.

The biggest skill associated with the improvement of social emotional intelligence is relationship building. The effective leader realizes that his or her power base will be based in great part on relational and relevant power that is founded on successful relationship building. Organizationally, it is necessary to build relationships on peer levels, subordinate levels and with executives. Exterior relationships are also necessary to establish influence outside the organization and to develop a career safety net.

Those leaders that have developed good relationships often report that they are more effective in operating within a highly bureaucratic system. The can circumvent rules and cut some corners that are not available to those who have not invested in relationship building. Leaders with relationship skills will also find they have greater access to decision makers because of their relationship building with both the decision maker and key gate keepers.

In addition to good relationship skills, social emotional intelligence also requires the development of an acute set of social skills including team building, conflict management, collaboration and communication. Of these, the ability to communicate effectively and frequently to a diverse audience may well be the most important. If relationship building is not followed by frequent and effective communication, the relationship will eventually wither.

The final important element of social emotional intelligence is influence building. More than relationship building, the creating of greater influence is a person expanding the sphere of areas in which they can change events, processes and organizations. Creating influence often includes building consensus for both popular and unpopular, but necessary, positions and rallying decision makers for support or opposition of an issue. Excellent influence builders are able to influence an outcome without becoming too closely associated with that issue and always live for another day if they are on the wrong side of a vote or decision.

The next time you see her working the room effortlessly, building relationships and exercising influence, be sure to say hi.

Related Articles
  Hiring and Promoting Emotional Intelligence
  How Inspired Leadership Creates Dream Jobs
  How People Experience Work Shapes Your Organization’s Culture
  The Buzz About Emotional Intelligence
  How to Be an Inspiring Leader

Article Tags: behavioral adaptation, behavioral science, behavioral scientists, brilliant team, concept of emotional intelligence, emotional reactions, emotions, human resource, job competencies, moniker, playing the game, quadrants, resource files, self management, self recognition, team members, tenet, verbal responses, working relationships, working with others



Related Forum Posts
Re: Business Women Peer Mentoring Spotlight - Hi Everyone, Gosh, I REALLY appreciate your concrete feedback. This was far more than I expected and I'm glad you said what you thought straight out. Each of you have shared something of value and I want to take some more time to think and really go over what each of you have said. However, I can see there are some things I need to change right away. What an interesting point about a NEW program perhaps making people think they are guinea pigs! This is NOT what I want to convey! It's funny how we can see some things so clearly in others while not always seeing it for ourselves! I must admit there are a few things I've been meaning to change (like my bio which is very outdated). Obviously, these things need to be higher on my priority list. You caught me like the plumber who puts his clients first and doesn't get around to fixing his own tap! As far as my target market, I do feel quite strongly about working with Women Leaders and doing Leadership Coaching with them. It's non-negotiable in my books. In my Executive Coaching training, the terms "Leaders" and "Executives" are interchangable. To me, an Executive is a Leader and so is the Business Woman or Entrepreneur who is CEO of her own business. I love working with decision makers! What I did learn is that I need to avoid opening up the Leadership term beyond what I described above. I'm also wondering if there is a misunderstanding with the general public as to what Leadership Coaching really is. Leadership Coaching is all about developing your leadership skills, both as a people manager and in more effectively running and growing the business. There is ALWAYS room for growth in some way. As well, sometimes, we just need a sounding board to clarify what our next BEST step is. In fact, if a woman thinks she has nothing to work on, then we aren't a good Client/Coach fit anyway. How can she grow if she doesn't see the value of expressing ALL of the great ability within her? How can her company grow if she doesn't see the value of strategic planning for the next best level? Thanks again to you all! I will go back to my website and really question whether I am conveying the right message. I got more than I bargained for in this Spotlight... you generously offered way more than I was asking. I think we could be on to something great for the Forum. Now it's time to let someone else have the spotlight. It would be great if everyone took a turn! In gratitude, Tami
Re: Marketing 2.0 - What Are Your Thoughts - Hi Shri, Thanks for posting this. I also read it and I believe Social Media is here to stay, until the next best thing comes up. Social media proved to be useful for me many times and I think everyone should use it for their business.
Re: your personality type? - Hi Michelle! If you are the present-moment focused, this is your result. If it doesn't seem spot on, I'll give you the big-picture focused result. The Enjoyer of Life. You enthusiastically enjoy experiencing the five senses, creative pursuits and social harmony in the here-and-now. You are independent, socially upbeat, and enjoy creating a positive and happy atmosphere. Despite your outgoing “persona,” you are a private person and few people truly know you well). #1 Strength: Comfort Creator #2 Strength: Expressing Social Feeling 1) Comfort Creator -- Creating a comfortable physical environment. Feels the ?ve senses vividly. Adept at using objects, or ?nding or building objects, to make a physical space the most soothing to all ?ve senses. Also organizing so objects are easily found in a convenient way. Both the physical comfort of self, and others, is important. Often feel a need to ensure those close to them are warm enough, fed, rested, etc. Will easily offer help to others in these areas, lending a jacket, or offering a snack. 2) Expressing Social Feeling Setting an emotional tone, vibrant, energetic, or serious, etc. Concerned with the emotional environment as it?s happening -- the vibe of people at a party, the tone of a situation, other people?s responses. Setting the tone -- dramatic and serious, or lighthearted and a celebration. Emotional displays are important for knowing how others are feeling, whether bad or good. Someone talking in a monotone about feelings seems insincere. Feels should be shown, so they can be read by others. Your best type would be: The Conceptualizer. You are an inventive creator of logical systems of possibilities that you use to create processes, products or strategies. Socially, you are sometimes quiet, but also find yourself acting as the life of the party, especially when you get caught up in a debate or entertaining topic of conversation. #1 Strength: Generating Future Possibilities #2 Strength: Systematic/Rule Logic
Re: Kevin needs "social glue" ideas - Hi, I like the idea of "10 items that could act as "social glue" because I am an internet marketer. But I agree with the rest that the 10 recent post is nice. Maybe we should open up a new section in the forums on Social Media...or Social Media Marketing. I will tell you that the world is about 1 1/2 behind when it comes to understanding social media. Building a section now will put EvanCarmichael.com is a great position a year down the road when people realize Social Media can produce more traffic than SEO. Jeff
Re: How can a social networking site make serious money? - Hi There, It is quite interesting, that some Social Networking do produce an income. I think testimonials are always a benefit to share. See one below: This Social Network has changed my life! Every night is a Friday night and everyday is a Saturday!! Because of it, I have been able to leave the workforce 10 years early.It has given me back my life. Many of us would like to retire early. I am sure there are many more. The point is of focusing with great determination. The ongoing challenge is to stay focussed and not be sidetracked into a newer scheme or so. Also I have read, during this financial turmoil, more people turn to Social Networking for various reasons.


Share this article with your friends. Fund someone's dream.

Leave a comment below or share on the left and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.

Tweet

Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!

Name:
Email:

Popular Articles

Basic Operating Question (BOQ) for Empowerment

In the Year 2020 . . . Process

How to Handle the “I Am Not Interested” Objection

Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.