Leading with Emotional Intelligence is Leading for Success
Three Tips on Emotional Intelligence in the Workplace
What makes a great leader? This is a question I have asked myself repeatedly throughout the various positions I have held in my career — beginning as an employee and working my way up to CEO of Premier Dental. Typical attributes that come to mind are characteristics like intelligence, experience, analytical skills, or an industrious attitude. While these are important for an effective leader, in my experience, they alone are not enough.
As a CEO, I have found that emotional intelligence (EI) and success in the workplace are inextricably linked. Emotional competence influences how employees interact with their colleagues, allowing stronger and more trusting relationships to form. It also contributes to how workers manage stress and conflict and affects overall performance on the job, as people with high EI are generally more resilient — a critical trait over the past year and a half. Statistically, they also solve problems more efficiently and resolve conflicts in a healthy manner, leading to a more positive surrounding environment.
With the indelible mark left by COVID-19 after over a year of stress, isolation, and disruption both in people’s personal and professional lives, EI has become even more critical in the workplace. Guiding Premier Dental through a global pandemic taught me much about being an effective leader and, under the worst of circumstances, it became apparent that EI is the greatest asset a leader can have.
Here are three ways I practice leading with EI in the workplace:
1. Listen and learn — The act of listening and understanding another’s perspective is the best way to learn. As an outgoing and communicative person, it’s easy for me to be the one talking, but the real growth comes from listening to what the people around you are saying. In my years leading Premier, I strive to take the time to listen to our team members as well as to those in varying industries and leadership positions to learn from their experiences.
2. Strive to self-actualize — This is the drive to be the very best version of yourself at work and at home. Be self-motivated. Embrace every new challenge as an opportunity to learn, grow and improve yourself, and always bring a positive attitude. Find ways for you to grow within the business, bring your personality, perspectives, and insights to your role and leadership in order to help the business evolve and thrive. I found these guidelines invaluable when I needed to overcome the perception of nepotism when I first joined my family business of Premier Dental. By committing myself to a strong work ethic, staying true to my values, and owning my qualifications, I was able to path my own way and thrive.
3. Be assertive –Take initiative and keep moving things forward. Express feelings, beliefs, and thoughts clearly and in a non-destructive and non-offensive way. Learn to be assertive without being aggressive and employees will respond positively. While I believe that members of the team should feel a sense of ownership over the business and their roles, at the same time it is crucial to define challenges quickly and assert your decisions with clarity and finality.
EI is not just for CEOs and senior managers, but an essential quality at every level of one’s career. Learning to be empathetic and flexible sets an exceptional leader (and employee) apart from just a good one. Leading with openness, compassion, and the ability to share your own experiences and struggles gives the people around you permission to do the same and ultimately creates a stronger, more resilient workforce.
