I’ve been struck lately with how important it is to lead with emotional intelligence. There are many things that may pull us away from leaning on our EI: deadlines, profit pressure, urgency, ambition and self-preservation are just a few. Sometimes simply being too busy can blind us to the emotional aspects of our surroundings. Over the long haul, when we neglect the emotional component of our leadership, negative outcomes tend to accumulate: our circle gradually contracts, our influence erodes, and ultimately our output is diminished. It may be an over-simplification, but leaders who lead with emotional intelligence tend to be other-focused first, and self-focused second. They understand that to have a multiplication effect in their organization, they must develop their ability to navigate the emotional needs of their colleagues above, next to, and below them in the organization.

Take a moment to think about your leadership style. How much do you rely on emotional intelligence? How would things change if you did?

By Andrew Ranson