Over the past few years, emotional intelligence (or EQ for short) has become one of the most popular leadership theories. Many claim that it can have major impacts on workplace efficiency and productivity.

Some even say that having strong levels of EQ is more important than IQ.

This theory was first discussed in Daniel Goleman’s best-selling book “Emotional Intelligence: Why It Matters More Than IQ” back in 2002. Since then, many companies have made EQ part of their employee training programs.

But are all these claims true? And if so, how can you develop your own level of EQ?

In this article we will discuss the importance of emotional literacy as well as some simple tips to improve your EQ.

Relationship between emotional intelligence and leadership

In fact, there is now a large body of research that links high levels of EQ with powerful leader qualities such as confidence, motivation, commitment, empathy, and stress management.

These leaders are also more likely to inspire loyalty from those around them because they create an environment where people feel valued and wanted.

They understand how others may be feeling and use this information to motivate action or help change their perspective, which can only benefit the group.

Furthermore, studies show that senior executives who promote individuals within their organization that have higher levels of EI are happier than when they were promoted, suggesting that their success makes them happy.

Overall, being able to identify and manage your emotions is an important skill for anyone wishing to lead.

Ways to improve emotional intelligence

One of the most important things leaders can develop is emotional literacy or what we refer to as emotional skills. These are ways to recognize, understand and manage your own emotions as well as those of others.

This is one of the key EI domains along with self-awareness, understanding feelings and behaviors, and regulation. It impacts how you relate to people and motivate them, and it helps keep relationships strong by identifying potential problems early.

It also aids in leadership because effective leaders use empathy and emotion to inspire action.

Research shows that high levels of EA predict success in life and career. For example, researchers have found that people who were raised with lower EQs are more likely to experience mental health issues like anxiety and depression later in life.

On the other hand, individuals with higher levels of EA tend to cope better with stress and deal effectively with adversity, which contributes to their successful lives.

Become a good listener

As mentioned earlier, being a good leader is more than just giving orders to your team members and expecting them to follow you. It means listening to what they have to say and incorporating their ideas into new projects or strategies.

As human beings, we all want to be heard and understood. It makes us feel significant and important when we perceive that others care about our opinions.

It can also help motivate people to do their jobs better because they sense that you believe in their ability to fulfill their responsibilities.

But not only does it make you feel good as an individual – it helps promote teamwork and communication in your organization.

So how hard a challenge is it to be a good listener?

Not very! Follow these tips and you will soon find yourself doing it almost automatically. Plus, you’ll notice that your colleagues and superiors are sometimes surprised by how well you listen.

Become a good listener By learning some basic concepts of emotional intelligence (EI), you’ll understand why it’s so important to spend time listening to other people. Also, you’ll know how to do it effectively. Here are three such concepts: Theory 1: Psychological ownership A lot of leadership theories emphasize the need to put out positive energy like smiles and laughter to influence others. But something that has been overlooked is the importance of taking responsibility for other people’s emotions. This theory was coined “psychological ownership.

Understand your employees

As a leader, you need to understand who each of your colleagues is in order to better motivate them and gain their trust. Yours are just as valuable as someone else’s so don’t take them for granted!

As discussed earlier, emotional intelligence (EI) plays an integral part in leadership. If you want to be considered a successful leader, then you must develop your EI strengths.

You can do this through self-evaluation and coaching with professionals or via motivational books and courses. There are even some apps that claim to help improve your EQ!

However, there is one area where most people struggle when it comes to developing their skills – understanding how different personalities work.

This article will talk about five ways to boost your empathy — another key element of emotional intelligence.

Make eye contact

As we know, leadership is an ever-changing thing that depends on what position you are in and who you are leading. For example, if you are a leader of men, you may need to emphasize discipline and order over engagement and communication. If you are a manager, you will want to ensure your underlings feel appreciated and valued.

If you are a leader who wants to improve their relationships with others, then making more eye contact and showing interest in other people’s well being is a great way to start.

Making eye contact shows that you care about someone else and it creates trust. It also helps show that you recognize them as an equal, instead of looking down upon them or thinking they are less than you.

When you make direct eye contact, you should be able to look into those eyes for at least a couple seconds. Don’t just quickly glance away because you think something more important needs attending to!

Keep engaging in meaningful conversations, but remember this tip when doing so.

Embrace emotional intelligence.

Your EQ will help you understand what emotions others are feeling and how to use that information to better yourself and others.

You can learn this by paying attention to what types of sounds you hear, how people respond to each other, and whether there are red flags (like if someone looks nervous, distracted, or unhappy frequently).

Practice using emotional knowledge to enhance self-confidence and strengthen interpersonal skills.

Be consistent

Consistency is one of the most important things to be as a leader. You must show up in the workplace every day with your head uncovered, and you should never change who you are or what you stand for.

If you’re always complaining about how underpaid and overworked you are, then maybe it’s time to look for new employment. If you constantly talk about how much power you have, then perhaps it’s time to ask for a raise.

Consistent behavior attracts other people — that is a fundamental truth of human nature. When someone sees that you do not take credit for yourself, that you offer praise and recognition to others instead, they will trust you and believe in you.

And since leadership is about inspiring and motivating others to follow you, lack of consistency can be disastrous at the very least.

Be optimistic

Optimism is an internal state that allows you to expect good things from yourself and the world around you.

Optimists believe in hope, so they keep seeking out experiences that feel successful. They may talk about their hopes and dreams or they can work on behaviors such as practicing gratitude or noticing all of the little successes.

It’s not that pessimists are never happy; it’s just that they don’t remain focused on what makes them happy for very long.

A few weeks ago, I heard someone describe herself as “miserable” because she hadn’t seen much of her family lately due to the busy season at her job. She was talking about this completely honestly when she said it.

I won’t lie – that made me think less about spending time with my own family than it probably should have. But then I tried to be conscious of what I could do instead of going to see people, and before too long, I had found ways to connect with those I care about.

In fact, one of my favorite practices right now is taking short breaks during the day to reflect and reconnect with what I love doing.

Share your feelings and experiences

As mentioned earlier, emotional intelligence is an important quality in leadership. It can make a big difference in how well you lead someone or if you even want to try leading.

If you don’t know what emotions are in someone else, it makes sense that they would feel uncomfortable around you. You may not understand their situation, and that could be very frustrating.

On the other hand, people who have high levels of emotional intelligence tend to take things more calmly. They may talk about difficult topics with ease, and they may discuss their own feelings openly.

They may also recognize a challenge as a chance for learning something new. Even if what they're doing isn't working, they'll look at the possibilities instead of giving up immediately.