The Importance of Emotional Intelligence in Leadership

Often when leaders in organizations start hearing topics related to emotion, they commence to slowly backing away. Why is this? There has been a stigma to talking about anything that alludes to emotion including skillsets like emotional intelligence, yet when you look more closely at what emotional intelligence in leadership really is, the benefits are undeniable. One could say it is one of the most essential skills to have for a transformational leader. Emotional intelligence is a skill that when internalized and practiced can create psychological safety in the workplace for those people with whom you are interacting. Furthermore, emotional intelligence lays the foundation for trauma informed communication and transformational leadership in an organization.

Understanding Emotional Intelligence as a tool

When we think about the elements of emotional intelligence, we begin with emotional awareness and emotional honesty. Historically in the workplace, people have been encouraged to “leave their feelings at the door”. While there is value to emotional regulation (which is one of the elements of being emotionally intelligent), telling someone to “leave their feelings at the door” is essentially the same as telling them to ignore them. Ignoring emotion over time can lead to a disconnect in being able to recognize when an emotion is even present and/or building. Furthermore, it decreases the emotional literacy (or the ability to accurately name what emotion is present). This is dangerous because ignoring emotion doesn’t make them go away. It simply represses them, and over time those repressed emotions have to go somewhere. For some it leads to internal physical and mental health problems, and for others it can result in unexpected emotionally explosive behavior. Emotional awareness allows for leaders to recognize when emotions are building so that they can take action to regulate and can ultimately be able to communicate them in a way that doesn’t cause harm.

When you can become aware of what you’re feeling, and honestly name it (at least to yourself), then you are able to emotionally regulate yourself enough to communicate what’s going on with you. In some cases, one may need to take additional actions to regulate like removing themselves from a situation, taking a few deep breaths, or listening to music or taking a walk. Emotional regulation is a skill that must be practiced. Often people jump from feeling the emotion to raw unfiltered communication. Much of the violence that happens in the workplace (and in the world) today is a result of an inability to regulate. Emotional regulation is arguably one of the most important skills of emotional intelligence. It gives people the pause needed to formulate the words that effectively communicate the problem at hand.

What is the importance of emotional intelligence in leadership?

Leaders with high EQi can effectively communicate their ideas and listen to their team members and staff in a way that fosters open dialogue and a culture of transparency within the organization. High EQi leaders are better at:

• Conflict Resolution: EQi allows leaders to navigate conflicts with empathy and tact, leading to more constructive outcomes and reduced workplace tension.
• Decision-Making: Leaders with strong emotional intelligence are better balancing facts and emotions in their decision making which helps them make decisions that lead to better outcomes.
• Creating psychological safety in the workplace: EQi-driven leaders create a supportive and inclusive work environment that promotes employee well-being and job satisfaction.

Emotional Intelligence and communication

Emotional intelligence also aligns seamlessly with trauma-informed communication practices in the following ways:

• Empathy and Sensitivity: Leaders with high EQ are more attuned to the emotions and needs of their team members, making them better equipped to provide support to those who may have experienced trauma.

• Creating Safe & Brave Spaces: EQ-driven leaders create safe and trusting environments where individuals can share their experiences and concerns without fear of judgment or re-traumatization.

• Avoiding Activators: Leaders who understand their own activators and stressors are less likely to inadvertently activate a trauma responses in their team members.

Furthermore, having a higher emotional intelligence help leaders to mitigate their own bias because they are more likely to recognize and address their own biases, promoting inclusive and equitable treatment for all employees.

Creating a Culture Shift from the Top Down

For organizations to fully embrace emotional intelligence as a trauma-informed and equity practice, it is crucial to start from the top down. Leaders with high emotional intelligence, set the culture for the entire organization, fostering a more psychologically and emotionally safe environment for everyone. EQi-driven leaders are more likely to make policies and decisions that promote equity, inclusion, and trauma-informed practices. Leaders with strong EQi are more likely to engage and connect with their employees, increasing retention, loyalty and commitment.

At the end of the day, we must understand that emotional intelligence is not just another buzzword but a powerful tool that can transform organizations into more inclusive, trauma-informed, and equitable spaces. Training leaders from the top down is essential to ensure that these practices are integrated into the organization’s core values and actions. By prioritizing emotional intelligence, organizations can create a more empathetic and effective leadership culture that increases their creativity, productivity, and engagement, and ultimately benefits everyone involved.

Create Psychological Safety in your organization. When you leave your employees feeling seen, heard, understood, valued, appreciated, and respected they will stay and make your organization their career home. Want to know more? Contact Dr. Clairborne to discuss her offerings and how she can help our leaders increase trust, safety and belonging in your organization. Learn more: https://www.mindremappingacademy.com/corporate-programs

Need a speaker? Learn more about Dr. Maiysha’s speaking and trainings. Bring the tools of trauma responsive communication to your leaders, and create a culture of psychological safety in your organization. Increase employee engagement, fulfillment, well-being, and retention. Contact us today and schedule a call with Dr. Maiysha to learn how we can improve your workplace culture.