In the present post-pandemic world, have you ever pondered on the primary cause of burnout?
Surprisingly, research from Dr. Geri Puleo, CEO of Change Management Solutions, Inc., indicates that, although a heavy workload is often associated with burnout, it ranks lower on the list of contributing factors.
The primary culprit for burnout is poor leadership.
Organizations need to prioritize supporting their leaders on their leadership journey and invest in enhancing their Emotional Intelligence (EQ) skills.
Emotional intelligence is the ability to understand and manage your own emotions, as well as recognize and influence the emotions of others.
The term was first coined in 1990 by researchers John Mayer and Peter Salovey but gained popularity through psychologist Daniel Goleman. Goleman says ”The most effective leaders are all alike in one crucial way: They all have a high degree of what has come to be known as emotional intelligence. It’s not that IQ and technical skills are irrelevant. They do matter, but…they are the entry-level requirements for executive positions.”
As a leader, your technical skills may help you reach your current position, but they might not be enough to propel you further. To advance, especially in your leadership journey, you need to consider other elements, particularly the emotional aspects of the journey. This involves coaching your team’s growth, aiding them in achieving collective success, fostering collaboration, delegating tasks, supervising, and actively participating in team goals. Achieving these goals is possible through EQ practices. Increasing your EQ allows you to lead your team more effectively.
Emotional intelligence is separated into four different competencies: To improve in those four skills, you need to understand each of them and practice.
- Self-awareness
- Self-management
- Social awareness
- Relationship management
Self-awareness and self-management are about you; and social awareness, and relationship management are about how you are with other people around you.
Self-awareness is at the core of everything. It describes your ability to not only understand your strengths and weaknesses, but to recognize your emotions and their effect on you and your team’s performance.
Self-management refers to the ability to manage your emotions, particularly in stressful situations, and maintain a positive outlook despite setbacks. Leaders who lack self-management tend to react and have a harder time keeping their impulses in check.
Social Awareness: While it’s important to understand and manage your own emotions, you also need to know how to read a room. Social awareness describes your ability to recognize others’ emotions and the dynamics in play within your organization.
Relationship management refers to your ability to influence, coach, and mentor others, and resolve conflict effectively.
Adele Lynn, Author of the book The EQ Difference: A Powerful Plan for Putting Emotional Intelligence to Work, describes EQ under 5 different areas.
- Self-awareness and control
- Empathy
- Social expertness
- Personal influence
- Mastery of vision and purpose
Adele Lynn emphasizes the significance of empathy and personal influence in the forefront of Emotional Intelligence (EQ). When leaders have self-awareness and control, they can empathize with others, understanding their perspectives and the situations they are in. This is indeed extremely important for fostering healthy conversations and building strong relationships. Then personal influence as this is where leadership thrives. Engaging in meaningful conversations, cultivating strong relationships, and supporting the growth of those around you are clear indicators of possessing personal influence. It signifies being a leader and a role model.
What happens when leaders lack EQ skills ?
The absence of leaders with EQ skills in an organization leads to several significant issues, which are crucial areas to address for the establishment of a successful organizational culture. This serves as the primary starting point for every organization.
Poor communication: The initial challenge arises in the form of poor communication within teams and across the entire organization. Leaders may find it difficult to communicate effectively with their team members, leading to miscommunication and conflicts between leaders and team members.
High turnover/low retention: As mentioned at the beginning of this article, employees primarily experience burnout due to poor leadership. When leaders lack EQ skills, they struggle to comprehend and support their team members. Consequently, employees are more likely to leave the company in search of organizations that offer a positive /better work environment.
Increased Conflict: An essential outcome of EQ skills is the ability to effectively resolve conflicts and facilitate smooth decision-making. In the absence of EQ, conflicts are likely to remain unresolved and may even escalate, leading to larger issues. This lack of resolution can significantly decrease team productivity, as it hinders the development of healthy decisions resulting from conflict resolutions.
In addition to the primary issues mentioned earlier, when teams don’t experience effective leadership and improved communication, trust within the organization is compromised. This damaged trust leads to resistance to any changes, affecting the organization’s resilience to change, especially if the change is aimed at improvement. The resistance to change results in lower productivity, as teams are hesitant to take risks and be creative. This stagnation in team productivity extends to the overall organizational performance.
Emotional intelligence often doesn’t receive the recognition it deserves from organizations, even though a significant 71% of employers acknowledge that EQ skills are more valuable than technical expertise (CareerBuilder Survey of more than 2600 hiring managers) . In light of these facts, as leaders, it’s crucial to take proactive initiatives to enhance our proficiency in these skill sets, supported by organizational efforts on this journey.
Personal growth in EQ skills requires dedicating time to read, research, and address gaps in our understanding. This investment, akin to our work commitments, allows us to assess our EQ levels, identify mistakes in work relationships, and practice with increased self-confidence.
Organizations should also take initiative by providing dedicated resources for leaders, including tailored training plans, mentorship programs, and support groups. These platforms offer valuable spaces for leaders to discuss and enhance their EQ practices.
Moreover, integrating EQ assessments, like the Harrison assessment test, into the hiring process for leadership roles is crucial. While a candidate may not currently possess high emotional intelligence, the assessment helps identify individuals with the potential for growth in this area. Recognizing and nurturing this potential in leadership candidates ensures a commitment to developing essential EQ skills within the organizational culture.
As a result, in today’s fast-paced and evolving work landscape, the role of EQ in leadership is of utmost importance. Leaders must effectively navigate and manage their own emotions while creating an environment that supports the emotional well-being of their teams. Additionally, organizations play a vital role in supporting leaders to enhance their EQ skills, as it can have a transformative impact on driving success in today’s dynamic business world.
