Why leaders must have emotional intelligence

Leadership, in its countless forms, is a complex and challenging journey. Whether you are leading a team, managing an organisation, or guiding your own life, the path to success is paved with various elements. One of the most crucial tools for leadership is emotional intelligence. This article explores how emotional intelligence plays a key role in effective leadership and how it is instrumental in driving success.

Emotional intelligence, often abbreviated as EQ (Emotional Quotient), refers to the ability to recognise, understand, manage, and effectively use your emotions as well as those of others. It is more than just being aware of your feelings; it is about using this awareness to navigate social interactions, make informed decisions, and achieve personal and professional goals.

Emotional intelligence is the North Star that guides leaders through the puzzle of challenges they encounter. It is the skill that allows leaders to connect with their teams on a profound level. 

In leadership, emotional intelligence is about how intelligently you use your emotions to perform better, inspire performance in others to deliver great results.

Effective responses
When leaders possess high emotional intelligence, they can empathise with their team members, understand their perspectives, and respond effectively to their needs. Let us say, a manager with strong emotional intelligence, when faced with an under-performing team member, does not resort to reprimands or dismissals. Instead, they engage in a one-on-one conversation, using open-ended questions to uncover the root cause of poor performance. 

They create a supportive atmosphere for the employee to voice concerns and then respond accordingly, be it through extra training, workload adjustments, or emotional support. This approach not only resolves the immediate issue but also builds trust and loyalty within the team, promoting a more productive and harmonious work environment.

One key aspect of emotional intelligence is the ability to manage one’s own emotions. This skill enables leaders to remain composed and make rational decisions even in high-stress situations. It is about the captain of the ship steering calmly through the storms, reassuring the crew with a steady hand.

Leaders who wield emotional intelligence are often compared to wizards, conjuring clear objectives out of thin air, pointing the way forward with a magical staff, and weaving the organisation’s vision like an enchanting spell.

In one of the enlightening sessions, we dived deep into emotional intelligence and its profound impact on personal and professional success. It was clear that intelligence comes in three flavours, that is analytical, creative, and practical. But these three don’t work in silos; they are more like a band that plays together to create beautiful music or in the context of leadership, to achieve success.

In the grand performance of leadership and management, emotional intelligence takes the lead, akin to the Gandalf of the business world. It is the one that gets things done, guiding teams over the finish line.

In conclusion, the journey of leadership is an enchanting one. It is a path where emotional intelligence is the guiding star, illuminating the way for leaders to inspire, collaborate and effect positive change. A leader’s strengths lie in his or her differences. By being emotionally intelligent, you can change your working culture and influence the team you lead.

Sarah Apio is a business manager at Nation Media Group Uganda.