.
Emotional
Intelligence
Since the idea of emotional intelligence (measured as “emotional intelli-
gence quotient” or EQ) was introduced in the 1990s, it’s become essential
to how we think about successful leaders. John Mayer, one of the psycholo-
gists who coined the term, defi nes it this way:
[E]motional intelligence is the ability to accurately perceive your
own and others’ emotions; to understand the signals that emotions
send about relationships; and to manage your own and others’
emotions.
This skill may be “soft” compared to, say, delegating or budgeting, but that
doesn’t mean it’s unimportant. Research by Daniel Goleman, the author
and psychologist who introduced emotional intelligence to management
thinking, has shown that it is a more powerful determinant of good leader-
ship than technical competence, IQ, or vision. EQ is now a criterion in hir-
ing and promotion processes, performance evaluations, and professional
development courses.
38Develop a Leader Mindset
CASE STUDY
How to build emotional intelligence
Juan was a marketing executive for the Latin American division of a major
integrated energy company. He was charged with growing the company
in his home country of Venezuela as well as in the entire region, a job that
would require him to be a coach and a visionary and to have an encourag-
ing, optimistic outlook.
Yet 360-degree feedback revealed that Juan was seen as intimidating
and internally focused. Many of his direct reports saw him as a grouch—
impossible to please at his worst, and emotionally draining at his best.
Identifying this gap allowed Juan to craft a plan with manageable
steps toward improvement. He knew he needed to hone his powers of
empathy if he wanted to develop a coaching style, so he committed to
various activities that would let him practice that skill. For instance, Juan
decided to get to know each of his subordinates better; if he understood
more about who they were, he thought, he’d be more able to help them
reach their goals. He made plans with each employee to meet outside
work, where they might be more comfortable revealing their feelings.
Juan also looked for areas outside his job to forge his missing links—
for example, coaching his daughter’s soccer team and volunteering at a
local crisis center. Both activities helped him to experiment with how well
he understood others and to try out new behaviors.
Juan was trying to overcome ingrained behaviors; his approach to
work had taken hold over time, without his realizing it. Bringing them into
awareness was a crucial step toward changing them. As he paid more at-
tention, the situations that arose—while listening to a colleague, coach-
ing soccer, or talking on the phone to someone who was distraught—all
became cues that stimulated him to break old habits and try new
responses.
Source: Adapted from Daniel Goleman, Richard Boyatzis, and Annie McKee, “Primal Leader-
ship: The Hidden Driver of Great Performance,” Harvard Business Review, December 2001.
Emotional Intelligence39
While it’s easy to dismiss emotions as something that doesn’t belong in
the workplace, managers and leaders benefi t greatly when they are aware
of their own emotions and those of the people around them and are able
to demonstrate emotions with intention instead of reacting in ways that
aren’t thoughtful or productive. Goleman and his collaborators describe
one such transformation in the case study described in the box “Case study:
How to build emotional intelligence.”
In this chapter, you’ll learn how to nurture your EQ, especially the com-
ponents of awareness and self-regulation. And you’ll discover how to help
your employees manage their emotions both individually and as a team.
What is emotional intelligence?
Goleman describes emotional intelligence as a combination of fi ve skills
and traits that we start forming early in life and that ultimately form a
core part of our personalities. By understanding each element described
in the box “Emotional intelligence: fi ve components,” you can learn how
to handle challenging or emotionally charged situations in the workplace
with greater ease and better outcomes.
EQ isn’t something you can measure objectively, but you can get a
sense of your own perceptions of your strengths and weaknesses on each of
these measures. (See the box “Questionnaire: Understand your perceptions
of your own emotional intelligence” at the end of this chapter.) The more
intentional you are in your understanding of and attentiveness to your EQ,
the more emotionally steady you’ll be in the workplace.
We’ll look at a few of the components of emotional intelligence more
closely in the rest of this chapter, focusing on two in particular: self-
awareness and self-regulation.
The power of self-awareness
Self-awareness means being observant and honest about your actions, feel-
ings, and behaviors and how they affect those around you. To achieve this
kind of self-knowledge, you don’t need to be overly critical, but you do need
40Develop a Leader Mindset
Emotional intelligence: fi ve components
SELFAWARENESS
Defi nition
The ability to recognize and understand your own moods, emotions, and
drives, as well as their eff ect on others.
Hallmarks
• Self-confi dence
• Realistic self-assessment
• Self-deprecating sense of humor
SELFREGULATION
Defi nition
The ability to control or redirect your disruptive impulses and moods. The
propensity to suspend judgment—to think before acting.
Hallmarks
• Trustworthiness and integrity
• Comfort with ambiguity
• Openness to change
MOTIVATION
Defi nition
A passion for work for reasons that go beyond money or status. A ten-
dency to pursue goals with energy and persistence.
Emotional Intelligence41
Hallmarks
• Strong drive to achieve
• Optimism, even in the face of failure
• Organizational commitment
EMPATHY
Defi nition
The ability to understand the emotional makeup of other people. Skill in
treating people according to their emotional reactions.
Hallmarks
• Expertise in building and retaining talent
• Cross-cultural sensitivity
• Service to clients and customers
SOCIAL SKILL
Defi nition
Profi ciency in managing relationships and building networks. An ability to
fi nd common ground and build rapport.
Hallmarks
• Eff ectiveness in leading change
• Persuasiveness
• Expertise in building and leading teams
Source: Daniel Goleman, “What Makes a Leader,” Harvard Business Review, January 2004.
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