Last Updated on November 28, 2016 by Tim
We all have different opinions about what makes a great leader. Some of us believe that they are born; that the best leaders have a natural ability to inspire and motivate. Others believe that they are produced by their environment, and that the right resources can turn even the most unlikely individuals into fantastic mentors.
If you own a business or are in charge of an enterprise, you’ve probably wondered if your employees consider you to be a good leader. Well, the key to finding out is learning how to connect on a personal level. Great leaders are more than the rules, boundaries, and policies that they establish. They are more than their performance targets.
They understand that a business is only as successful as its workforce and that emotional intelligence can be just as valuable as tactical thinking and executive might.
The corporate strategists at Promotional Products Experts are here to explain why this is a valuable lesson.
Compassion
When a leader is emotionally perceptive, it means that they are open to the ideas and feelings of others. This is important because all businesses are built on collections of individuals. Work is often the only thing that unites them. So, it is your job to provide that common thread and encourage everybody to work towards the same goals and achievements. Compassion is key to this because you can’t inspire people if you don’t first take the time to understand them.
Communication Skills
Great leaders never hide behind schemes and strategies. They are happy to share their vision and ideas with employees because they know that it’ll help everybody to be on the same page. Clarity and consistency are valuable and it extends to being a good listener, as well as a skilled orator. You must be honest about what you want, what you expect, and what you need from the workforce to get there.
Self-Awareness
However, emotional intelligence is about more than just projecting outwards. You need to be comfortable looking inwards and striving to better yourself. There is always more to learn, no matter how great a boss you think you are. Be an inspiring leader by showing employees that you’re putting in the effort to be your most productive, most impressive self too.
Authenticity
This is one of the most important characteristics of all, even though it continues to be missing in many of the larger enterprises. Power is an interesting force; some people use it to do amazing things and others allow it to drive them off course. Being a great leader means never making excuses or compromises for yourself. If you hold others up to high standards, you should be meeting them as well.
Personality
While professionalism is, of course, very important in business, there is nothing wrong with being on friendly terms with your workers. In fact, personal interaction with employees has been shown to boost morale, increase productivity, and get everybody feeling good about the company. Don’t be that boss or supervisor who is only ever encountered on paper. Get down to departments, ask questions, and take an interest in your biggest resource – human beings.
Learning How to Become an Emotional Leader
Emotional intelligence and personal leadership are relatively new concepts. Traditionally, that divide between ‘boss’ and ‘workforce’ was a lot more impenetrable. So, it can be tricky sometimes to know how to strike the right balance between professionalism and engagement. It is a thing that all contemporary business owners struggle with from time to time, but leadership training courses, schemes, and programs are a great way to learn.
