What does it mean for you to be the perfect manager? Is it someone who is always in control of their temper, even in the midst of a huge crisis? Or someone who believes in their employees, listens to what everyone has to say, is approachable, and in the end, comes up with the best decisions with the help of their team? The fact is that a person that is capable of something like this is someone with a high level of emotional intelligence.
What is emotional intelligence?
Emotional intelligence is your capability to comprehend and control your feelings, as well as those of the people who surround you. When someone has a high level of EI, they are well-aware of what it is that they are feeling, what the meaning behind all of it is, and how it can affect others. This is why emotional intelligence is an essential ability for managers. A psychologist from the US, Daniel Goleman, claims that it consists out of five elements. These are empathy, self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, and social skills.
Empathy
It is very important that the manager is empathetic and can put themselves in another person’s shoes. Don’t just think about your own point of view, but do your best to listen to others as well. This is the best way to develop your team, give constructive feedback, and help out those in need. Pay close attention to body language when you talk to others, and respond to how they feel about certain aspects of their jobs.
Self-awareness
Being self-aware means always being in touch with how you feel, and aware of how this affects others. In the case of a business manager, it is also related to knowing what your weaknesses and strengths are. You can work on your self-awareness by slowing down every time you feel something, and examining why it is so. Your reaction to a situation is a matter of choice. You can also keep a journal. Write down your thoughts on a daily basis in order to become more self-aware in time.
Self-regulation
Self-regulation is essential because it prevents rushed decisions, unnecessary compromises, verbally attacking other team members, and stereotypes. It also enables the manager to commit to being held personally accountable. They must never blame others when things go awry. When you make a mistake, you need to know how to admit it. Also, sometimes it may be necessary to take one for the team. It is also essential that you know your values. This way, making decisions won’t be such a hard task. Finally, it’s all about remaining calm in every situation.
Motivation
If you know how to motivate yourself all the time, you will consistently do your best to achieve your objectives. In order to do this, you should start by re-evaluating why you are doing what you are doing. Remember why you want to do this job. You should also assess your motivation to be a leader, and have a clear picture of how it affects your role as a manager. Finally, it is important that you are optimistic about whatever comes your way. Always find the good in the bad, and you’ll be able to bring yourself up, as well as the rest of the team.
Social skills
When it comes to emotional intelligence, having good social skills means that you are adept when it comes to communication. It means that you are good at supporting your team and getting them engaged in projects. It also means that you diplomatically resolve disputes and are good at handling changes. Basically, you set an example for others with the way that you behave. Proper communication with your employees is essential, and you need to be able to take both the good and the bad news equally. Furthermore, praise those who have earned it, and gain your team’s loyalty in return.
Wrapping it up
Basically, to be a good manager, you need to truly understand how your employees feel, and the reasons behind certain actions that they take. The best manager is the one that can relate to others and knows how to work with them. So, practice your emotional intelligence – that is, empathy, self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, and social skills - in order to be the kind of manager that does the job right and is respected by others.
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- Emotional Intelligence: The Must Have Ability For Every Manager - March 18, 2018
