Employees contribute tremendously to the growth of a company. If the workforce is not efficient enough, progress in any professional field seems like a far-fetched dream. It is important to note that success is attained only when the boss and his employees work in perfect synchronization with the required understanding. Various forms of media have created a cliché impression that the relationship between the boss and his employee can never be cordial; in fact, the boss is always heartless and firm. People often tend to forget that certain characters in a movie or a TV show are usually exaggerated to add a dramatic feel to it.
In fact in real life, it is essential for the leader and his team members to be on good terms as it enables smooth functioning of the team as a whole. The importance of emotional intelligence in a leader plays a major role for better compatibility. The literary meaning of emotional intelligence focuses on one’s ability to understand as well as manage his emotions and also those around him. This simple quality enables a person to master a number of skills like managing relationships, navigate social networks, and influence or inspire others. All these skills are crucial for better leadership. This makes emotional intelligence inevitable for a boss who aims to be a good leader.
A high level of emotional intelligence in the leader can influence the efficiency, productivity, and collaboration of the team. With this quality, the leader gains an understanding of his team which makes it easier for everyone to work together that result in high work productivity.
Importance of emotional intelligence and its professional benefits
Lost productivity causes the U.S. workforce more than $400 billion per year. This has made all the leaders extremely alert about making the most out of their workforce. They make sure that their employees are content at the workplace. This is when the importance of emotional intelligence comes in handy while dealing with team members to be sure about their engagement in work.
It is essential for leaders to understand the importance of emotional intelligence.
Leaders who possess emotional intelligence become self-aware which helps them recognize emotions. Through this, they attain a clear understanding about their as well as their team members’ strength and weaknesses. Such a leader can instantly identify emotions rising in a particular situation and act accordingly. As the leaders are aware of emotions, they have the ability to regulate their feelings and stay in control. A person with high emotional intelligence will hardly have an emotional breakdown in public. This kind of leader also makes sure that his emotions don’t affect any of his decisions. This ensures an unbiased and fair decision from the leader irrespective of his mood.
Emotional intelligence ensures better teamwork
A vital quality of a good leader is that he must indulge in effective communication with his team members. The benefit of emotional awareness is that the leader can effectively express his thoughts through which he can motivate others. For a leader, communication is vital to make sure that the team listens and also comprehends what he meant. With the help of effective communication, the tasks carried out have better efficiency. This is as the employees understand what their leader expects from them.
An emotionally intelligent leader can understand the emotions of those around him through which he can empathize with them. He can relate to the situation of the employee and advise him. He can give suggestions as to how should he juggle work and his personal problems. This proves to be a critical skill in leaders. With this skill, a leader can gain the trust of his team. If a leader is unaware of the importance of emotional intelligence, it is difficult to gain loyalty or respect from his team members.