Emotional Intelligence in the workplace

Emotional intelligence is defined as a critical group of non-cognitive skills, capabilities, and competencies which help individuals to control and manage their emotional response to events and pressures. 

Daniel Goleman...EI makes the difference between a truly effective leader – and the rest.

While Intelligence (IQ) and technical skills are important for leaders too, but they are essentially threshold capabilities entry-level requirements for executive positions. Once in that position, it is emotional intelligence that makes the difference.

Now EI tends to be a missing ingredient from many of the world's organizations. many leaders use a top-down approach when it comes onto their leadership still and instill fear masked as looking out for your best interest. Fear-based approaches to management tend to stifle employee development as opposed to promoting the growth of the employee, the unit and eventually the business. 

Many businesses struggle to pass the plateau, as leaders forget to include the opinions of their employees in what should be a collaborative workspace. 

EI competencies as outlined by Goleman are:

Motivation, Self-awareness, Self-regulation, Social skills and Empathy

Leaders lead by example, inspiring, not afraid of difficult stuff, focused and driven (motivation)

Leaders are confident, honest, direct, consistent (self-awareness)

Leaders are clear, decisive, straight forward, intuitive (self-regulation)

Leaders are good communicators, approachable and listen to others (social skills)

Leaders are empathetic, influential (empathy)

All these attributes have nothing to do with how knowledgeable the person is in the subject matter but have to do with channeling their inner thoughts and capabilities and expressing them in such a way that people around them feel better. 

Working in environments with unwelcoming and EI deficient management eventually becomes a toxic work environment.  For many people, this is their reality where leaders use the top-down approach and lead by instruction as opposed to by example as they struggle with their own insecurities. 

Some leaders have excelled in their business roles but lack a key component to make them grow both personally and professionally. 

Today we increasingly live in a world where employees are starting to punish bad bosses. Horrible Bosses 1 and 2...

My intentions for writing this article may have emanated from an exec at my current employer who I believe needs a serious dose of emotional intelligence. but as I reflect on what I just wrote and I have noticed it before most bosses who behave the way that, that person does are trying really hard to cover up major insecurities. 

Is it my responsibility to call it out and make the person aware?

I don't think so,  that wouldn't be very emotionally intelligent.