If you were to use the letters of the alphabet to develop a list of practices you would associate with an emotionally intelligent leader, what would this list look like?
Why not share what immediately comes to mind?
What follows is my first six, A – F.
A is for Appreciation. Because emotionally intelligent leaders understand the value of appreciation, appreciating their team has become second nature to them.
B is for Blaming. Because emotionally intelligent leaders accept 100% responsibility for the results of their actions, they don’t invest an iota of their time pointing the finger. In other words, they don’t participate in the blame game.
C is for Credit. Because emotionally intelligent leaders see their people as an extension of themselves, they always put their team above themselves. To the, it makes no difference who did what; it’s always the team. After all, they understand that nothing happens with the team.
D is for Develop. Because emotionally intelligent leaders see the team as an extension of themselves, they invest in and encourage team members to invest in their professional and personal development. They invest in developing their people because they know that to grow the business, they must first grow their people.
E is for Equip. Because emotionally intelligent leaders want the best for and from their team, they go the extra mile to ensure that the team is equipped with the resources it needs to execute its roles and responsibilities effectively and efficiently. From the outset, they do what needs to be done to set their team up for success.
F is for Feedback. Because emotionally intelligent leaders know they don’t have all the answers, they ask their team for feedback. They also welcome unsolicited feedback. They believe as Ken Blanchard once said, “Feedback is the breakfast of champions.’
These are my first six practices of emotionally intelligent leaders. What’s yours?
