This isn’t a news flash: soft skills are no longer optional.
We know this.
We recognize it especially when unhealthy team culture hinders productivity or…when an emotionally UNhealthy leader causes systemic issues in the organization.
But surprisingly, even though we recognize the NEED for emotional intelligent leaders…we don’t always know what it takes to BECOME one.
Are you wondering how healthy you are?
Here are 6 important characteristics you can use to gauge where you are in your journey:
1.Self-awareness
Emotionally healthy leaders have invested time to understand WHO they are: their values, beliefs, triggers, natural wiring, and how their behaviors affect people.
2. Self-management
Awareness doesn’t mean much if you don’t USE that awareness to manage your emotions in stressful situations.
3. Effective Communication
Emotionally healthy leaders have learned how to LISTEN well. They pay attention to energy level, body language, tone of voice, speed of speech, types of language being used. Plus, what ISN’T being said. They don’t interrupt people, and when it’s their turn to talk: they articulate their message in a way it can be received well.
4. Empathy and Compassion
This is the ability to appreciate someone’s perspective, circumstances, and challenges—whether (or not) those things are difficult for you. It’s about validating the experiences of others even when you may not get it.
5. Curiosity without Judgment
This is practicing what we call ‘judgment-free awareness’—seeing the facts of a situation without jumping to a conclusion or making an assumption about them. Staying open and asking questions. I call this: being curious, not furious.
6. Optimism and Vision for the Future
Emotionally intelligent leaders see the future as HOPEFUL and BRIGHT. They look for and envision positive outcomes. But it doesn’t stop there. They also SHARE what they see. They inspire others with their vision. Even in the face of impossible odds and difficult circumstances. They are resilient.
When these things are true of a leader in an organization, it becomes possible for those things to be true of the culture in that organization.
It starts with leaders. Soft skills are actually the hardest to master. But they are the key to a thriving culture and outstanding business results.