SUCCESS ON YOUR OWN TERMS NEWSLETTER Volume #54, Fall 2008

Emotional Intelligence: A Requirement for Effective Leadership

A recent editorial in The Boston Globe by John Lehrer highlighted an aspect of emotional intelligence that is crucial for leaders — the ability to be introspective and self-reflective. According to Lehrer, research indicates that the willingness to engage in “metacognition” — to think about one’s own thinking — is a better predictor of good judgment than intuition, experience or intelligence. Lehrer goes on to say that Ronald Reagan, George W. Bush and John McCain have been known for making decisions quickly going with their guts, while Jimmy Carter, John Kerry and Barack Obama are known for taking a more cerebral approach. But according to research cited in the article, both intuitive and thoughtful styles have flaws. Simple problems seem to be solved best taking a thoughtful approach, while complex problems are solved best by looking at the facts and then allowing the unconscious to work. The very best decisions, however, are made when leaders not only reflect on the decision itself but also on their own decision making process. And if this process includes considering a diversity of perspectives, even better decisions and judgments are made.

Self-awareness is a key component of emotional intelligence and in my experience it can make or break leadership effectiveness. Sam, a vice president, of a global manufacturing company, provides a good example of what can happen when emotional intelligence is missing. Sam is a technical expert in his field and is known for his ability to get results. He was recruited into his present company to help orchestrate a major restructuring and he brought with him a wealth of knowledge from his past experiences. People in the organization readily acknowledged his expertise. However, Sam also had a major flaw: he lacked self-awareness. He did not take the time to understand what motivated his behaviors or consider how effectively he communicated. He also had difficulty understanding what motivated others. Thus, he had trouble influencing others to his point of view and over time found himself on the outs with his peers on the leadership team. He often offended and angered people, but he tended to see their reactions as their problem rather than as his and didn’t consider reflecting on how he might be contributing to the situation.

When problems arose, Sam drilled down to find their source, bulldozing over people with demanding questions. He moved quickly once he thought he had the answer without considering that there might be other ways to solve the problem. He didn’t reflect on his problem solving approach. Sam was not a subtle guy: he didn’t know how to read subtle cues. His communication style was seen as aggressive, blunt, cold and controlling. He said things without thinking about how they would land on others or how his actions might impact others. He wanted things done his way and he wanted people to fall in line behind him and his ideas. He felt his record and his results demonstrated that he knew what was best. So over time, while still respecting his skills, people also came to think of him as arrogant and power hungry.

When Sam found out that people were complaining about him and didn’t trust him, his response was defensive. His motto had always been “do whatever it takes.” He assumed everyone would be committed to the results he was committed to — after all, from his perspective he was doing what was best for the organization.

About a year and a half after joining the company, Sam found himself in the midst of chaos — people were not only complaining about him; they were also not listening to him. He was losing his ability to get the results he wanted because people were actively lining up in opposition to him.

In order to enhance his leadership, Sam needed to develop his emotional intelligence by raising his self-awareness. To be more effective he had to understand how his communication style impacted others. He needed to listen on deeper levels to others and to observe both himself and others more carefully. If he could learn what others valued, wanted and needed and truly consider their perspectives, he would make better decisions. And, if he could see the situation through the eyes of others, he would know how to communicate better and make his ideas more appealing to more people. With greater self-awareness, he would be able to discern whether he was responding with a knee-jerk reaction or if his instincts were on target. With heightened levels of reflection and observation, he could open up dialogue and ask questions based on a true desire to learn, not rhetorical questions meant to demonstrate someone else’s lack of knowledge and highlight his own prowess. People would begin to see him as a collaborator rather than a dominator. They would recognize his effectiveness as a leader and appreciate his good judgment.

Here’s a simple self-assessment to help you examine the components of emotional intelligence that I think are important for leaders. What behaviors do you want to change, improve or leverage? How will you make that change? What steps will you take in the last quarter of this year to enhance your emotional intelligence and communication skills?

© 2000-2009 Virginia O'Brien All Rights Reserved

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