The Emotionally Intelligent Leader - in times of a crisis
The Emotionally Intelligent Leader
What do we need right now, even more than ever before? No, the answer isn’t more loo roll, baked beans, ice cream or even heroin (yes, apparently that’s being stockpiled..!??!?!!). In a simplistic answer, it would be Her Majesty, the Queen, or at least her messages displaying many of the qualities of leadership required to keep us from running around like headless chickens. Here is an article I contributed last month which will give you an idea of what I mean.
And before you think that this message isn’t for you, you’re so wrong. This is relevant for everyone. We all have a part to play in this collective situation that we’re in. We are all leaders in some way, shape or form. Skillful leadership is required at all times, but especially now, whether you are the CEO of a FTSE 100 company, a manager and/or a parent at home trying to create and sustain a harmonious, engaged, motivated and flourishing staff, team and/or family. Basically, if you want to move from survival mode to a thriving situation, this article will talk you through some points to consider.
In the backdrop of tens of thousands of people dying, the wrong decision will be catastrophic. The livelihoods of millions of people, businesses and your country’s economy are in your hands. At home, where the loss of structure within the confines of your home amidst all that uncertainty breeds anxiety, frustration and resentment. How can you make those decisions you’ve taken, turn into effective action and support of the many (for some, millions) whom you lead? Of course you can turn to enforcement and coercion as a technique, as has sadly happened in some countries, but it has been proven time and again that the most effective and sustainable change comes from those interventions where through emotionally intelligent leadership, people willingly follow, no matter how dire the circumstances.
So what’s the secret?
Emotional Intelligent Leadership
There are many definitions of this and in short,
OED says, ‘it is the capacity to be aware of, control, and express one's emotions, and to handle interpersonal relationships judiciously and empathetically’– a self and social awareness.
The factors that are so important include (based on http://p4s.pt/en/the-4-pillars-of-emotional-intelligence-and-why-they-matter/)
1. self-awareness – knowing and understanding yourself and your feelings; understanding your strengths & weakness and how their effects; and having faith in yourself, ie having self-confidence
2. self-management – having emotional maturity by being able to managing your feelings and expressing yourself in healthy ways & situations; having initiative, self-motivation and being goal-orientated; being honest, trustworthy, open and acting with integrity; adaptable – showing resilience and being able to change directions where necessary; and having an optimistic outlook – hoping for the best and preparing with contingencies
3. social awareness – of vital importance, having empathy – being able to connect with others, understand and acknowledge their emotions; being of service to others through listening and contributing; and being able to communicate well, explain yourself simply and being easily understood through knowing your audience
4. relationship management – being a good role model and authority figure; good influential skills through effective persuasion to motivate; conflict management to improve relationships, negotiate & lead; enabling change through recognizing it when needed, and facilitating it; developing others through building their skills and knowledge; and working well with others through effective teamwork and collaboration
To illustrate its importance, a whopping 85-90% of leadership success is linked to social and emotional intelligence (Korn Ferry)!
One of the best and most lauded examples of great leadership is that of Ernest Shackleton, a polar explorer who led 3 expeditions to the Antarctic. His third was the 1914 Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition. Sadly, disaster struck when his ship, the Endurance became trapped in packed ice and was slowly crushed before the shore parties could land. The crew of 27 + Shackleton escaped by camping on ice, using lifeboats to reach Elephant Island an ultimately the inhabited island in South Georgia. The crew of the aptly named ship Endurance took 18 months to achieve this. And it was pretty much down to Shackleton’s leadership and the collective determination of the crew that got them ALL, not a single death or person left behind, there.
It can be debated exactly which were the most important traits that could be highlighted for such extraordinary stewardship but here are some of my favourites, ALL of which are subsets of emotional intelligence. Today when we look at leaders around the world who are beacons of light in this crisis, I am sure you will agree that they have these factors in common. Whilst going through this, be you a leader of an organisation or even at home, I would urge you to see how you might bring some of these strengths into your business and into your home, to help guide you through this crisis.
Some key examples
Having and directing a vision, mission & purpose
This is one of the most obvious ones and for most leaders, they are able to get on board with this facet. Whilst some might have questionable motives, broadly speaking, the world’s leaders who are (finally) taking the virus seriously, they are united in message.
For the UK, we have ‘Stay Home, Protect the NHS, Save Lives’. It is a very simple directive and it clearly states why it is so important, persuading many to take responsibility of a collective problem, for the collective good. People need a purposeful reason to support a cause. This is a directive that we can all get behind.
Social Awareness
Empathy and connecting with others are part of Ms Ardern’s key strengths – this is where she stands apart from her peers. During her speeches and Q&A sessions, the New Zealand PM takes the time to listen to her fellow countrymen with intent whilst not patronizing them. She is perceptive and empathetic without being sympathetic, ie feeding the fear and pandering. In the words of Shackleton, she is ‘dispensing mental medicine’. She does not hide the facts which is that they are functioning in a hostile, unknown and perilous environment, but rallies her people through modelled and inspired optimism, and a collective goal to tone down the very real fears whilst soldiering on.
Enabling people to wrestle with change
By ensuring that there are regular and frequent updates, Q&As and open communication on key issues, this gives people the space to absorb new information and to understand why particular choices have been made. One may not like those decisions but they can at least understand them, and eventually be persuaded to support those decisions. It always helps if there is reasonable and practical transparency. Honesty, coupled with credible optimism brings forth trust, which makes disrupting established ways of thinking and behaving much easier. People will enact change, sometimes reluctantly, if they have trust and faith in their leadership.
Good enough – not perfection
At all times, there is never a perfect solution. In times of crisis when speed and complexity are such significant features of the decision-making context, perfect should never be the objective. Emotionally intelligent leaders are not stuck on perfect, or paralysed into inaction, being able to reflect and yet call upon trusted advisers before making swift but impactful decisions. This is not a time for ego or self-doubt. Being able to adeptly deal with ambiguity, adjusting, improvising and changing course as new and credible information emerges is one of the key attributes of a leader. Meanwhile, this leader has to remain resilient, confident and yet humble - vital attributes for a leader, especially one during a crisis.
In a time when our lives and worlds have been turned into things we don’t recognize, it is really easy to become paralysed, hide or deny what is going on. Anxiety and false information are rife and infectious. As leaders at work and at home, we can spread emotionally intelligent responses too by encouraging extraordinary stewardship such as a common purpose, respect, empathy and kindness. It’s not too late to start! If you need a good example, do look at Jacinda Ardern. To me, she aptly shows us that you can be an effective leader who garners incredible support and followers through being firm, bold, trustworthy and strong balanced out by being human, kind and empathetic.
Here’s the video from today’s conversation. If you want to skip the blurb and want to go straight to Davina’s 2 minute meditation to tap your heart to develop qualities of empathy and compassion, scroll to 13:35 mins. Remember to check out Davina’s website and you can also find her on LinkedIn. She is one of our treasured partners and you will learn so much from her and her work.
Also, if you would like to read more about what I’ve written about the 4 pillars of Emotional Intelligence, please see the weekly 4 part series on from 25th October 2018 here, starting with ‘Who are you?’.
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