Emotional Intelligence and Resilience
In this pandemic era, we’ve had to merge our personal and business lives together. How does one navigate complex workplace requirements while managing a balanced personal life? Being aware of our emotional needs and knowing when we feel overwhelmed. This is called emotional intelligence. The skill is hard to acquire but creates a large impact on our well-being. Resilience is knowing that, this too, shall pass while remaining hopeful. Emotional intelligence and resilience go hand in hand. A heavy workload and demanding personal life can get overwhelming very quickly, having adverse effects on our mental health. However, emotional intelligence plays a key role in recognizing when it’s time to stop, take a step back, and re-evaluate.
As a contractor, I have the luxury to enter a work environment, make my impact, and leave once the project is completed. It also gives me a great advantage to observe human behavior throughout various industries. In every organization, I’ve met individuals who are over-extended, and have become over-worked and/or complacent. In companies with great cultures, the leadership not only has high IQ, but also an EQ to match. These leaders encourage collaborative environments and allow teams to be resilient and bounce back when faced with roadblocks. Hence, emotionally intelligent leadership is aware that resilience must be part of the organizational culture. These organizations reduce churn and create a strong workforce.
I have also witnessed leaders who have mastered their technical craft but exhibit very little emotional intelligence. These leaders are ineffective and end up driving away top talent. Becoming a strong leader is a process and a journey where the road to self-improvement never ends. In conclusion, the best leaders are emotionally intelligent and highly resilient. They have overcome obstacles in their personal and business lives, therefore, show incredible amounts of empathy towards people around them. This element creates true long-term organizational value.