Here's how you can enhance your leadership skills by developing emotional intelligence.

Empathy is like a superpower when it comes to connecting with others. It lets you truly understand and share in the feelings of those around you. By practicing empathy, you can build stronger, more trusting relationships with your team members, making cooperation smoother and more natural. One great way to boost your empathy is by listening actively—just hear people out without jumping in or judging. Even if their perspectives or emotions differ from yours, acknowledging them shows that you care. This not only helps you respond in a more thoughtful way but also encourages a culture of openness and honesty within your team. It’s all about creating a supportive environment where everyone feels heard and valued.

Trust is a foundational element of empathy. It is also critical to step into the other person's shoes and truly feel what they are feeling. Being tightly wedged in one's perspective will not help with empathy even with active listening. It is important to decouple and truly play the role of the other person and experience what they feel. Thats when empathy is effective. Trust here is knowing that someone has got your back and will give it a fair shot.

Effective communication goes beyond just sharing information—it's about really grasping the emotions and intentions behind the words. As a leader, honing your communication skills is crucial for clearly conveying your message and inspiring your team to take action. Keep an eye on both verbal and non-verbal cues, like your tone of voice and body language, as they play a big role in how your message is received. It's also important to be approachable, making sure your team feels comfortable coming to you with their ideas and concerns. This openness can lead to a more collaborative and motivated team environment.

Self-awareness is key to emotional intelligence. It means recognizing your emotions, strengths, and weaknesses. To build it, reflect on your actions and their impact on others, and seek feedback from trusted colleagues. By understanding yourself better, you can manage your reactions and adapt your leadership style to different situations.

Leadership often involves high-pressure situations that can lead to stress. Managing stress is crucial for maintaining emotional intelligence under pressure. Develop healthy coping strategies like regular exercise, mindfulness practices, or hobbies that help you unwind. Keeping stress in check allows you to think clearly, make better decisions, and maintain a positive attitude, even in tough times.

As managers, we often struggle to find time for working out and self-care. Managing means spending about 80% of our time solving problems. However, there’s no reward for being the most stressed-out manager without time for exercise. Engaging in physical activity, such as jogging or weightlifting for just 30 minutes, significantly reduces stress. Exercise triggers the release of endorphins and reduces levels of cortisol, the stress hormone. Endorphins promote feelings of happiness and well-being, while reduced cortisol levels alleviate stress and anxiety. Regular exercise also enhances cardiovascular health, boosts mood, and increases overall energy levels.

My toughest experience in receiving feedback was a 360 degree exercise where the team gave me public feedback as a collective. It was brutal but I also received insights which would have otherwise not come up. As a group, people were able to coherently tell me what to change, the impact and expectations and had each other's support to make it a safe place to speak up. I developed an action plan that my team tracked and it was truly powerful in molding me as a leader. 360 degrees is truly empowering. But your team needs to feel psychological safety to be able to embrace it.