What
makes a great leader? Knowledge, smarts and vision, to be sure. To
that, Daniel Goleman, author of “Leadership: The Power of Emotional
Intelligence,” would add the ability to identify and monitor emotions —
your own and others’ — and to manage relationships. Qualities associated
with such “emotional intelligence” distinguish the best leaders in the
corporate world, according to Mr. Goleman, a former New York Times
science reporter, a psychologist and co-director of a consortium at
Rutgers University to foster research on the role emotional intelligence
plays in excellence. He shares his short list of the competencies.
1. SELF-AWARENESS
Realistic self-confidence:
You understand your own strengths and limitations; you operate from
competence and know when to rely on someone else on the team.
Emotional insight: You understand your feelings. Being aware of what makes you angry, for instance, can help you manage that anger.
2. SELF-MANAGEMENT
Resilience:
You stay calm under pressure and recover quickly from upsets. You don’t
brood or panic. In a crisis, people look to the leader for reassurance;
if the leader is calm, they can be, too.
Emotional balance:
You keep any distressful feelings in check — instead of blowing up at
people, you let them know what’s wrong and what the solution is.
Self-motivation: You keep moving toward distant goals despite setbacks.
3. EMPATHY
Cognitive and emotional empathy:
Because you understand other perspectives, you can put things in ways
colleagues comprehend. And you welcome their questions, just to be sure.
Cognitive empathy, along with reading another person’s feelings
accurately, makes for effective communication.
Good listening:
You pay full attention to the other person and take time to understand
what they are saying, without talking over them or hijacking the agenda.
4. RELATIONSHIP SKILLS
Compelling communication: You put your points in persuasive, clear ways so that people are motivated as well as clear about expectations.
Team playing: People feel relaxed working with you. One sign: They laugh easily around you.
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