{"id":49405,"date":"2021-02-02T13:36:40","date_gmt":"2021-02-02T18:36:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/?p=49405"},"modified":"2024-01-26T18:37:14","modified_gmt":"2024-01-26T23:37:14","slug":"eq-leadership-emotional-intelligence-can-be-learned","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/eq-leadership-emotional-intelligence-can-be-learned\/","title":{"rendered":"Emotional Intelligence Can Be Learned"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The global pandemic has tested the best of us. No matter where we work, or at what level, we\u2019ve been asked to adapt to restrictions and changing regulations. This may have been easier at businesses with emotionally intelligent leaders at the helm. As we move forward with 2021, and aim to start anew, it&#8217;s good to know it is possible to learn and develop emotional intelligence. This article discusses why that\u2019s important and how to improve EQ.<\/p>\n<div class=\"div-spacer\"><\/div>\n<h2>Why Emotional Intelligence Matters<\/h2>\n<p>The first article in this series on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/eq-the-importance-of-emotional-intelligence-in-leadership-today\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">importance of emotional intelligence for leaders<\/a>\u00a0outlined what we mean by emotional intelligence (EQ). Also, we discussed its value right now, when employees enduring a period of anxious uncertainty are seeking the support of a manager who can connect with them as individuals.<\/p>\n<div class=\"div-minispacer\"><\/div>\n<p>Over the last few decades there has been a lot of research into EQ and its value in business leadership. The benefits include:<\/p>\n<div class=\"div-minispacer\"><\/div>\n<ul>\n<li>Better conflict management<\/li>\n<li>Greater adaptability<\/li>\n<li>More team solidarity<\/li>\n<li>Improved communication<\/li>\n<li>Lower employee turnover<\/li>\n<li>Elevated corporate culture<\/li>\n<li>Increased sales<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>In a study of Fortune 500 companies, sales people with \u201chigh emotional intelligence out performed those with medium to low EQ by 50%.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"div-minispacer\"><\/div>\n<p>At another Fortune 500 company, incorporating EQ assessments helped \u201cstem brain drain and increase retention by 67%. The firm calculated it saved over $30 million by reducing recruiting and training costs and increasing sales through <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/employee-satisfaction-survey-questions\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">retention<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"div-minispacer\"><\/div>\n<p>The good news? It is possible to learn and develop EQ. The next section of this article rounds up several strategies to help grow your emotional intelligence.<\/p>\n<div class=\"div-spacer\"><\/div>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-49407\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/EQ1-1024x723.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"723\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/EQ1.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/EQ1-300x212.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/EQ1-768x542.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/EQ1-50x35.jpg 50w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"div-spacer\"><\/div>\n<h2>How to Develop Emotional Intelligence<\/h2>\n<p>EQ leaders demonstrate empathy, <a href=\"https:\/\/enterprisersproject.com\/article\/2020\/4\/emotional-intelligence-crisis\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">welcome dissent<\/a>, and help employees feel safe. By balancing their thoughts and feelings, they are able to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/how-to-turn-any-survey-into-an-inclusivity-survey\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">create an inclusive environment<\/a> where people are willing to take risks and take chances. So, how do you improve your ability to lead with emotional intelligence? Try these ideas.<\/p>\n<div class=\"div-minispacer\"><\/div>\n<p><strong>Seek feedback<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Sometimes those in leadership positions lack honest input into how they are doing. Direct reports may worry about providing authentic insights. But emotional intelligence is founded on self-awareness. It can help to get feedback from direct reports, other supervisors, and colleagues. So, pay attention to that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/how-360-degree-feedback-can-benefit-your-organization\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">360-degree evaluation<\/a>!<\/p>\n<div class=\"div-minispacer\"><\/div>\n<p><strong>Learn non-verbal cues<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Social awareness can help a leader with EQ lower stress levels of those around them. Plus, subordinates working with a socially aware manager can feel more empowered at work. The more practice you have in focusing on other people, particularly what they are not saying, can help you understand the clues about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/how-companies-can-help-employees-feel-passion-for-work\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">how employees are really feeling<\/a> about a project or plan.<\/p>\n<div class=\"div-minispacer\"><\/div>\n<p><strong>Practice active listening<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Emotionally intelligent managers don\u2019t just hear what people are saying, they are actively listening. The distinction is that the active listener is hearing and processing what is said. They are not already thinking about what they will say in response. The active listener is focused on what is said and what it means for the person saying it.<\/p>\n<div class=\"div-minispacer\"><\/div>\n<p><strong>Take a feelings check<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>You might <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shrm.org\/hr-today\/news\/hr-magazine\/0318\/pages\/emotional-intelligence-is-key-to-outstanding-leadership.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">keep a journal<\/a> and stop throughout the day to write down how you are feeling. Or simply set a calendar reminder you to take a breath and check in on your feelings at that moment. Knowing your own mental and emotional state can help you interact in more productive ways. For example, being aware you are feeling angry or stressed can prompt you to put off a conversation with a colleague that could be heated. You can come back to it when you\u2019re feeling more grounded.<\/p>\n<div class=\"div-minispacer\"><\/div>\n<p><strong>Allow yourself a break<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s OK to take time to pause and reflect. Being a leader is complex work. You can feel pulled in many directions at any given moment. Taking a moment to yourself can recharge your thinking and emotional brain to perform better. Getting up and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/run-walk-run-give-your-brain-a-break-to-deliver-better-results\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">going for a walk<\/a> around the office (mask on, right now) can give you an outlet too. On a larger scale, make sure you\u2019re keeping a healthy <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/prioritizing-your-employees-mental-health-and-work-life-balance\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">work-life balance<\/a> in mind.<\/p>\n<div class=\"div-minispacer\"><\/div>\n<p><strong>Explore your motives and values<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Consider why you\u2019re doing what you\u2019re doing. What drew you to the role you\u2019re in? Remembering what you love about your career can help improve your motivation. This, in turn, positions you to better motivate others. Connecting your motives to your core values can also provide a strong foundation for your self-awareness in your interactions with others.<\/p>\n<div class=\"div-minispacer\"><\/div>\n<p><strong>Perfect praise<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Mary Kay Ash, founder of the cosmetics empire is credited with saying, \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/steemit.com\/brainfood\/@relevantsource\/there-are-two-things-people-want-more-than-money\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">there are two things people want more than money: Recognition and Praise<\/a>.\u201d Praising others can have a positive impact on their self-esteem, motivation, and productivity.<\/p>\n<div class=\"div-minispacer\"><\/div>\n<p>The key is to offer praise that helps people feel <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mindtools.com\/pages\/article\/newLDR_68.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">truly recognized<\/a>. \u201cGood job\u201d is vague and can help some. Yet, aim for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/showing-gratitude-to-your-employees-a-handy-guide\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">specific gratitude<\/a> that shows employees you see their important role in the organization and truly appreciate their efforts. This can inspire them to go that extra mile for your business.<\/p>\n<div class=\"div-minispacer\"><\/div>\n<p><strong>Practice, practice, practice<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Like any other skill that\u2019s worth learning, emotional intelligence is going to take time to perfect. You can\u2019t expect to excel at it just because you\u2019ve read an article or two. EQ requires you to pay attention to how you react to people or stressful situations as well as how your reactions affect others.<\/p>\n<div class=\"div-spacer\"><\/div>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-49408\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/EQ2-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/EQ2.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/EQ2-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/EQ2-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/EQ2-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/EQ2-50x33.jpg 50w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"div-spacer\"><\/div>\n<h2>Conclusion<\/h2>\n<p>Now that you have some strategies to learn and develop emotional intelligence, your leadership is sure to benefit. As businesses are looking to make changes and bounce back from the COVID-19 crisis, there\u2019s no better time to make the effort to grow your EQ. That said, the final article in our series will share some cautions to keep in mind as you incorporate <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/eq-effective-emotional-intelligence-leadership-6-things-to-watch-out-for\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">emotionally intelligent leadership<\/a> into your daily interactions with direct reports.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The global pandemic has tested the best of us. No matter where we work, or at what level, we\u2019ve been asked to adapt to restrictions and changing regulations. This may have been easier at businesses with emotionally intelligent leaders at the helm. As we move forward with 2021, and aim to start anew, it&#8217;s good to know it is possible to learn and develop emotional intelligence. This article discusses why that\u2019s important and how to improve EQ. Why Emotional Intelligence Matters The first article in this series on the importance of emotional intelligence for leaders\u00a0outlined what we mean by emotional intelligence (EQ). Also, we discussed its value right now, when employees enduring a period of anxious uncertainty are seeking the support of a manager who can connect with them as individuals. Over the last few decades there has been a lot of research into EQ and its value in business leadership. The benefits include: Better conflict management Greater adaptability More team solidarity Improved communication Lower employee turnover Elevated corporate culture Increased sales In a study of Fortune 500 companies, sales people with \u201chigh emotional intelligence out performed those with medium to low EQ by 50%.\u201d At another Fortune 500 company, incorporating EQ assessments helped \u201cstem brain drain and increase retention by 67%. The firm calculated it saved over $30 million by reducing recruiting and training costs and increasing sales through retention.\u201d The good news? It is possible to learn and develop EQ. The next section of this article rounds up [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":41,"featured_media":49241,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[156,75],"tags":[374,415,164,241,168,580,385,416,210],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v19.7.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Emotional Intelligence Can Be Learned - Sogolytics Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"During a pandemic, emotionally intelligent leadership can make a difference. This article shares strategies to learn and develop emotional intelligence.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/eq-leadership-emotional-intelligence-can-be-learned\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Emotional Intelligence Can Be Learned - Sogolytics Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"During a pandemic, emotionally intelligent leadership can make a difference. This article shares strategies to learn and develop emotional intelligence.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/eq-leadership-emotional-intelligence-can-be-learned\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Sogolytics Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2021-02-02T18:36:40+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-01-26T23:37:14+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/emp-2.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"487\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"714\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Jenn Goddu\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/eq-leadership-emotional-intelligence-can-be-learned\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/eq-leadership-emotional-intelligence-can-be-learned\/\",\"name\":\"Emotional Intelligence Can Be Learned - Sogolytics Blog\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2021-02-02T18:36:40+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-01-26T23:37:14+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/e279d58fbb23148c5be4fdcb53b4a454\"},\"description\":\"During a pandemic, emotionally intelligent leadership can make a difference. This article shares strategies to learn and develop emotional intelligence.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/eq-leadership-emotional-intelligence-can-be-learned\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/eq-leadership-emotional-intelligence-can-be-learned\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/eq-leadership-emotional-intelligence-can-be-learned\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Emotional Intelligence Can Be Learned\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"Sogolytics Blog\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/e279d58fbb23148c5be4fdcb53b4a454\",\"name\":\"Jenn Goddu\",\"description\":\"Jenn likes asking questions and getting answers, which makes Sogolytics a good match. She\u2019s a Charlotte, NC-based, Canadian ex-pat, with a M.A. in Journalism and a M.F.A. in Creative Writing. She\u2019ll leave the quantitative data analysis to the experts!\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/author\/jgoddu\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Emotional Intelligence Can Be Learned - Sogolytics Blog","description":"During a pandemic, emotionally intelligent leadership can make a difference. This article shares strategies to learn and develop emotional intelligence.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/eq-leadership-emotional-intelligence-can-be-learned\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Emotional Intelligence Can Be Learned - Sogolytics Blog","og_description":"During a pandemic, emotionally intelligent leadership can make a difference. This article shares strategies to learn and develop emotional intelligence.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/eq-leadership-emotional-intelligence-can-be-learned\/","og_site_name":"Sogolytics Blog","article_published_time":"2021-02-02T18:36:40+00:00","article_modified_time":"2024-01-26T23:37:14+00:00","og_image":[{"width":487,"height":714,"url":"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/emp-2.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"Jenn Goddu","schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/eq-leadership-emotional-intelligence-can-be-learned\/","url":"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/eq-leadership-emotional-intelligence-can-be-learned\/","name":"Emotional Intelligence Can Be Learned - Sogolytics Blog","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/#website"},"datePublished":"2021-02-02T18:36:40+00:00","dateModified":"2024-01-26T23:37:14+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/e279d58fbb23148c5be4fdcb53b4a454"},"description":"During a pandemic, emotionally intelligent leadership can make a difference. This article shares strategies to learn and develop emotional intelligence.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/eq-leadership-emotional-intelligence-can-be-learned\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/eq-leadership-emotional-intelligence-can-be-learned\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/eq-leadership-emotional-intelligence-can-be-learned\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Emotional Intelligence Can Be Learned"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/","name":"Sogolytics Blog","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/e279d58fbb23148c5be4fdcb53b4a454","name":"Jenn Goddu","description":"Jenn likes asking questions and getting answers, which makes Sogolytics a good match. She\u2019s a Charlotte, NC-based, Canadian ex-pat, with a M.A. in Journalism and a M.F.A. in Creative Writing. She\u2019ll leave the quantitative data analysis to the experts!","url":"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/author\/jgoddu\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/49405"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/41"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=49405"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/49405\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":60010,"href":"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/49405\/revisions\/60010"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/49241"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=49405"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=49405"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=49405"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}