Right Fit Leading: Increasing Leader Emotional Intelligence

As I continue learning about emotional intelligence, I develop my own list of things I need to do to increase it.

EI requires that you know yourself and your emotions.  It requires honest self-analysis and an ability to manage your emotions.  It provides a basis to understand employees, because it is the ability to sense, understand and effectively apply the power and acumen of emotions as a source of human energy, information, trust, creativity and influence.  Those who possess emotional intelligence can effectively acknowledge and value feelings in themselves and in others, and can respond to those feelings in an effective way.  Paying attention to emotions can save the leader time by directing energies more effectively and expanding opportunities.

So here is my list that keeps me on the path to my leadership goals.

• Look in the mirror.
• Know who you are and what you stand for.
• Articulate who you are and what you stand for.
• Focus on who you are and what you stand for.
• And when things get tough, be true to who you are and what you stand for.

What’s on your list of ways to increase your emotional intelligence?