Welcome back to Episode 3: Leadership Requires EQ where we break down our second critically important Enlightened Leadership Behavior (ELB).
Emotional intelligence, most commonly called EQ, was introduced to the business world by Daniel Goleman in the mid-1990s. Goleman asserted, and now leadership study after study has proven, that while IQ is a prerequisite to success, EQ is what enables people to successfully lead teams and lead organizations.
EQ is a set of skills that capture our awareness of our own emotions, our awareness of the emotions of others, and how we use this awareness to manage ourselves effectively to interact and lead others.
This is part one of a two-part series designed to build your leader EQ. This episode focuses on how to grow self-awareness and improve self-regulation skills.
Episode 3 Takeaways/Actions:
1. Next time you’re in an emotionally charged situation, write down what you saw and observed in yourself. If there was someone in the room you trust, ask what they felt and observed about your behaviors and actions.
2. To better understand your triggers, think about a challenging situation at work where you lost your composure. Write down specifics about what happened, how did you react, how did the person who witnessed your reaction react. Do you see any patterns in how you reacted?
3. If you find yourself in an emotionally charged situation, practice the box breathing technique. You can start with 4 or 5 seconds for each stage of the box:
Inhale for 5 seconds
Hold your breath for 5 seconds
Exhale for 5 seconds
Hold again for the same duration.
Repeat to slow your breathing, manage your emotions, and get your executive brain function back online.
Additional Reading & References:
Emotional Intelligence in Leadership: Why It's Important
What is Self-Regulation? (+9 Skills and Strategies)
Eurich Explores Why Self-Awareness Matters | NIH Record
How to Recognize Emotional Triggers and Manage Reactions | Samba Recovery
You can also enjoy the Enlightened Work Podcast with video on YouTube.
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