Why Emotional Intelligence & Mindfulness Is Important In Leadership
Stress at work is more harmful than people realize. About 80% of workers deal with workplace stress. Almost half of them say they need help to figure out how to manage it. While 25% felt like shouting because of it.
A recent Harvard study showed that when leaders become stressed, their anxiousness could be felt across the entire company. Typically to a point where skilled employees would quit just to save their own health.
Roughly 7% of surveyed workers stated they believe a stressed and anxious leader has what it takes to efficiently lead a company. But, when leaders can’t manage to tackle their stress constructively, over 50% of their workers will see them as inefficient. Or harmful to the company.
Emotional intelligence and mindfulness are here to turn every obstacle into an opportunity for growth. Here is how.
What Makes a Leader: Importance of Emotional Intelligence
Experience, vision ability to delegate, and influence, are all traits typically associated with the best executives. But, one of the most overlooked qualities in leaders, is perhaps one of the most important one – emotional intelligence (EI).
EI is the ability to control, develop, and understand personal feelings. Without forsaking and failing to manage the feelings of those around you. EI goes beyond the nitty-gritty details of being a leader, like showing considerable business savvy.
Rather, it underlines how your emotions affect employees. Including clients. And the ways the leader can use their knowledge to form positive outcomes – on both personal and business levels. Examples of emotional intelligence in leadership include encouraging creativity. As well as listening to employees, utilizing their strengths, offering open communication, etc.
How Does Emotional Intelligence Relate To Leadership?
A Levo Institute survey stated that 80% of workers view EI as a key aspect in developing their careers. About 87% of Millennials are motivated by an emotionally intelligent leader and are eager to help keep the company on the right track.
An emotionally intelligent leader is associated with better job satisfaction. Higher-performing employees, and a customer base that they know better. According to the Journal of Leadership Education, self-awareness and leadership help articulate valuable areas of development.
Leaders with this kind of skill set can come up with a practical action plan and remain a central role in the development of their company.
How Mindfulness Plays a Role in Leadership
Mindfulness and leadership ensure the right balance for professional and emotional success. The practice of mindful leadership is here to give leaders practical tools to manage and assess their life as they live it. It shows them how to be present, recognize emotions, and keep them under wraps. Particularly when faced with difficult obstacles.
A mindful leader is someone who is non-judgemental. A person who is present and ready to tackle issues with clarity. Mindfulness and leadership effectiveness can be seen in leaders who are best equipped to get more people to follow them.
These leaders care about how their workers think, feel, and act. They consciously cultivate their capability to remain open-minded and present. While encouraging compassion and creativity. Are you looking for practical mindful leadership examples? Then, think of it like this.
A mindful leader is not someone who expects others to do the things they are not willing to do. Otherwise, they can cause a deterioration of trust. Instead, they focus on recognition and appreciation. Providing workers with both critical feedback and effective praise. They lead with humility, dignity, communication, and compassion.
How Do You Practice Mindful Leadership?
Now that you know how does mindfulness help a leader, it is time to put it into action. The first step is to cultivate presence and practice mindfulness. Develop self-acceptance and communicate with others by showing respect and caring.
Basically, you need empathy. You can put yourself in someone else’s shoes and understand what they are going through. Of course, being an empathetic leader doesn’t mean you are showing weakness. Rather, you offer support and understanding, thus building a connection with workers based on trust. As a leader, you also need to become available, resilient, and flexible.
Uphold high standards of integrity, while maintaining a sturdy moral compass. Don’t forget to practice radical responsibility. Instead of blaming yourself for every little mistake, put all your attention on boosting self-empowerment.
That way you can go above and beyond when overcoming different challenges. If you don’t know where to start, you might want to check out meditation classes Singapore. With guided meditation, you can start practicing mindfulness. And harness all the benefits of meditation.
Final Thoughts
The embodiment of mindful leadership goes hand in hand with emotional intelligence. Through mindfulness and emotional intelligence, your choices and actions leave a heavy impact. They become a catalyst for achieving long-term goals. Like a spark for a ripple effect that benefits the company in the long haul. Now that you know how they can help, you can use these qualities to make a change.
References
https://www.stress.org/workplace-stress
https://medium.com/@BKpub/the-importance-of-emotional-intelligence-in-a-leader-d1ffc7fd753c
https://savofns.com/hr/statistics-on-emotional-intelligence-in-workplace/
https://journalofleadershiped.org/jole_articles/enhancing-leaders-emotional-intelligence-why-mindfulness/
