As leaders let’s give up the mindsets that stereotype leadership.
Let’s shift from connecting ourselves with just our successes to being genuinely and truly open human beings who are not ashamed to bring humanity to work and are willing to genuinely connect with leaders around us and our teams. The narrative that emotions have no place in the workplace has proven to be counterproductive and as a result emotional agility on the part of the leader has steadily become an essential skill in modern working environments. The traditional “top down,” approach and constant waving of the forefinger in employee’s faces now has little or no effect.
Research has proven that 90% of the effectiveness of a leader comes from soft competencies.
Emotional agility is an individual’s ability to experience their thoughts, emotions and experiences in a way that doesn’t drive them in negative ways but instead encourages them to reveal the best of themselves.
Being an emotionally agile leader also means you are rich in emotional capital which is a critical component to building influence and strong relationships.
When a leader is emotionally agile, they can lead by example, build empathy in their organisations, and maintain a healthy work culture. It is however important to note that an effective leader must still have a balance of the five quotients – Emotional Quotient (EQ), Spiritual Quotient (SQ), Social Quotient (SQ), Intelligence Quotient (IQ) and Adversity Quotient (AQ).
In this article the focus will be on Emotional Agility and building empathy into our leadership styles.
This must not be viewed as a weakness but rather a strength. Mental health issues are on the increase in organisations mostly due to stress caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Remote working now also necessitates a coaching, mentoring and guiding approach to leadership. Organisations have members of Gen-Z, millennials and Gen-X working in the same teams so there is a need to be strategic, emotionally agile and ensure that they are all complementing each other.
- Emotional agility critical in leadership
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Some ways of increasing emotional agility as a leader and building empathy in the organisation are:
Identify biases
These biases can be towards or against certain tribes, races, gender, educational qualifications, age, appearance, educational institutions etc.
They are self-limiting and create barriers and roadblocks between the leader and their team.
Biases are built from our upbringing and experience.
Make sure as a leader they don’t affect your decision making, influence how we act or react.
How your choices impact others
Leaders are often called upon to make unpopular decisions.
Instead of misconstruing empathy as, “being nice,” focus on understanding how your choices impact others.
Make an effort to explain the rationale behind difficult decisions.
Another point to consider is that many times when an employee decides to resign, the reason is, “My boss . . .” As leaders let's do what we can to retain talent. Values e.g., “family first.”, taking time out to take care of a sick child, and taking family holidays boost empathy. Your team will find you relatable and approachable.
We are losing many of our youth to drugs and delinquent behaviour because they have no positive role models who take time to empathise with them and mentor them. The rate of suicides especially in young men is on the rise. As a leader, make yourself a positive role model.
Express empathy through action
Create an atmosphere where your team knows that their opinions are heard, they are respected, and unity is fostered.
When you listen to your team, listen actively with an aim to exercise action. Without action, the authenticity of empathy is diminished.
When concerns are addressed the good of the whole team and the organisation should be considered. Around 77% of employees say they would work longer for an empathetic employer.
Consider your team burnout
Overworking beyond general fatigue and stress can have an extreme effect on output, staff retention and overall morale.
Regularly check in with your staff and consider their workload.
Encourage time off or if possible, hire extra staff. It's also important to stop every once in a while, and ask yourself as a leader how you can improve your team’s working environment and how best you can support them. Experiencing a day in the life of your team is also helpful. Spend time even visiting other teams and leaders in your workplace. This can help open your eyes so you can see what others are seeing. Don’t be disconnected. Find out what the challenges and roadblocks are. From this you will gain an understanding of the frustrations and motivations of your team and you will be able to generate effective solutions.
In conclusion, the most effective leaders recognise that the ability to work with and not against their thoughts, emotions and feelings will significantly positively affect their success and their level of influence.
Have a mindset shifting week ahead thinking and delivering solutions.
Mhoya is a multi-gifted collaborative leader, strategic thinker, mentor, and certified coach with 25 years’ experience serving in various sectors locally and internationally. She is the Director, Global P.R and Communications at Legacy Building Leaders, Leadership Coaching Community www.lblafrica.com. - [email protected] or +263 774 958 214.
