Suria and I recently discussed the importance of emotional literacy in emotional intelligence, exploring the connection to leadership and the benefits of having a precise vocabulary for emotions.
We discussed how emotional intelligence (EQ) helps us understand and manage emotions in ourselves, and others, leading to better decision-making and relationships and through our personal experiences, highlighted how emotional awareness can prevent misunderstandings and conflicts.
💖Developing a robust emotional vocabulary ensures we are more precise in understanding and expressing our own emotions as well as those of others. This results in more effective open communication and understanding and enables a leader to exercise empathy and gain true insight into the viewpoints of others, to facilitate better decision-making.
In challenging situations, unaddressed emotions can actually lead to dysfunction and discord. I should know, I've been here! Leaders with high emotional intelligence comprehend the importance of recognizing and managing emotions to effectively navigate complex situations.
✔️Emotional literacy is linked to leadership and decision-making. Being able to name and tame emotions helps leaders navigate complex, emotionally-charged scenarios more effectively.
Leaders can sometimes mask their genuine emotions by using softer language like frustration, apprehensive of showing vulnerability which does nothing to aid trust. Identifying and naming emotions precisely can foster alignment and cultivate a more transparent and authentic group dynamic. In a situation I shared, this didn't occur and resulted in dysfunction and dire strait results, had we been more open we could have discovered similarities in our sentiment, and this could have resulted in being more empathetic towards each other and aligning our efforts. Rather, we got stuck and the problem intensified!
💖Vulnerability and transparency around emotions within a team or group setting can create alignment, empathy, and better problem-solving.
The study of emotions explains that recalling a situation can evoke the same feeling over and over, as experienced in my situation - despite attempting to stay rational, we all neglected our emotions (major mistake), leading to a highly charged atmosphere that lingered for the next day or so - imagine how our meetings went for the remainder of the day! Using naming to tame not only enables us to think more productively it aids us in moving forward as well.
👉Replaying or ruminating on intense negative emotions can prolong their impact, so it's important to find a balance between acknowledging them and moving forward.
The significance of naming emotions, reflecting on them, and using them as data to make informed decisions, ultimately enhancing leadership effectiveness.
The intensity of emotions can impair our ability to think clearly and make logical decisions, and leveraging emotional intelligence can help mitigate this impact. It's also important to pause and reflect during emotionally charged conversations.
✔️Pausing to reflect on emotions, rather than avoiding or diminishing them, is crucial. This allows you to manage the intensity of emotions to make wiser decisions.
When engaging in difficult conversations, pause and take breaks in order to regain composure. This is especially important when considering the influence of the Negativity Bias. Our brains have a tendency to focus on negativity, causing us to narrow our perspective and thought process when triggered. Reflecting on a past conversation with Suria, we remembered how intense emotions limited our awareness of potential business risks. Emotions can provide valuable insights in the context of risk management, whereas ignoring emotions in complex situations may result in a breakdown.
Emotional intelligence involves using emotions as data - understanding their meaning and purpose, rather than getting caught up in or avoiding them.
Here are our tips for leaders.
If you are in the habit of using basic emotions, practice with a more extensive emotions vocabulary
See emotions as data to make more effective choices
Name them to tame them
Expressing emotions in the moment shows vulnerability which builds transparency
When we understand how someone feels, we are more likely to empathise with them, so create a safe space for people to open up about their emotions
In an emotionally charged scenario expressing emotions can create alignment and a way through it
Pause to reflect on what data emotions are offering up.
In intense scenarios, swap to reflect on benefits to mitigate the negativity bias
Avoiding or diminishing how you or others' feel results in a more explosive conversation down the track. Don't avoid, acknowledge.
To discover how our coaching or leadership programs can help you muscle up on emotional intelligence, contact Melina or Suria.
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