It is said there are two kinds of listeners in the world—those who listen in order to respond and those who listen to understand. Emotional Intelligence for Leaders and Emerging Leaders instructor Gayle Johnson’s goal is to build workplaces empowered by the latter. As more and more businesses come to the understanding that their success means leadership grounded in Emotional Intelligence, fostering management tools of this nature is crucial.
Leaders skilled in Emotional Intelligence manage their own internal life with depth and honesty while successfully negotiating the emotional life of others. “Some 
people are naturally more connected with their emotions and understand how their emotions impact themselves and others, however everybody can learn to be emotionally intelligent,” says Johnson. “It’s all about wanting to have a better relationship with yourself and others.”
According to Johnson, success in Emotional Intelligence does not rest entirely upon one’s social skills, sensitivity or even likability. However, refining one’s skills in empathy and intuition are vital. “Empathy is Emotional Intelligence,” says Johnson. “When someone is emotionally intelligent, they value and respect their intuition. It is not about being gifted in that regard, it is about knowing yourself, trusting your feelings, and valuing them as an important part of your discernment process toward making a decision.”
Johnson says a work environment fostered by leaders skilled in Emotional Intelligence is one in which employees are more interested in collaboration and the give and take of constructive criticism. “Employees feel comfortable to take calculated risks and to voice their opinions. Working collaboratively isn’t just a goal, but something woven into the organizational culture. The emotionally intelligent leader leverages emotions for the good of the organization.”
Of particular importance is a leader’s ability to act as a Change Agent, that is to say, someone adept at guiding a workplace environment through a transitional phase. “(They are) aware of how others will react emotionally to changes. They are able to anticipate challenges and plan the most appropriate ways to introduce and carry out the change.”
A work environment led by someone unskilled in Emotional Intelligence is apt to fall short of its potential for productivity and perhaps even damage employee morale. “Most leaders face stressful situations,” say Johnson. “Leaders who are low in Emotional Intelligence tend to act out in stressful situations because they’re not able to manage their own emotions. They may be prone to behaviors such as yelling, blaming, and being passive aggressive. This can create an even more stressful environment, where workers are always walking on eggshells trying to prevent the next outburst.”
Handicaps of this nature can damage an employee’s pursuit of workplace productivity and creative self-expression. “Not being emotionally intelligent can inhibit collaboration,” says Johnson. “When a leader doesn’t have a handle on their emotions and reacts inappropriately, most of their employees tend to feel nervous about contributing their ideas, for fear of how the leader will respond.”
However, says Johnson, this is not always an indication said leader will be prone to abuse. “A leader who lacks Emotional Intelligence doesn’t necessarily lash out at their employees,” she says. “Not being emotionally intelligent can also mean an inability to address situations that could be fraught with emotion. Most leaders deal with conflict, and a leader who isn’t clued into others’ emotions may have a difficult time recognizing conflict and dealing effectively with its resolution. Emotionally intelligent leaders don’t take things personally and are able to forge ahead with plans without worrying about the impact on their egos.”
Students joining Emotional Intelligence for Leaders and Emerging Leaders may look forward to leadership exploration that encourages them to become aware of their emotions and how they impact their performance as a leader in the workplace. “Students will explore how to recognize and understand emotions in others and how to adapt their behavior to suit them, to create a workplace environment that is engaging, respectful and inclusive,” says Johnson. Leaders will also explore how to manage their emotions to enhance their performance with others as well as handle and inspire emotions in others.
Johnson says the impact of emotionally intelligent leadership on a workplace is profound. “Emotional Intelligence in leadership allows for the workplace environment to be more engaging, collaborative, transparent, and respectful of others’ ideas and opinions while valuing creativity,” she says. “When that happens, staff productivity goes up exponentially. Think about it--when you feel valued for what you do, are able to use your creativity, understand how your role connects to the bigger picture of your department and/or organization, you feel energized, happy, you walk with a pep in your step and look forward to going to work. When that happens you are willing to give 1000%.”
With Emotional Intelligence for Leaders and Emerging Leaders, Johnson promises a hands-on environment devoted to teaching and learning. “I do this by setting the stage and giving the context, then have the participants practice what is taught,” she says. “Emotional Intelligence isn’t learned by someone talking, it’s learned by experiencing. Emotional Intelligence is behavioral, and the only way to change your behavior is by practicing it.”
Johnson says participants in her course can look forward to attaining the confidence they need to create a workplace where others can thrive. “They will leave with tools that will help them understand their emotions, and how to manage them, build better relationships,” she says. “Emotional Intelligence is all about understanding YOU, understanding YOU and OTHERS and understanding the interdependence of WE. When you have a workplace that can get to that place, you have a workplace where people are energized, inclusive, creative, and highly productive.”
Learn more about Emotional Intelligence for Leaders and Emerging Leaders.
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