Leaders have different styles of leadership, which makes them excel in their work. However, a defining quality of a leader is how they embrace complex challenges, coexist with employees, and make decisions. Although an individual may consider themselves to be a leader, their impact on these occasions will set them apart and create a perception to their followers. Most leadership scenarios are challenging, even for competent leaders, testing their emotional intelligence and determining how well they are prepared to handle the pressure. Therefore, emotional intelligence is a quality that separates a great leader from a good one.
Leadership may not be as easy as many people might think because leaders are accompanied by a host of challenges and difficult decisions. Emotional intelligence is such situations is what determines the competence of a leader. In other words, a leader needs to be aware of their emotions and allow them to open up to difficult situations. As Adler notes, when leaders feel good about themselves, they will have more to give to others (UCDavis Continuing and Professional Education, 2014). This feeling calls for a leader to identify what triggers different emotions and, in so doing, discover the most appropriate way of dealing with such sentiments. For instance, leaders may not always show it, but they are often angered by different work scenarios from employees, organizational change, or adverse outcomes (Wang et al., 2018). Nevertheless, they rarely illustrate it directly since it will impact the employees’ perception of their leadership. Instead, leaders need to figure out the cause of this anger and communicate it effectively so that they are free from adverse outcomes such as depression but focus on feeling good.
Adler’s address suggests that emotional intelligence is a difficult thing to decipher, especially by a leader. However, he also mentions that a leader should always consider feeling good as an individual. Allowing one to let anger get the better of one implies that an individual is a weak leader. Good leaders understand how to manage their emotions but what sets them apart from a great leader is emotional intelligence which presents one with a way to control their feelings to not interfere with their leadership.
Your Body Language May Shape Who You Are
Negotiation is an essential skill for any business scenario as it forges communication between different sides to reach a mutual agreement. Occasionally, a negotiator would propose a befitting price for a product or service that they feel is fair for the two or more parties. While confidence plays an equally important role in negotiation, body language defines individuals and helps involved parties understand their fellow hagglers.
Body language helps set visual cues important for negotiation, allowing a negotiator to assert their will and determination on a proposed agreement. Illustrating the wrong body language may leave an individual on the losing side of a negotiation. A vital thing Cuddy mentions in her address is the role of body language in communicating dominance (TED, 2012). According to her, a dominant negotiator stands taller with a straight posture and shoulders laid back, while dominated individuals have slumpy shoulders and will not face who they are addressing (TED, 2012). A negotiation deal is considered fair if both sides are contented with the final offer. However, failing to present the proper posture leaves one at a disadvantage, especially when haggling for a necessary salary increment. A confident employee can illustrate the correct body posture, such as facing the employer and maintaining an upright posture. Furthermore, research reveals that employees appreciate confident employees and are likely to address their concerns (Bell et al., 2019). Therefore, when negotiating a salary increment, an employee can get a befitting counter-offer from their employer.
Cuddy’s address establishes that body language builds individuals’ confidence, helping them emerge victorious in different scenarios. Nobody wants to be looked down upon in a negotiation because they also have counter-offers they would like to present. The ability to express one’s body expresses a message of dominance to those present, amassing respect and trust, helping individuals boost confidence and self-esteem for future negotiations.
References
Bell, M., Cake, M., & Mansfield, C. (2019). Success in career transitions in veterinary practice: Perspectives of employers and their employees. Veterinary Record, 185(8), 232-232. Web.
TED. (2012). Your body language may shape who you are | Amy Cuddy [Video]. YouTube.
UCDavis Continuing and Professional Education. (2014). Emotional intelligence: How good leaders become great — UC Davis Executive Leadership Program [Video]. YouTube.
Wang, L., Restubog, S., Shao, B., Lu, V., & Van Kleef, G. A. (2018). Does anger expression help or harm leader effectiveness? The role of competence-based versus integrity-based violations and abusive supervision. Academy of Management Journal, 61(3), 1050-1072. Web.