L07: Emotional Intelligence and Interpersonal Skills for Leaders

Emotional intelligence, or often called emotional quotient, is the ability of leaders to identify and manage emotions in themselves and in others. This understanding helps leaders to understand what’s right culturally, both in the company and outside the company. Emotional intelligence enhances leaders’ ability to translate these emotions into actions that show flexibility and personal and social problem-solving ability.

Interpersonal skills are emotional intelligence in action which leaders can use to understand when reacting with others. Both emotional intelligence and interpersonal skills enhance leaders’ communication with other effectively both verbally and nonverbally. 

In this chapter, leaders would understand emotional intelligence and how to develop the ability to uncover the “emotional context” which means getting below the surface of the words. From this learning, leaders can connect emotional intelligence to leadership styles which might fall into different categories: visionary, coaching, affiliative, democratic, pacesetting, and commanding. Leaders might also vary leadership style when the situation warrants it. However, the ability to select the most effective leadership style for different situations require leader’s emotional intelligence to assess the situation correctly and assume the style appropriate for the context and audiences.

The first step to understand emotional intelligence is to understand your self-awareness, strengths, and weaknesses. Leaders can use popular psychological profiles to understand themselves better or use the MBTI, concept of personality assessment. In addition, MBTI concept can also enhance leaders understanding others. Leaders can use MBTI to understand how others are motivated and how better to work with them.

After better knowing themselves and others, leaders should develop an approach to improving emotional intelligence, improving nonverbal skills, listening skills, motivating and mentoring, and networking. 

Theodore Roosevelt said, “The most important single ingredient in the formula of success is knowing how to get along with people.” Importantly, it is the power of emotional intelligence. People who relate well to others do better in the workplace and as leaders of organization. Transformational leaders connect with other openly and honestly. They understand emotional intelligence and have interpersonal skills.

L06: Graphics and Powerpoint with a Leadership Edge

As being mentioned on the step of presentation, adding appropriate graphics to a presentation could help individual reach audience easily. The leaders can use graphics to improve presentations and documents, particularly if the material is structural, so complicated that it can be illustrated more efficiently and more effectively with a visual aid that with words alone. When select appropriately and designed carefully, graphics embody and carry the meanings that create the messages. Also, leaders use visuals that are integral to the communication of their intended meanings.

Also, graphics will contribute to the success of the oral and written communication because it makes presentation more persuasive. Knowing how to deliver messages effectively with words and pictures is a powerful tool for leader.

When using graphics and PowerPoint in the presentation, they should always be purposeful. In other words, graphics should make the content more understandable; emphasize the main ideas expressed by the speaker. Concept graphics are also useful in clarifying ideas and in creating mental pictures for the audience. Graphics normally work better to help an audience understand relationships and concepts of presentation.

For graphics adding to the presentation, the data and text charts should be simple enough for audience to understand easily, and convey the messages clearly and effectively to the audiences. Individual should ensure choosing the most effective colors and fonts which do not distract audiences.

To summarize, the goal of having graphics in presentation is to aid the audiences in understanding the data and central message of presentation. Graphics should be chosen purposefully and make the presentation more persuasive. Leaders should use graphics to support the message and PowerPoint as the tool it is intended to be. Using correct graphics design will provide a leadership edge and help individual project a positive ethos.