In the introduction of this series, I stated that one of my core narratives of leadership is the relationship. Relationship on its own can never thrive in the absence of effective communication.
Communication is a vital fabric of leadership.
Being emotionally intelligent as a leader fosters effective communication whereby a leader knows how exactly and efficiently to convey his thoughts and have them well understood and received. The leader is able to clearly convey directions and know what to say in order to inspire and motivate the team.
Communication as a vital skill can be a deciding factor in whether the team listens or not.
Clarity of vision and strategy passed across the team can only come in the place of leading with emotional intelligence. Clarity and consistency in stating a thought or directive afford team members the ability to understand what is expected or needed from them. By this energy and resources are maximized, there is cooperation and collaboration, and productivity margin is on the increase.
Proper communication also yields motivation from the leader to the led which boosts the enthusiasm and energy of the team to have productive output. The leader by emotional intelligence learns how to properly motivate and inspire his team and ensure they operate from healthy mental and emotional posture.
Leaders with emotional intelligence know how to align and motivate others in pursuit of a common goal and inspiring a desire in them to succeed. This yields to proper execution and achievement of tasks.
Leading with emotional intelligence aids the leader in discerning how proper his message had been conveyed and understood by the team. They discern through responses and action to weigh whether their message is greeted with comprehension and acceptance or hidden confusion and rejection.
Before introducing change, an emotionally intelligent leader communicates and receives input from his because he knows that forcing change into the system can backfire or create negative.
By this skill of assessment, the leader can sit back to weigh or assess his communication approach, recognize potholes and constraints, and develop a better way to effectively communicate.
Leading with emotional intelligence tunes the leader to create a multilateral system of communication where the leader does not only dispatch information but also receives via various efficient feedback channels. This is seen in the place of a leader developing acute listening skills.
By listening skill, the leader is able to listen without judgment, keep emotions in check and to ask the right questions to ensure proper understanding. Such leaders do not listen to reply, rather understand; they don’t reply from an assumption, rather from comprehension.
A leader unlocks the team’s legitimacy and credibility when they know he listens properly, and this would drastically reduce hoarding of information.