Being An Emotionally Intelligent BOSS by Cassandra Hill

Cassandra Hill is a Holistic Wellness Influencer, Life Coach, Best-Selling Author, and Speaker. After overcoming systemic lupus with a regimen she developed, Cassandra birthed Holistic Living Consulting. Her mission is to transform the health and well-being of black women.

The best way to become a more approachable boss is to develop emotional intelligence. It could be the best choice you ever make in your entrepreneurial career.

What is emotional intelligence (EI)? It is the capacity to be aware of and control one's emotions. That includes acting wisely and sympathetically in interpersonal interactions. An emotionally intelligent boss experiences the feelings of others and can help people properly manage their emotions.


Signs of an emotionally intelligent boss:

1. They feel others' emotions. To some extent, they are an empath. They sense when their team is frustrated, defeated, or thrilled. Low EI bosses are clueless and heartless about what affects others.

2. They know how people perceive them. You can adjust your actions if you know how others see you.

3. They are difficult to offend, sensitive to people's feelings, protective of their emotions, and selective about releasing them to others.

Here are three valuable techniques for increasing emotional intelligence:

1. Practice mindfulness. Great leaders are great at managing themselves first. The ability to manage yourself is essential in leading others. This can be done through self-awareness and self-regulation. As a leader, you are an example to the people around you.

• Mindfulness is the ability to manage and respond to your own emotions. Mindfulness informs how you respond to situations. You develop in four areas with mindfulness:

• Self-awareness. This is the ability to see yourself clearly and objectively. It is about learning to understand why you feel what you feel.

• Emotional control. This is about how well you manage and control your emotions. Learning to maintain composure when dealing with minor issues is important.

• Social awareness. The ability to understand other people’s perspectives and empathize with them. This includes those from diverse backgrounds and cultures.

• Relationship management. This is the ability to maintain your engagement with your audience – clients, team members, or subordinates.

2. Learn to take criticism without getting defensive. A leader's ability to hear criticism without getting defensive is a necessary trait of an emotionally savvy BOSS. Defensiveness might undermine the confidence you've built up with your team and the trust you already have.

• It is always easy to be defensive whenever a team member brings a challenge. Dismissing feedback is a hindrance to progress. You must commit to admitting feedback if you envision being a good leader. Try these tips to be less defensive in situations:

• Pause when you receive feedback. Count up to 10 in your head. That can let any initial emotion pass.

• Thank them for the feedback. Show appreciation for the input.

• Ask clarifying questions and more examples. Inquire more information to ensure their feedback.

3. Use one-on-one conversations and downtime to mentor staff and foster empathy. Open discussions are the best way to best understand your subordinates. One-on-one meetings give your team a forum to discuss any difficulties they may be experiencing, enabling you to resolve them jointly.

• Even though it can be time-consuming, there is a significant return on investment. One-on-one meetings are advantageous for both staff members and managers. How? They contribute to the development of manager-employee trust.

• Managers can create dependable working relationships by having regular communication.

Knowing how to control your emotions to influence others positively is a sign of an emotionally competent leader. You are an emotional conductor. Positivity and optimism are the final elements of emotional intelligence.

Therefore, pay attention to your team is words, show concern for them, and practice empathy. Whatever you do to improve your emotional intelligence, make an effort to recognize your areas for improvement.

Cassandra Hill, Transformation Agent for Black Women

Learn more about Cassandra at  www.cassandrarhill.com Instagram: @live.healthyforlife