“I listen to you and you listen to me, then our feelings won’t get hurt.”

– Sarah Myers, age 4

This statement rolled off my daughter’s tongue when she was much younger. I stopped and smiled at her wisdom, hoping this would be foundational thinking for an emotionally mature adult.

Emotional intelligence is a crucial skill but it doesn’t come natural to all of us.  While for some adults it is easy to develop strong interpersonal skills and adapt to interpersonal challenges in business and leadership roles, others may struggle with it.

As an Executive Coach, I often get to work with leaders on improving their “interpersonal agility.”  We look at their communication skills and see if they are an asset or a hindrance in their leadership. The coaching brings awareness of their emotional intelligence skills and gives leaders an opportunity to understand their impact and then experiment with new types of approaches that may not come naturally to them.

On To You

Listening with respect and empathy are critical skills to be successful in leadership, teamwork, and our personal life.

How is your emotional intelligence? Do these skills come natural to you or do you struggle with them? Pay attention as you go through your days. Ask others for feedback on how well you listen. You might hear some interesting insights!

Contact me if you want to make emotional intelligence a stronger part of your leadership style.