Emotionally intelligent leading is the art of effectively communicating and responding to the emotions of yourself and others. It helps leaders make more effective decisions, build better relationships and create a more positive working atmosphere.

An emotionally intelligent leader is aware of his or her own emotions and can regulate them effectively. They can also understand the emotions of others and respond to them in a constructive way. This helps them resolve conflicts, solve problems and create better team dynamics.

An emotionally intelligent leader can also show empathy, meaning they can put themselves in the place of others and understand their perspective. This helps them make better decisions and create a more positive working atmosphere for both the team and the organisation as a whole.

An emotionally intelligent leader is also aware of his team members' emotions and can help them regulate their emotions. This can be done by creating an open and safe environment in which team members can share their feelings, or by offering mental health support such as counselling.

An emotionally intelligent leader can also exude a positive attitude, which helps create a positive working atmosphere. This can be done by showing gratitude, giving positive feedback and creating an atmosphere of hope and optimism.

In summary, emotionally intelligent leading is an important skill for leaders to have. By being aware of their own emotions and those of others, an emotionally intelligent leader can make more effective decisions, build better relationships and create a more positive working atmosphere.

What are the pitfalls for leaders who lack this skill?

There are a number of pitfalls that executives can fall into if they lack the skill of emotionally intelligent leading:

1. Insensitivity to others' emotions: Leaders who are unable to understand the emotions of others can create conflict and demotivate the team. This can lead to lower productivity and higher unemployment.
2. Inability to resolve conflicts: Leaders who are unable to regulate emotions cannot handle conflict well. This can lead to an unhealthy working atmosphere and lack of cooperation among team members.
3. Lack of empathy: Leaders who lack empathy struggle to put themselves in the place of their team members. This can lead to a lack of understanding and a lack of motivation for the team.
4. Inability to handle stress: Leaders who are unable to regulate their own stress cannot help their team members deal with stress. This can lead to increased workload and reduced mental health of the team.
5. Lack of motivation: Leaders who do not exude a positive attitude can demotivate the team. This can lead to a lack of energy and enthusiasm for work.

Emotionally intelligent leadership is thus a crucial skill for leaders to have. Leaders who lack this skill run the risk of causing conflict, creating an unhealthy work atmosphere and demotivating the team.

In what ways can you develop emotional leadership as a skill?

There are several ways in which a person can develop emotional leadership as a skill:

1. Self-reflection: It is important to understand how your own emotions work and how to deal with them. This can be done through daily reflection exercises such as meditation, journaling or talking to a therapist.
2. Develop empathy: Learn to put yourself in other people's situations and feelings. This can be done by listening to others without judgement, and trying to understand how they feel.
3. Strengthen communication skills: Strengthen your skills to communicate effectively with others, both in words and non-verbal communication. This can be done by practising in different communication situations and getting feedback.
4. Develop stress management: Learn how to manage stress and improve your mental health. This can be done by practising relaxation techniques such as yoga, meditation, or breathing exercises.
5. Take leadership programmes: There are many programmes available that focus on emotionally intelligent leadership, such as coaching, training, or workshops. These can help strengthen these skills and apply them in practice.
6. Learn from experience: Emotional leadership is a skill that develops with time, learn from experiences and apply this knowledge in future situations.

Keep in mind that emotional leadership is a continuous process of development and requires time and practice to strengthen skills. It is important to keep challenging oneself and keep learning.

What are publications and other resources you can go to to read more about this?

There are many publications and other sources available that provide more information on emotional leadership. Here are some examples:

1. "Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ" by Daniel Goleman. This book discusses how emotional intelligence plays an important role in leadership and how it can help achieve success.
2. "The Emotionally Intelligent Manager: How to Develop and Use the Four Key Emotional Skills of Leadership" by David R. Caruso and Peter Salovey. This book offers practical tips and techniques for developing emotional intelligence skills as a leader.
3. "Leading with Emotional Intelligence" by Anthony K. Tjan. This book discusses how emotional intelligence can be used to strengthen leadership and improve team performance.
4. Harvard Business Review, an online platform that often publishes articles on emotional leadership and emotional intelligence.
5. "The Emotionally Intelligent Team: Understanding and Developing the Behaviors of Success" by Steven J. Stein. This book discusses how emotional intelligence can be used to improve team dynamics and increase team performance.
6. "The EQ Leader: Instilling Passion, Creating Shared Goals, and Building Meaningful Organizations through Emotional Intelligence" by Robert Cooper. This book offers a practical approach to developing emotional intelligence skills as a leader, and how these skills can contribute to an organisation's success.

These are just a few examples, there are many more resources available where you can learn more about emotional leadership. Such as books, articles, blogs, training courses and so on. You can also search for publications written by experts in the field of emotional intelligence and leadership.

Conclusion

Emotional leadership is a leader's ability to understand, regulate and communicate effectively the emotions of themselves and others. It helps leaders make more effective decisions, build better relationships and create a more positive working atmosphere. There are several ways a person can develop emotional leadership as a skill, such as self-reflection, developing empathy, strengthening communication skills, stress management, attending leadership programmes and learning from experiences. There are also many publications and other resources available that provide more information on emotional leadership.