Emotional Intelligence: Everything you always wanted to know about EQ
Leaders, We all have different personalities, different wants and needs, and different ways of showing our emotions. Navigating through this all takes awareness, tact and cleverness – especially as we want to succeed in our lives. This is where emotional intelligence becomes important. We probably all know people who are masters at managing their emotions. They are really good listeners, excellent decision makers and unflappable crisis managers who have the complete trust of their staff. No matter what kind of situation they are in, they always seem to know just what to say – and how to say it – so that no one gets offended or upset. They look at themselves honestly, and do not only have a great sense of who they are but are also able to sense the emotional needs of others. What is emotional intelligence (EQ)? Emotional intelligence is commonly defined by four attributes: [...]
Courage within us
Leaders, A friend, colleague and client of Inspired Executives has started a major transformation about a year ago. While it took her a while to make that tough decision, the insights and freedom she is gaining in her journey are invaluable and encouraging for others. This is Gesche’s story: “My best decisions have always been those that I have made intuitively. These are decisions that slowly grow almost subconsciously within me; it often takes weeks for them to surface into my awareness. At some point I realize that my path is clear; that I have already made my decision. This feels really good and relieving, but also always a bit scary, because I am always amazed (or should I say shocked?) at my own courage. I don't think I'm particularly brave, I'm more of an analytical person who carefully weighs alternatives, yet it is important to me to act in [...]
Creating a culture of confidence
Leaders, What do you consider the biggest threat to your organization to be? Wrestling with declining revenues? Struggling with intense global competition? Or battling against disruptive new technologies? How about fear? Fear has been spreading throughout organizations – negatively impacting morale, productivity, and the bottom-line. Living in fear is destructive for a team, and kills momentum. Fear drives people to shore up what they have rather than to go after what they want. During times of rapid change and uncertainty, anxiety levels go up, and the appetite for risk goes down. In fear-based environments, it's all about protecting the status quo. Yet, these are the exact times when bold action can reap the greatest rewards. Envision a better way, a better solution, a better product – and approach it with determination and an open mind. Most of us know “what to do” but not “how to” in challenging situations, when [...]
How comfortable are you in your discomfort zone?
Leaders, What would you do if there was no fear? Are you setting the stage for progress and confidence? Or are you playing it safe and waiting for the storm to pass? How present and ambitious are your goals? What is the risk of staying in your comfort zone? Are you focused on excellence? Do you want to be(come) leaders who want to leave their marks on the world or transform their organizations? Living in fear of failure and fear of the unknown has a destructive impact on the organization and kills momentum. Exhibiting leadership courage - whether it's having an uncomfortable conversation, communicating when you don't have all the answers, or making a decision to move ahead on a new project - can scare the heck out of you. “What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?” Vincent van Gogh (Dutch painter, 1853 – 1890) Excessive fear has sent [...]
Trust: Gain Motivation and Lose Anxiety
Trust is fundamental to all relationships. Without it, the foundation of collaboration is quicksand. Here are some examples where trust plays a familiar role, and other illustrations where the challenge is murky. A surgeon I know has an explosive temper. It gets him into a lot of trouble – in his office, in the operating theatre, in his marriage, with his kids. In a medical procedure, skills and tasks are interdependent and require trust that your partners are doing their part while you are doing yours. The yelling that the surgeon does creates an atmosphere of fear, clouding the split second decisions everyone makes as they move through procedures. Imagine how easy it would be to make mistakes? Imagine what his home life is like? A 16-year old with a new drivers license was employed to stay at her next-door neighbor’s house for a weekend to watch the couple’s three [...]
A culture of trust needs transparency
Leaders, Everyone wants to be part of a workplace culture that puts a premium on delivering the real truth. Lies and secrets break trust, while honesty and transparency build trust. If trust somehow exists without transparency, this so-called trust is nothing more than an illusion because it is based on what is not real. Transparency is an essential ingredient for creating and maintaining trust. Trust is the foundation of any successful relationship, both personal and professional, and when it is broken, it is extremely hard to repair. When it comes to building solid workplace relationships, trust takes center stage. When trust is created, it leads to a heightened sense of security and better staff engagement and performance. Transparent leadership is the key to fostering a culture of trust between leaders and their workforce. Being transparent is a powerful thing, if you can trust yourself and be trusted by others. Let’s take a quick look [...]