How to Use Emotional Intelligence to Be an Effective Leader is an article by Sarah Alexander that appeared on the December 3, 2015 edition of Everwise. It states that a persons EQ (emotional quotient) is a direct indicator of whether someone will become an effective leader. Alexander defines EQ as the ability of someone to recognize, understand and then manage his or her own emotions while influencing those of others. It is an insubstantial aspect that influences the way people deal with social complexities and come up with decisions in order to achieve results.
According to Alexander, being in possession of a high EQ is beneficial in a number of ways. Heightened self-awareness can go a long way in assisting someone respond to normal situations; while skills in self-management improve the ability to adapt oneself to changes. Increased levels of relationship management and social awareness can result in a better response from other parties when dealing with challenging situations. A high EQ can also come in handy in term of success as a business leader. This is especially the case when dealing with daunting situations such as company celebrations, terminations, and contract negotiations. EQ happens to be the strongest predictor of performance of all the crucial workplace skills, explaining a significant percentage of success in different types of jobs.
As a nurse leader, my top goal is to increase my EQ. medical centers take for granted that nursing leaders will have a high level of emotional intelligence, and therefore , effective. In the real sense, the skills required to make it to the top often do not match with those needed to become a good leader. Nursing departments promote members for their tenure and knowledge as opposed to their ability to inspire others to perform well. As soon as a nurse is promoted, he or she gets into an environment that erodes their EQ. nursing leaders spend less time having meaningful interactions with other staff members; something that makes them lose track of how their emotional states affect others. Given the ease at which the leaders can get out of touch, their emotional quotient levels drop further.
One strategy that I can use to increase my EQ is by focusing less on myself and more on others. This technique involves resisting the urge to think only of myself and putting the needs of others ahead of my own. I will make a spirited effort to be down-to-earth and engage my subordinate nurses in a way that empowers them to always take initiative. A factor related to this is about utilizing more personal means of communication. Striving for human contact as opposed to hiding beneath digital communication is the way to go. In order to make things happen, a nursing leader has to make subordinates like, respect, listen to, and connect to him or her on a personal level.
Finding out about other nurses and their expectations is another strategy that I can use to improve my EQ. it is important to show a keen interest in other staff members, such as how long they have been at the medical center, and any fresh perspective that new nurses have for the institution. For instance, the nursing leader can enquire from each team member about their most fulfilling work experience, and what motivates them. Such enquiries will give the leader an idea of what he or she needs to be done in order to create a more productive and inspired work environment.
References
Alexander, S. (2015, December 3). How to Use Emotional Intelligence to Be an Effective Leader. Retrieved from https://www.geteverwise.com/leadership/how-to-use-emotional-intelligence-to-be-an-effective-leader/
Roussel, L. (2013). Management and Leadership for Nurse Administrators (6th ed.). Boston, MA: Jones & Bartlett.
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