Leading with Emotional Intelligence

Recently the CEO of J. Crew, Mickey Drexler, reflected that when he interviews job candidates he is less interested in the individual's GPA and is more interested in the individual's emotional intelligence.*

For that viewpoint, we can only applaud.  Emotional intelligence is one of the factors that makes the difference between a leader just getting the job done vs. truly excelling at guiding the team.  While there are different ways of defining emotional intelligence, let me provide a high level summary of my thoughts.

The leader with emotional intelligence is, first and foremost, a secure and self-aware person.  She or he are confident in the knowledge of their own strengths and weaknesses; they are extremely pragmatic about what they can and cannot do.   These individuals are unafraid to let their talents shine through and conversely, they seek guidance and learning in areas in which they recognize they need improvement.  The leader with emotional intelligence is self-assured without being arrogant and has the ability to be direct without being insensitive.

This self-assured leader, then, can and should be, a selfless leader who prioritizes the needs of the business and the team above their own.  In other words, the selfless leader gets out of their own way.   They let the greater good of the company and team direct their actions vs. what is personally convenient or self-aggrandizing.

The combination of self-assuredness and selflessness allows the leader to truly feel the pulse of the workplace and the team with a great degree of accuracy.  Since the self-assured leader is not nagged by self-doubt, and the selfless leader is not driven by a personal agenda, there is now  personal bandwith to truly be in touch with the people who are driving the business.   Leaders with emotional intelligence can listen openly to that which is said to them directly, and what they hear indirectly.    They can sense whether the team is apprehensive, excited or comfortable.  They can feel areas of weakness or strength and take corresponding action.   They excel both at individual coaching and group guidance.  They know the business so well that they are perceived as intuitive, even though their beliefs and skills are driven by years of learning.

Beyond that, the leader with emotional intelligence also applies these same principals to the world outside of work, allowing them to lead their team with great certainty, even in the most uncertain of environments.

While there is a high degree of complexity to the leader with emotional intelligence, the simple truth is that this leader is the one that everyone wants to follow.

Brent Frerichs is the author of "Courageous Questions, Confident Leaders" available on Kindle for the Kindle e-reader as well as I-Pads, Tablets and PCs.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0095KPA6A

*As reported by fashionista.com, comments were made at a seminar hosted by Womens Wear Daily.