Emotional Intelligence

The Four Components of EQ 

Emotional intelligence means you understand your own feelings first. This translends into  understanding the feelings of other people around you. The first part is called self awareness. Self awareness means you know what you are feeling and why you feel that way realted to self evaluation. A good leader knows their own strengths those areas that they are a  very good at  but at the same should know their own weaknesses. All this forms part of SWOT analysis. The second part is self management. Self management means you can control your feelings when you are stressed or angry. Most people tend to fail when it comes to this one. A number of footballers when given a red card by the refree tend to freak out. The third part is social awareness. Many people call this empathy which means you understand how other people feel by putting yourself in their shoes. Willard Zireva CEO of OK Zimbabwe was known for his high level of empathy. Social awareness helps you connect deeply with your team as in Zireva's case. The fourth part is relationship management. 99% pass on this one, which means you build good friendships at work. It also helps you solve disagreements and motivate your team to do their best work. Econet employees during its inception have always been talked about as the happiest teams in their industry.

Why Hard Leadership Is Outdated 

Some leaders still think they must be very hard, strict or be feared by their followers. They think showing emotion is a sign of weakness and might lead to subordinates taking adavantage. Hitler is one ruler who was a firm believer of this notion. But studies have proven this idea is wrong. A study from Carnegie Mellon University showed that eighty five percent of success comes from people skills. Only fifteen percent comes from technical skills or bookish minds. Another study found that leaders with high emotional intelligence are seven times more likely to be seen as effective leaders. In Zimbabwe today, many jobs are changing because of technology. Artificial intelligence is becoming common and advancing at even a fster rate now. It should be noted that machines cannot replace human connection as they dont have feelings or a soul. A machine cannot show empathy to a worker in Gweru who lost a family member. A machine cannot build trust with a farmer in Masvingo who needs support with his failing crops. In a world full of machines, being human is your biggest advantage as a leader and is what separates high performing companies from their peers in the same category. 

How EQ Builds Trust in the Workplace 

When you lead with emotional intelligence, a lot of good things happen at work. The most important thing is trust. In Zimbabwean culture, trust is like a river. When it is dry, nothing grows beacuse there will be sand only but when trust is there, everything grows just like a river with rich soil and water. People need to trust their leader before they will follow them. You build trust when you are a good listener to your teamnates. You show you care about their problems and their success just like a baseketball captain celebrates the score of one of his team members. A leader with emotional intelligence creates a safe place. Team members feel safe to speak up and share new ideas. They even admit their mistakes without fear of punishment with the advent of correcting them. This is very important in places like Chitungwiza where workers often fear losing their jobs due to the shrinking number of companies. 

EQ and Conflict Resolution 

Emotional intelligence also helps you fix problems between people. In any workplace, people will sometimes disagree over fact or fiction. I remember a story from a factory in Harare's Southerton. Two workers stopped talking to each other over a small mistake. The leader with low emotional intelligence shouted at both of them. Nothing got better but another leader at a one leading bank in Bulawayo's Hillside listened to both sides. He stayed calm whilst profeering a solution that made everyone feel heard. The team started working well again having realised that it was just but a msll thing after all. A report from the International Labour Organization says that workplaces with good conflict resolution are fifty percent more productive. 

Leading Through Change With EQ 

Emotional intelligence is also helpful during times of change. Change is always hard for people. In Zimbabwe, we have seen many changes in the economy. When you introduce new technology or change office rules, people feel scared. A leader with high emotional intelligence understands this fear. They take time to talk to their team in places like Kwekwe or Victoria Falls. They answer questions honestly. They help people feel calm about the future. This makes change happen smoothly. There is less fighting and less resistance. Emotional intelligence also stops good workers from leaving. There is a famous saying. People leave managers, not companies. This saying is very true. In South Africa, a study showed that seventy five percent of workers quit because of their boss, not because of the job itself. When workers feel their boss does not care, they start looking for another job. But when a leader shows empathy, workers feel valued. They choose to stay longer. 

How to Develop Your Emotional Intelligence 

The good news is that emotional intelligence is not something you are born with. It is not like the colour of your eyes. You can learn this skill every day if you out your heart to it. Here are simple steps you can start today. Listen more than you talk meaning when a team member comes to speak with you, give them your full undivided attention. Do not look at your phone  or computer. Do not interrupt them but just listen carefully. Another step is to ask questions that show you care. Find out what motivates your people that you lead. Ask them what they enjoy about their work so that yu can rnhance that. You should ask how you can support them better. It is also important to think before you react which forms part of emotionall intelligence. When something frustrating happens, take a deep breath and mditate. This small pause helps you manage your emotions thus making you a great leader. At the end of each day, take a moment to look at yourself honestly and conduct a quick self evaluation. Think about how you acted both to fellow workers and to customers too. Did you lose your temper? Did you ignore a worker who needed help? Being honest with yourself helps you grow emotionally. spritualy and professionally Finally, try to walk in the shoes of your employees at all times. If they are struggling, maybe they have problems at home which might be affecting them mentally. In many African families, one person supports many relatives due to extended families. Each time you that you understand and that you care has the effect of building strong loyalt and respectful subordinates. 

Ubuntu: Africa's Original EQ Framework 

Emotional intelligence is not a foreign idea neither is it an cademic phenomenon. It fits perfectly with our African value of Ubuntu. Ubuntu means a person is a person through other people. We are all connected to each other in all aspets of life. In Kenya, leaders who practice Ubuntu have built stronger communities. In Ghana, Ubuntu has helped businesses grow during hard times. When you lead with Ubuntu, you balance tradition with new ideas and thus bringing out the best in the people around you. This in itself is the heart of emotional intelligence. A report from the African Management Institute found that companies using Ubuntu based leadership saw a forty percent increase in worker happiness. 

In conclusion, it does mean you need to be a perfect person to be a great leader not at all. You should simply be human in all your dealings with others as well as walking the talk. Its imporatnta to care about the people you lead so that yu get their full support. By working on your emotional intelligence, you will build stronger winning teams. In the process you will create a happier workplace in your Zimbabwean office or any other place for that matter. You will lead your organization to greater success and profitability. At Lains.co.zw, we are here to support you on your leadership journey. Start practicing emotional intelligence today and notice the difference. The difference will manifest in your team begining to transform for the better and for the good of the organisation as well as all the stakeholders.