Cultivating New Growth: Practices for Brave, Compassionate & Emotionally Intelligent Leadership
Let’s face it: people aren’t responding to the same type of management and leadership that they used to. And while that may sound daunting, it’s actually good news! People are looking for leaders who are good communicators, who stay grounded, and who tell the truth. Leaders who operate with empathy and a values-based sense of direction build followership. And followership means retention. And retention can make a positive impact to the bottom line.
So how can you go about developing into this new way of being? This is where emotionally intelligent leadership comes into play. People want to feel like they’re working towards a common goal, and that their leader has their back, even when it’s not easy.
Why Is Emotionally Intelligent Leadership Important?
Expectations are high. Resources can be thin. When the pressure’s building, it’s important to work for a leader who:
Stays calm when the stakes are high
Communicates clearly
Creates clear boundaries for themselves and others
Finds quick, workable solutions when issues arise
Gallup research tells us that teams led by trusted leaders are 2.5x more likely to be engaged and 76% less likely to experience burnout. 76% - that’s impact! In practical terms, this means that people want someone they can rely on and someone who will be an anchor in the midst of churn. Emotional intelligence (EQ) is a cornerstone to building trust. And, as you know from our previous posts, EQ is something that can be learned and developed.
Emotional Intelligence as a Modern Leader
A Harvard Gazette article describes emotional intelligence this way:
“Emotional intelligence is a particular skill of recognizing one’s own feelings, working with those feelings, and not just reacting in ways that are going to be problematic. It also involves recognizing the feelings that are arising in others, and then being able to work with others, to work out conflicts, or get along well with one another.”
Did you know leaders with high EQ outperform and outearn leaders with high IQ? If you’re looking to develop emotional intelligence as a modern leader, we’ve got you covered. Consider the foundations of EQ:
Self-awareness
Self-management
Connection
Empathy
Empathy matters. Finding a way to see from another’s perspective is a powerful tool. Check out this past post where we discuss why empathy matters in leadership.
Compassionate Leadership
Sometimes being nice or showing compassion can be mistaken for being weak. We’re here to tell you that it takes real strength to have compassion. Having compassion also creates an environment where people feel safe enough to speak up and ask questions instead of waiting until they are completely broken.
When leaders are able to demonstrate compassion, teams tend to:
Communicate more openly with each other
Recover faster from mistakes
Stay engaged for longer periods of time
Compassion Shows Up As:
“How can I support you this week?”
“Let’s solve this together.”
“I believe in you.”
Compassion doesn’t take away accountability. People work harder for leaders who feel safe.
Brave Leadership Practices That Lead to Growth and Trust
“Fearless” doesn’t mean without fear; it just means that you fear less. We all have fear - it’s one of our basic emotions. Being fearless, in our language, means that you notice the fear, and you still show up with your values intact. That’s what a brave leader does.
Brené Brown tells us that, “You can’t get to courage without vulnerability.” Vulnerability looks like:
Admitting when you made a mistake
Not making assumptions about people or situations
Having hard conversations that you may have been avoiding for a while
Telling the truth - in a way that people can hear it
Three Practices That Create Trust in Leadership:
Be the kind of leader who can handle tough conversations when they’re necessary by having these candid conversations in a healthy, timely and respectful way.
Take responsibility and don’t blame other people.
Stay true to your word. Some refer to this as having a high say-do ratio: if I say it, you can count on me to do it.
Many of the leaders we work with explore the principles we’ve highlighted here more deeply during our Nova Leadership retreats - immersive experiences designed to create the space for reflection, honest conversation, and renewed clarity about how they want to lead.
Experience the Clarity of a Trusted Leadership Partner
Brave, compassionate, emotionally intelligent leadership isn’t something we master overnight. It’s a practice: one that asks us to stay curious about ourselves, courageous in our conversations, and committed to the people we lead. At Nova Leadership, we partner with leaders who want to grow in these ways and lead with greater clarity, confidence, humility and humanity. If this kind of leadership resonates with you, we’d welcome a conversation about how one-on-one executive coaching can support your development. Reach out today!