In large organisations, where teams are diverse and each member brings unique qualities, an essential factor for successful leadership is understanding and managing human emotions. Despite cultural or contextual differences, all human beings share similar emotions, and this understanding is critical to effective leadership.
In this sense, emotional leadership has become a fundamental pillar for those who wish to optimise operational performance and cultivate an empathetic and cohesive work environment.
This approach enables leaders to connect with their teams, genuinely driving innovation and engagement. This is why emotional leadership has gained popularity in recent times, both for business leaders and HR managers, as this skill is essential for inspiring and guiding people to achieve various goals. Let’s take a look at what it is all about.
What is emotional leadership?
Emotional leadership focuses on a leader’s ability to identify, understand, and manage their emotions and those of their team members. It is a people-centered approach that emphasizes interpersonal relationships to improve results.
Daniel Goleman, an expert in emotional intelligence, proposed this concept in his book Primal Leadership. He explains that this type of leadership is based on four key competencies: self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skills. These competencies allow leaders to manage complex emotional situations and effectively inspire and motivate their teams.
Advantages and disadvantages of emotional leadership
Emotional leadership balances achieving objectives with creating good working relationships and can also transform organisational culture. This approach promotes an inclusive environment where every employee feels valued and respected, essential in inclusive and transformational leadership. Emotional leaders build trust and collaboration by inspiring positive change and personal development, increasing job satisfaction and commitment.
Among the advantages, this leadership style enhances team skills, promoting a more motivated and productive environment. In fact, according to a Harvard University study, organisations that implement it see a 25% increase in productivity.
However, it also has disadvantages. Too much empathy can lead to impulsive decisions, problems with self-control, and slower results. Moreover, a leader’s emotional fluctuations can affect stability, which is crucial for effective management. Therefore, it is essential to assess when this approach is the most appropriate under the circumstances.
Emotional leadership and business psychology: How are they related?
Business psychology plays a crucial role in implementing emotional leadership. Organisational psychologists can help leaders develop their emotional skills by facilitating workshops and training that enhance self-awareness and empathy.
This approach improves employee well-being and enables leaders to receive specialised coaching. This helps them strengthen their leadership skills, improve their decision-making, and sharpen their perception, enabling them to recognise and deal more effectively with complex dynamics within their teams.
Steps to implementing emotional leadership
Adopting an emotional leadership approach can transform how you interact with your team members, promoting a more inclusive and productive work environment. To make this process easier, here are practical steps to develop and apply these skills effectively.
- Develop self-awareness: Reflect on your emotions and how they affect your work environment. Seeking help or counseling from a psychologist can facilitate and guide this process.
- Ask for feedback: This can help identify areas for improvement. It can be achieved through anonymous surveys, face-to-face feedback sessions, or digital evaluation platforms.
- Practice self-regulation: Stay calm and in control in challenging situations. Implementing wellness programmes in companies can provide the tools and resources needed to develop these skills in leaders.
- Foster an atmosphere of empathy: Practice active listening, and create spaces of psychological safety by showing genuine interest in employees’ concerns.
- Improve communication and conflict resolution: Strengthen relationships within the team through open and effective communication, creating spaces for communication and providing the opportunity for your team members to express their opinions.
Lisa Porres, Chief People Officer at Spotahome, an ifeel partner company, shares her opinion:
‘Our value “We Trust in Trust” is based on several fundamental pillars… Leaders strive to provide an environment of support, trust, and professional development, offering constructive feedback and opportunities for growth.’
The future of business leadership
As global organisations continue to face complex challenges, emotional leadership is positioned as an indispensable tool for navigating these changing times. This approach promotes inclusive leadership, ensuring all employees feel part of the company’s vision and mission.
In addition, emotional leadership supports transformational leadership, empowering leaders to be change agents who inspire their teams to reach their full potential.
In a world where adaptability and resilience are more important than ever, emotional leadership offers organisations a significant competitive advantage.
Unlocking teams’ potential through ifeel
At ifeel, we know that emotional leadership is not just a trend, but a necessity in the modern business environment. By focusing on emotional intelligence, organisations not only improve their performance and job satisfaction, but also build a more inclusive and transformative future.
To assist in this process, our team of psychologists specialising in mental well-being has developed a mental well-being solution for enteerprises aimed at helping companies enhance employee engagement and boost productivity.
This collaboration allows HR managers to receive personalised, data-based advice on the most effective measures for detecting employee mental health issues and assessing the workplace climate. It’s the best way to understand their needs.
Moreover, ifeel’s corporate mental well-being solution offers employees a structured mental health care service tailored to their needs at any given time.
We hope you found this article on emotional leadership interesting. If you want more information about our mental well-being solution for companies, simply request it, and we will contact your team soon.
