Lack of Emotional Intelligence

A key sign of low emotional intelligence is difficulty in managing and expressing emotions. This can show up as a reluctance to acknowledge your colleagues’ concerns, challenges with active listening, or even frequent emotional outbursts. If your conversations with co-workers often feel tense, or if you catch yourself blaming others when projects go off course, these might be red flags signaling low EQ. Emotional intelligence isn’t just about understanding others—it’s about self-awareness, and if these patterns sound familiar, it might be time for a closer look inward.

The Four Components of Emotional Intelligence

According to Harvard Business Review, these are the four core competencies to understand and cultivate EQ: 

1. Self-Awareness: Recognizing your emotions and their impact on your behavior.
2. Self-Management: Effectively managing your emotions, especially in stressful situations.
3. Social Awareness: Understanding and empathizing with others’ emotions.
4. Relationship Management: Building and maintaining healthy, productive relationships.

Strengthening Your Emotional Intelligence

Self-awareness is the cornerstone of effective leadership. It’s not just about knowing your strengths and weaknesses, but about understanding how your emotions impact your performance and your team’s success. Working alongside colleagues who lack self-awareness can cut team success by half, leading to higher stress and lower motivation.

Self-management is the skill of keeping your emotions in check, especially under pressure. Leaders who lack this ability often react impulsively, making it harder to stay composed when challenges arise.

Reactions are instinctive, but learning how to shift from reacting to responding is a sign of emotional intelligence. The key is to pause, breathe, and regain control. Whether it’s taking a walk or calling a friend, managing your emotions allows you to respond to stress thoughtfully and with intention, rather than letting the situation control you.

Social Awareness: Understanding and managing your emotions is critical, but it’s equally essential to grasp what’s happening around you. Social awareness is about more than just recognizing others’ emotions—it’s about reading the room and deciphering the underlying dynamics within your organization.

Leaders who excel in social awareness don’t just stop at understanding their own emotions; they extend their focus outward, practicing empathy. This means genuinely striving to see the world through their colleagues’ eyes, which in turn, enhances communication and collaboration.

When you communicate with empathy, you’re not just supporting your team—you’re also boosting your own performance. 

Relationship management is about more than just getting along with others—it’s your ability to influence, coach, and mentor, while also handling conflicts head-on.

While some people shy away from conflict, avoiding it comes at a cost. Research indicates that unaddressed conflicts can waste about eight hours of company time per issue, draining both resources and morale.

If you want a thriving team, tough conversations are non-negotiable.  Tackling issues directly isn’t just about resolving conflicts—it’s about fostering an environment of respect and trust that keeps your team engaged and productive.