Most leadership development programs are a waste of time.

What executives and managers should focus on is the #1 most important trait. The attribute most leaders don’t have.

Trust us. Collabo XD has helped organizations all around the United States excel in their employee experience. It’s rare to see this trait through all the rank-and-file at an organization.

But when we do see it, boy is it a gamechanger.

Learn why emotional intelligence is the key to a successful leadership strategy and how to help your leaders adopt it.

Emotionally intelligent leaders are best-suited to guide companies & employees …

Through the course of your company, you have faced and will face ups and downs.

The companies that fare best through recessions and soar during bull markets have emotionally intelligent leaders at the helm.

So what’s emotional intelligence?

Daniel Goleman, who created the term in 1990, says it’s understanding and managing your own emotions. As well as recognizing and influencing the emotions of others.

In a study, he also claims emotional intelligence “accounts for nearly 90% of what sets high performers apart from peers with similar technical skills and knowledge.”

“The best leaders understand what they are good at and can articulate why. In fully understanding themselves, they then have earned the right to ask others to follow.There is NO shortcut.”— Cleo McGee, Maddyness

EQ is a big deal. Here are two more reasons for your leaders to focus on their emotional development:

… Through change

The recession is here. And with it comes change and uncertainty, which are scary for your employees.

How have your leaders responded? How have they led your teammates through the beginning stages?

• Have they communicated a clear strategy to navigate the economic downturn?

• Have they prepared the company, themselves and their colleagues for the worst of scenarios?

• Have they quelled employee concerns about the direction of the company and the status of their jobs?

Or instead, have they cowered in fear and worried only about their own job prospects and family? Sure, that’s natural.

But not for an emotionally intelligent leader whose job it is to manage and lead a team of people through even the toughest of situations.

… Through the employee experience

What does the ideal job look like?

You might say an excellent salary, growth opportunity and a good boss. And I would say, you’re right.

But let’s break down what makes a good boss a good boss:

• Mentorship — Your employees count on you to help them navigate the workforce. Especially if they’re young, they want someone to look up to who’s been in their shoes, who’s gone through all the ups and downs they’ll certainly experience. Extend an olive branch – just like what you got from your bosses when you were younger.

• Continual feedback — Do you do your work just once a year? No, of course not. Then why do we insist on doing performance reviews annually? Plus, they have a “prosecutor-prosecuted/trial-verdict feel,” as Monster says. It’s time for a new feedback model that actually works (and doesn’t stress your employees out beyond belief). Give feedback frequently in 1:1 meetings with your employees to make sure they make adjustments and remain focused on the mission at hand. This also means recognizing and rewarding your employees for a job well done.

• Personal relationship — Work-life balance and culture are driving forces in the Great Resignation. Gone are the days of hard work for little pay and recognition. Expectations have changed. Millennials and Gen Z want a sense of purpose at work. Listen to them, relate to them and get to know your employees on a personal level – deeper than what is required in your job duties. This is what attracts and retains the next generation of talent.

So why call on an emotionally intelligent leader? They’re best at managing change within your team and creating engaged and loyal employees.

What more could you ask for from an executive?

Collabo XD creates leadership strategies for high-performing teams like yours. Interested? Contact us.