The miniseries on leadership styles concludes with exploring the final two key areas of Emotional Intelligence (EI), Communication and Influence, and Relationship-Building. In this article, we examine these two pillars and the role of EI in convening leaders as they collaborate with stakeholders from the perspective of the leadership theories discussed in this miniseries.
COMMUNICATION AND INFLUENCE: Leaders with high emotional intelligence (EI) exhibit effectivecommunication skills, allowing them to express themselves clearly, actively listen, and adapt their communication style to different individuals and situations. Understanding stakeholders’ emotions enables leaders to tailor their messages in a way that resonates with them, inspiring and influencing their behavior. Moreover, leaders with high EI can defuse conflicts and resolve issues more effectively through empathetic and constructive communication.
Authentic Leaders communicate with clear, concise, and straightforward expressions. They avoid using jargon or complex language that may confuse others. They articulate their ideas and expectations in a manner easily understood by stakeholders where honest communication is a defining characteristic of authenticity, fostering credibility and trust among stakeholders.
Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) Leaders focus on cultivating high-quality relationships with team membersthrough communication. The LMX theory emphasizes the unique exchange relationship leaders establish with each stakeholder. In contrast, Transformational Leaders utilize communication to inspire and motivate stakeholders to unlock their full potential and achieve extraordinary outcomes. They employ effective communication strategies to convey a compelling vision, promote growth, and foster a sense of purpose and commitment.
Finally, Servant Leaders communicate through active listening, empathy, transparency, supportiveness, and collaboration. Their communication style creates a nurturing and empowering environment where stakeholders feel valued, supported, and inspired to reach their full potential.
In summary, influential leaders with high EI possess strong communication skills. They express themselves clearly, actively listen, and adapt their communication style to different stakeholders and situations. By understanding stakeholders ‘ emotions, leaders can tailor their messages to inspire and influence behavior. Effective communication is essential in Authentic, LMX, Transformational, and Servant Leadership, as it fosters trust, builds relationships, and enables the achievement of shared goals.
ADAPTABILITY: Leadership styles must be adaptable to different circumstances and challenges. Emotional intelligence (EI) enables leaders to remain flexible and responsive in changing environments. Leaders with high EI can effectively recognize and regulate their emotions in stressful situations, allowing them to make rational decisions and maintain composure. They also possess the ability to understand and adapt to the emotions of their stakeholders, providing the necessary support and guidance during challenging times.
Authentic Leaders exhibit adaptability through their genuine and people-centered approach. They continuously learn, embrace change, make flexible decisions, prioritize collaboration, and support growth. By embodying these qualities, authentic leaders are better equipped to navigate the complexities of dynamic and ever-changing environments.
LMX Leaders demonstrate adaptability by emphasizing the development of high-quality relationships with their team members. They recognize individual differences, adjust communication and leadership approaches, leverage diverse talents, provide development opportunities, address conflicts, and embrace change. This adaptability fosters a dynamic,collaborative environment that promotes engagement, satisfaction, and collaboration effectiveness.
Transformational Leaders exhibit adaptability through their vision, openness to feedback, flexibility in leadership style, embrace of change and innovation, resilience-building, prioritization of learning and development, and influence on organizational culture. Their adaptable approach enables them to effectively lead collaborative efforts through various challenges contributing to long-term collective success.
Servant Leaders demonstrate adaptability by being flexible in meeting the needs of others, actively listening, supporting personal growth, nurturing collaboration, responding to changing circumstances, embracing diversity, and fostering a culture of serving others. Their selfless approach to leadership prioritizes the needs of others and creates a supportive and inclusive environment.
In summary, leadership styles must be adaptable, and emotional intelligence is vital in facilitating this adaptability. Authentic, LMX, Transformational, and Servant leaders demonstrate adaptability differently, allowing them to navigate challenges, embrace change, and create environments where stakeholders can thrive and achieve shared goals.
RELATIONSHIP–BUILDING: Developing strong relationships is a vital aspect of effective leadership. Leaders with high EI can establish meaningful connections with others, creating an environment of trust, loyalty, and collaboration. They excel in navigating interpersonal dynamics, resolving conflicts, and fostering a sense of belonging within the collaborative. As a result, they drive strategic outcomes by promoting a cohesive and engaged collaboration that consistently achieves exceptional results.
Authentic Leaders recognize the significance of relationship-building as a core element of their leadership approach. They understand that forging authentic and deep connections with stakeholders is essential for building trust, promoting engagement, and driving overall collaborative performance.
LMX Leaders strongly emphasize cultivating high-quality relationships with stakeholders. They prioritize the development of strong connections and trust with each member of the collaborative, fostering a culture of collaboration and shared success. Transformational Leaders, in comparison, are renowned for their ability to establish impactful relationships with their stakeholders. They prioritize establishing trust, promoting open and effective communication, and inspiring stakeholders to achieve exceptional results. Through their transformative leadership style, they create a shared vision and motivate the collaboration to exceed their expectations.
Servant Leaders prioritize establishing solid and meaningful relationships with their stakeholders grounded in trust, empathy, and a dedication to serving others. They actively listen, support personal growth, and create an environment where stakeholdersfeel valued and supported. Building solid relationships based on servant leadership principles fosters collaboration and facilitatesthe achievement of common goals.
In summary, building strong relationships is essential for effective leadership. Leaders with high emotional intelligence excel in connecting with others, establishing trust, and fostering collaboration. Authentic, LMX, Transformational, and Servant leaders prioritize relationship building as a critical component of their leadership styles, resulting in enhanced collaborative dynamics and performance.
EI is important in understanding leadership styles because it enhances a convening leader’s self-awareness, empathy, communication, adaptability, and relationship-building. Leaders with high EI are better equipped to understand and respond to the emotions and needs of collaborative members, resulting in positive outcomes for the common good because community matters.
In community,
Dr. Pat
Dr. Patricia A. Clary is a syndicated columnist who consults with nonprofit and business sector partnerships that promote strategic community impact agendas to solve complex societal issues through governance, collaboration, and convening leadership. You can connect and follow Dr. Clary on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/pat-clary/, or she can be reached at [email protected]. ©2023 All Rights Reserved.
