For years, a premium was placed on intellectual ability. The idea was that if you were very bright, you would learn faster and use better judgment when managing and leading within an organization. Intangible characteristics, often labeled "soft skills," were desired, but because they seemed to have no quantifiable or trainable competencies, they were relegated to "on-the-job" training and honed by experience. Unfortunately, modern research has demonstrated that skills related to managing our relationships and our emotion-based responses serve as powerful factors in the success of people of comparable intellect. EI has at least as much, if not more, to do with our ability to be successful in leadership as intellect.

Emotional intelligence enables us to manage our relationships and ourselves. EQ complements IQ, it doesn't oppose it. EQ and IQ work in dynamic synergy; when both are well developed, they help us make more-strategic and highe-quality judgments. There is no question that cognitive and analytical capabilities are important in leadership, but they are not the only factors. EQ adds a dimension of depth, compassion and relational brilliance that enables leaders to influence without having to evoke authority, to foster deep loyalties based in trust and respect and to create powerful relationships with the most challenging people.

According to the book Primal Leadership, EI leadership competencies fall into four categories: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness and relationship management. Although this model is one of several, it can serve as a useful guide for this discussion. These four categories are linked to a variety of specific indicators or behaviors that enable leaders to improve their emotional intelligence in practice.

Four suggestions for improving leadership EI

Self-awareness The old adage "know thyself" is pertinent. Leaders with high EI are aware of how their emotional state affects their performance. Having high self-awareness means understanding personal strengths and limitations, and having an openness to critical feedback. This transparency serves as a model for direct reports as they evolve. A leader with high self-awareness is also confident and willing to be decisive in tough situations. Adaptive responsiveness to feedback from assessment tools like 360s, DiSC data and others are hallmarks of high EI. In addition, awareness of personal body-language signals and emotional triggers help enable self-management.

Self-management Frontline leaders are involved in several activities in which critical conversations occur, like performance evaluations, key-customer interactions, new-strategy advocacy with higher-level managers and handling team conflict. Self-management competencies, such as emotional control, appropriate optimism and adaptability, enable critical conversations to proceed with a higher probability of a positive outcome. Self-awareness works in synergy with self-management as well, enabling appropriate signals (body language, tone and tenor) to be sent congruent with spoken language. Appropriate emotional self -management in such conversations helps create trust, confidence and enthusiasm with direct reports and upper-level managers.

Social awareness Leaders with high social awareness exhibit reflexive empathy and can tune into a wide range of emotional signals, letting them sense the unspoken emotions of consequence in a person or a group. Socially aware leaders listen intently are sensitive to cultural, gender and generational variables. Organizational awareness, understanding crucial social networks and political forces in operation, enable socially aware leaders to detect unspoken rules and norms, creating greater efficacy in networking and developing advocacy.

Relationship management Building and sustaining relationships with direct reports, upper-level managers, customers and others in your organization is crucial to your success. High EI is reflected in a leader who is an effective change agent, conflict manager and coach. Excellent communication skills linked with the other EI competencies contribute to this vital competency.