Tough times call for a strong understanding of your own emotions, and the emotions of others, when making decisions.

So perhaps the trials of the past year-plus are why emotional intelligence (EQ) has been top of mind for many association execs recently.. With remote work and virtual meetings posing a challenge to interpersonal dynamics and communication, it’s worth getting a grasp on the EQ discussion. Here are a few starting points from our archives:

Why Emotional Intelligence Is the 21st-Century Skill Employees Need. Valerie Keels, the head of office services at GAVI Alliance, makes the case for emotional intelligence as a counterpart to artificial intelligence—and as a quality that many leaders require. “Individuals with well-developed EI tend to have a higher sense of personal well-being, satisfaction, and contentment, as well as better interpersonal relationships,” she writes.

Harnessing the Power of Emotional Intelligence as a Leadership Skill. In this recent article, Sheila Amo, chief administrative officer for the American Association of University Women, breaks down ways that EI translates to authentic leadership. “In the last 18 months, the most successful leaders have recognized the importance of authentic engagement and harnessed its power when relating to their staff, membership, and additional stakeholders,” she writes.

‌For CEOs, It’s an Era of High Expectations About Soft Skills. This analysis highlights a recent study from WE Communications showing that a strong focus on results is starting to fade in favor of a broader purpose—with 89 percent of leaders saying that they “believe purpose is becoming as important as financial results.” The piece offers a lot of food for thought, contextualizing it within the 2021 news cycle.

‌Recharge Your EQ Before Heading Back to the Office. Executive coaches and KickStart Your Edge leaders Jenn Barley and Karen Sullivan break down the role EQ can play in an office comeback. “We have new perceptions of our work environment, our culture, our coworkers, and the meaning of work-life balance,” they write. “The good news: We can use our emotional intelligence to assess those perceptions, rebuild connections, create opportunity, and avoid falling back on comfortable, but bad, old habits.”

‌Three Ways Emotional Intelligence Can Help Leaders Lead. This piece, highlighting a recent presentation at the 2021 ASAE Annual Meeting, discusses the value of working with an organization’s leadership to improve their emotional intelligence. “Such assessments aren’t meant to box people into rigid personality types,” blogger Mark Athitakis explains. “Rather, they help explain why others might respond the way they do, which helps reduce conflict.”

 

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