Tanya Little

Leaders today are required to have a number of skills to compete in the marketplace and rise to the top. I’ve learned recently that it might be worth taking a deeper look at some leadership characteristics that we don’t always talk about. Traditional “good” leaders might be described as being well educated, having the ability to attract and keep strong talent, maintaining a proactive pulse on the market and competition, and being able to lead profitable organizations.

One thing we don’t always talk about is emotional intelligence. Those soft-sounding characteristics don’t usually resonate with the majority of us as one of the key attributes of strong leadership. But studies have shown that having emotional intelligence as a leader can have a direct impact on financial results.

What is emotional intelligence? It’s the capacity for recognizing your own feelings and those of others to effectively manage each of these in the workplace. Think of the way you walk in to the office every day, if you arrive late, upset or stressed, those around you notice your emotional presence. If a decision is needed from you that day and an employee senses that the way you arrived is indicative of how you might respond to their needs, he or she may delay approaching you until the following day. The result could have an impact on a deal matter, a client’s request or productivity, but ultimately, the bottom line.

Emotional intelligence is made up of the following traits:

• Self Awareness (Emotional and Accurate)
• Social Awareness (Empathy and Organizational)
• Self-Management (Self-Control, Achievement, and a Positive Outlook)
• Relationship Management (Mentoring, Inspirational Leadership, Influence, Conflict Management, and Teamwork)

Take a minute to do a self-check of your emotional intelligence and presence in your organization. It just might drive up your bottom line this year.

Note: This information comes from a recent leadership program offered through the SMU Cox School of Management in conjunction with CREW. To learn more about joining the program, contact Kim Hopkins, director of operations at CREW Dallas at khopkins@crew-dallas.org.

Tanya Little is CEO of Hart Advisors Group LLC, a real estate consulting firm specializing in commercial loan restructures, CMBS assumptions, and asset management. You can contact her at tlittle@hartadvisorsgroup.com.