Future Leaders Need This Emotional Intelligence Skill For Success
As the famed author and executive coach Marshall Goldsmith says, “What got you here, will not get you there.” Modern and future leaders must be versatile and adaptable.
Versatility and adaptability are difficult skills to develop though. The growth in these skills takes pushing comfortability.
Universum and CEMS (the Global Alliance in Management Education) published a global survey that found 61 percent of hiring executives recommend new hires work outside of their comfort zones. They believe it is a key career driver.
Roland Siegers, Executive Director of CEMS, adds, “In an ever-changing, fast-paced working world, competition is high, so graduates need to find ways to set themselves apart. As international assignments within global companies open up, candidates with the language skills and the ability to adapt to new and challenging environments have a clear advantage when it comes to securing roles and progressing in the workplace.”
Future leaders must adapt to the rapid change of business, market, and operation today. Yet, adapting is not enough. They must become masters of adaptability. And they accomplish this by developing other support skills. The Future of Job Reports by World Economic Forum projects critical thinking and creativity to be two of the top three skills needed by 2020. These two skills are support skills for adaptability which I will explain a bit later.
Another key to developing adaptability is through emotional intelligence. Adaptable leaders possess the emotional intelligence to adjust quickly and achieve success. Also, they are not detoured by the impossible, stuck in a routine, nor derailed by opposition. Rather, adaptable leaders move quick and get results.
Why Adaptability Is Needed For The Future
In 1995, Daniel Goleman authored Emotional Intelligence and its concept has transformed leadership. As businesses continue to change, leaders will need emotional intelligence abilities even more in order to handle the change.
Emotional intelligence is more than emotions, empathy and moods. It empowers skills such as critical thinking as well. Leaders who can rationalize and process information accurately will drive future business. Emotions directly influence a person’s capability in such areas.
Most employees need excellent decision making and analyzing skills. But, it is especially important for future leaders. A leader’s ability to adapt will determine how well they analyze, make decisions, critical think and problem solve.
Adaptability with speed elevates the skill into a master level. Leaders who adapt quickly stand out among competition. Businesses need leaders who can change, but also change with speed. They need leaders who can process information, but also process with speed. Adaptability alone is good, but adaptability with speed is invaluable.
Skills To Increase the Speed of Adaptability and Master It
Future leaders can increase their speed of adaptability by improving supporting skills. Here are a few those supporting skills:
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Creativity & Innovation. Leaders who identify alternative approaches will be an asset to a growing business. Out of the box thinkers hurdle obstacles in business with great creativity. The right side of the brain needs exercised to build confidence for adverse moments. This will increase the speed of adaptability.
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Critical Thinking. Varying situations will complex business decisions and direction in the future. Future leaders can elevate their adaptability through complex thinking to solve obscure situations. The better a leader can process information and act on it, the more invaluable they become.
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Short Memory. Even the best of leaders can get hung up on an event or moment. Great leaders waste little time on the emotions from failure, arguments or mistakes. Growing leaders learn quickly from their mistakes.
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Gracious. Leaders will always deal mistakes and failures from others. Master adapters are gracious, but not pushovers. The leader who can help others fail with grace, will get more respect and influence from others. Excellent leaders are wise in their grace.
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Coachable. Leaders must be coachable. Great, adaptable leaders welcome coaching. Leaders need the help of others pouring into them. Emerging leaders welcome coaching and even seek it out. Leadership abilities will grow by taking action from coaching advice.
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Growth Mindset. Carol Dweck authored the book Mindset which focuses on two mindsets. You either have a fixed mindset or a growth mindset. People who are attempting to prove their worth, have a fixed mindset. A fixed mindset prevents growth after failure. Leaders with a growth mindset seek out opportunities to stretch their skills. They never stop growing from their mistakes, failures or mishaps.
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Resilient. Leaders growing in adaptability bounce back quick. These leaders fight for results. If one option doesn’t work, they move quick to take a different angle or approach. Adaptable leaders are stubborn to quit. Growing leaders learn how to maintain energy and drive through roadblocks toward success.
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Emotional Regulation. Regulating emotions is key to adaptability. Leaders who maintain and control their emotions in complex situations are successful. They have the ability to remain focused and achieve great results. Leaders must be accountable to their emotions. Emotional accountability will help the progression of growth in adaptability.
In Summary
In conclusion, future leaders need greater emotional intelligence and mastering adaptability is one of the greatest needs. Leaders who move quickly and flexibly towards a goal will achieve success in the future. The key to adaptability is continual progress and speed. If leaders are not able to progress, they lack true adaptability that powers a business today and in the future.
