As a leader, your primary task is guiding and motivating your team to do their best work, consistently and enthusiastically. But, as many leaders learn over time, achieving this can be the most challenging part of their job. 

While the business landscape is fast-paced and ever-changing, one enduring constant is the importance of employee engagement. Research shows that engaged employees are more motivated, productive and loyal, all of which lead to higher levels of innovation and overall performance. And one of the critical drivers of employee engagement is the presence of emotionally intelligent leaders.

What is Emotional Intelligence?

In his groundbreaking 1995 book Emotional Intelligence, psychologist Daniel Goleman coined and defined the term “emotional intelligence” (often abbreviated EI or EQ) as a “set of skills that help individuals recognize, understand and manage their own emotions, as well as the emotions of others.”

Goleman identified the four prime traits of emotional intelligence: 

• Self-Awareness:  Leaders and managers are acutely aware of the direct impact their behavior has on associates and subordinates. 

• Self-Management: Leaders must manage their emotions in a constructive manner as those emotions reveal themselves through self-awareness. Self-management involves learning and applying such skills as active listening, stress management, and mindfulness. 

• Social Awareness: The emotionally intelligent leader can understand and empathize with other people’s perspectives and cultural criteria. This trait has grown in importance within the ever more diverse workplace.   

• Relationship Management: The emotionally intelligent leader manages their interactions with others to build and maintain positive relationships, resolve conflicts, and influence and inspire others to achieve common goals.

Emotionally engaged leaders genuinely care about their team members’ wellbeing and professional development. These leaders consistently demonstrate empathy, active listening skills, and a willingness to explore and understand differing points of view. 

They create a supportive atmosphere where employees feel valued, heard, and motivated to perform at their best. The importance of this atmosphere cannot be overstated in its relation to engagement. When employees feel seen and know their opinions and ideas are sought out, their motivation and commitment rise. 

What are “Engaged Employees?” 

Engaged employees are workers who feel a significant emotional connection to their organization and its goals. They’re passionate, committed, and motivated to go above and beyond their basic job descriptions to drive company success.

The key characteristics of engaged employees include deep alignment with the company’s core values; a proactive approach at work; a willingness to take measured risk, innovate, and solve problems; a genuine sense of enthusiasm and motivation with the desire to actively support their colleagues; and a readiness to participate in the role of unofficial company ambassadors. 

Engaged employees also tend to be more loyal and have lower turnover rates. Because these employees feel valued and connected to their workplace, they are less likely to leave for other opportunities. 

Connecting Emotionally Intelligent Leadership with Employee Engagement

The link between emotionally intelligent leaders and engaged employees manifests itself in these important workplace dynamics: 

• Psychological Safety: Leaders who practice empathy and self-regulation build safe spaces where employees feel valued and respected, which improves their commitment and retention. 

• Intrinsic Motivation: Emotionally intelligent leadership connects day-to-day tasks to a broader purpose and core values, shifting motivation from just collecting a paycheck to being truly passionate about the work.  

• Conflict Resolution: Leaders with high EI encourage workers to address workplace friction constructively, preventing minor interpersonal issues from escalating into long-term disputes. 

Leaders with high emotional intelligence can boost employee engagement through these specific strategies:

• Fostering Psychological Safety: By valuing individual contributions and handling mistakes constructively, these leaders ensure team members feel safe to share ideas and take calculated risks without fear of ridicule.  

• Practicing Empathy: By gauging team morale and identifying signs of stress early, these leaders provide proactive support and resources to help team members and show they’re paying attention to the team’s wellbeing. 

• Self-regulation: By reacting calmly in stressful situations, these leaders demonstrate the value of keeping cool under fire. They exemplify a level-headed approach that avoids large swings of emotion that throw employees off.

• Empowering and Developing Staff: Leaders can emphatically demonstrate their commitment to organizational success by enabling mentoring and training for all employees.  Employees who see how they can build a future with their company via promotion and skills development are naturally more engaged and willing to stay with the company for the longer term. 

Research Supporting the Impact Of Emotional Intelligence Leadership on Employee Engagement

Multiple studies over the years clearly establish how emotionally intelligent leadership fosters higher levels of employee engagement. Among these studies are: 

• An in-depth research paper published by the Gallup organization in 2020 found that companies with emotionally intelligent leadership reported significantly higher employee engagement rates. The data showed that engaged employees were more likely to be productive, innovative and loyal to their organizations.

• A 2019 Harvard Business Review article stated that “71 percent of employers value emotional intelligence more than technical skills when evaluating candidates.”

• Research published in the Journal of Applied Psychology suggested that empathetic leaders were likely to foster a climate of psychological safety essential for encouraging creativity and innovation.

• A study by the Center for Creative Leadership found that employees who feel understood and supported by their managers report lower levels of stress and burnout and higher levels of job satisfaction.

The ROI of EI Is Undeniable

It’s been observed that managers can have more impact on someone’s mental health than doctors and even therapists. Leaders that are emotionally intelligent are better able to create a positive, supportive and psychologically safe work environment, which can improve employee wellbeing and raise employee engagement.

Employee engagement is crucial for organizational success, and emotionally intelligent leaders are driving and nurturing this engagement. By developing emotionally intelligent leaders who prioritize trust, transparency, motivation, empowerment, and growth, organizations can create a culture that fosters high levels of employee engagement.

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Is employee engagement (or the lack thereof) an important issue at your organization?  Are you trying to grow employee engagement but have found the results of your efforts less than satisfactory? Maybe you need to work on the development of more emotionally intelligent leaders. 

Helping thoughtful and dedicated business leaders become more emotionally intelligent is one of our core specialties. We can guide you towards channeling these skills to build a highly engaged workforce and provide an engagement survey to measure the results. Contact us or schedule a 1-on-1 with our president to learn more about how we can support your initiative to increase emotional intelligence in your organization and thereby lift engagement scores.