Being a good leader involves many factors, and one of those factors is emotional intelligence. How you handle your emotions and those of your team can be the difference between success and failure, according to Inc.
You don’t need to have all the answers, but you do need to be aware of how others are doing and communicate in a way that builds trust.
Inc. shares the following phrases you can use to practice the five core emotional intelligence skills.
- What to say to display empathy. Phrases such as “That sounds really tough—want to talk about it?” or “I get why this would be frustrating” helps people feel understood and shows them you are there to listen.
- What to say to show self-awareness. It’s important to own your emotions and be honest about what is causing them. For example, if you are feeling irritated, you can say: “That topic gets under my skin, and I’m working on that.”
- What to say to show emotional regulation. It is crucial to stay steady and not let your feelings take over when emotions run high. Saying “I want to respond thoughtfully, so I’m going to take a minute” or “Let’s revisit this tomorrow when we’ve both had time to think” can provide some time to reset.
- What to say to display relationship management. This ensures people stay connected even when they disagree. Phrases could be: “I want us to be on the same page—can we talk this through?” or “I appreciate your perspective. Let’s figure out how to move forward together.”
- What to say to show active listening. Showing you are truly listening is crucial to building trust. To show you are engaged when someone is sharing something important, you can use phrases such as “So what I’m hearing is…” or “Tell me more about what’s behind that.”
