As a new executive, you find yourself shifting from your former role, where you were a key chess piece on the board, to the player maneuvering all the pieces across the entire board. You're good with your moves and know when to advance, retreat, or hold your position. But the outcome of today's game depends on your ability to contemplate multiple scenarios simultaneously.
This new phase demands more than your well-honed skills, proven experience, and - surprisingly - even more than your high IQ. Because, let's face it, although your IQ can help you remember the chess moves, it's your EQ that stops you from flipping the board when things get tough!
As an executive, you need to be strategically emotionally intelligent.
You have to understand and manage your own emotions and, at the same time, be able to influence those of your team members, peers, and other stakeholders in positive, enabling ways. EQ is not just a corporate buzzword; this is the grandmaster strategy that distinguishes the average chess player from a world champion.
In chess, each move has a ripple effect on the game's outcome. Similarly, as an executive, you need to be mindful of your actions and how they impact those around you. Self-awareness is the foundation of emotional intelligence. It's the ability to recognize your own emotions, strengths, weaknesses, and how they impact your behavior and performance. It also means using your empathy skills to develop meaningful connections, build trust, and negotiate solutions as well as leading by example, motivating and inspiring others to achieve their goals, and creating an environment that fosters innovation and success.
Developing your emotional intelligence skills requires time, effort, and practice, but it's worth it.
Remember, the most successful executives are not always the best chess players, but they are the masters of the chessboard of emotional intelligence.
