EQ Leadership Competencies for 21st Century

By Dr P J John

A leader is always a step ahead of the followers and leads by example, if not the followers will feel lost all the way however big or small the team is. The major step includes his or her EQ competencies and life skills abilities to lead by role modelling. As a leader knows the way, shows the way and goes the way the team will reach their full potential unleashing great creative energies to achieve organizational goals. For us to get hands on leadership training the journey begins with a single step, and a road map of the following competencies skills:

1. Self-awareness – Emotional self-awareness,accurate self-assesment, self-confidence

2. Self-management – Self-control, Transparency, Adaptability, Achievement, Initiative, Optimism,

3. Social awareness – Empathy, Organizational awareness, Service

4. Relationship management – Inspiration, Influence, Developing others, Change catalyst, Conflict management, Teamwork and collaboration

The above would be the emotional competency inventory if I am allowed to say, if followed it will awaken the giant in everyone in the team. As simple as it may seem it is as important for the success of the team and the leader needs to remind everyone under his leadership of this EQ wisdom. The leader actually has to lead in all these areas, if not he has to follow and failing which get out of the way to manage the changes occuring within and without the organizations today in our world in anarchy or chaos.

There is a need for emotional wisdom and fulfillment for any companies, VWO’s and oganizations to succeed as we act global and think local to manage the Global Paradox we face in the socio-economic and political front. The leader of the 21st Century knows you are part of a big world and even bigger universe. But life has certain responsibility roles and boundaries which includes the local emotional competency skills not only of the leader but the team players synergizing them to succeed in every enterprise they touch in line with their vision, mission, passion, commitments and outcomes expected. This helps the team also prepare for difficult times letting go of the disappointment and pains of the past.

The EQ leader knows the wisdom of life consists of in the elimination of nonessentials and working on the irreducable minimums. Telling people only what needs to be done and how on a daily baisis will entail team unity. Finally a leader knows that persistence and determination will accomplish more than force. Tapping into the teams special talents the leaders knows how to *A*S*K*:

A – sk the right questions to find the right answers for the team to work well together in the given situation

S – eek and in the process finding realtime solutions to their longterm goals achieving their short-term ones too as a team

K – nocking and opening opportunities not letting each one pass by without tapping into it for collective success and celebration of victory as a team

This creates a team with emotional wisdom as the world is undergoing deconstruction and creative destruction at all levels. But it must be kept in mind that there is more joy in anticipation than in realization. That the sun shines after every storm.

Well my last parting inspirational thought concerning EQ Leadership is that: “Love can make the wisest look foolish and envy can consume the envious!”

Therefore life is living and loving your neighbours as yourself serving mutual interest with EQ wisdom and getting rid of unnecessary negative energies that consume us and hinder us from achieving our collective goal in the team. However big or small the team is we can achieve that together. The global village needs global players who have high EQ leadership skills male or female or even a child can lead if the person has the EQ leadership competencies. YOU BE THE ONE!