Change Chaos vs. Change Leadership: The EI Factor

Change disrupts the workplace and distracts and destabilizes people. Morale slips, productivity and performance drop and personal stress and interpersonal conflicts escalate. This is the fundamental reality of change. When this is not understood and managed by leaders and change makers, chaos reigns and intended improvements are unlikely to occur.

Change Leaders from the front line to the C-suite impact the change process, change outcomes and experiences of people who must make the change happen. They are a primal force in creating the climate in which change is planned, implemented and integrated. Change Leaders strongly influence the agility, emotions and performance of their team.

Emotional intelligence (EI) is the foundation for brain savvy change leadership. EI is the ability to recognize and understand emotion in one’s self and other people and the ability to use that awareness to manage behaviour and relationships. It affects how we navigate uncertainty and social complexity, how we make decisions and how we achieve results. It is the primary predictor of personal effectiveness, agility and resilience in an environment of rapid and disruptive change.

Over a decade of experience in leading change and developing and coaching change leaders has reinforced my belief that emotionally intelligent people are better change leaders. They have learned to recognize and manage their own emotions, and the emotions of other people. They have learned how to be mindful and stay calm in volatile and emotionally charged situations. They create a positive emotional climate that enables higher levels of engagement, learning and performance during change.

The good news for change leaders - EI can be improved through training, mindfulness, coaching and practice.