7 practical steps that will help you increase your emotional intelligence

Flickr/Mathias Klang

High Emotional Intelligence is what differentiates great leaders from the rest. 

They're the people who are self-aware, self-regulated, and motivated to do more and be more.  

They're charismatic leaders who transcend the competition and motivate their teams to accomplish the impossible. 

Understanding how emotions effect your own performance is important.

Understanding how emotions impact your teams performance is even more important. 

So how can we re-wire our brains to perform at a higher level and thrive? 

Here are some practical ways to cultivate your emotional intelligence. 

1. Ask yourself what type of leader you want to be 

Daydreaming about becoming an amazing leader? Great. What does that leader look like? What do they do that makes them a great leader?

If you can clearly see what that leader is doing in your ideal fantasy and then think of your current reality, you will identify weaknesses. Use this as a starting point to grow. 

2. Challenge yourself to make lasting change

I like to take change on in small doses. If I can get myself to one CrossFit class, I can get to another. If I can confront my weaknesses and see in my minds eye how I'll respond to certain difficult situations I can push myself in real life.

Visualize yourself and how you may handle change or confrontation. Get comfortable with that challenge. When you confront those issues in real life they will begin to come more easily. 

3. Get by with a little help from your friends. 

If you have colleagues who are seeking growth in their career as well, ask for support. If they're a friend outside of the office too, I think this helps. Offering candid feedback is important for growth.

My business partner and I are candid, and truthful, but never harsh with each other. This trust allows us to grow without hurting the other.