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There are things that people do not understand when it comes to leadership. It is not all exciting and moral decision-making that changes a company, people, and industry altogether. But instead, it is a task that creates significant overall value in its societal involvement. There are physical, emotional, and mental pressures in it that bring unfavorable scenarios. That is the reason why a lot of therapists consider an emphasis on social and emotional intelligence to allow organizations to function.

Online therapy platforms such as BetterHelp employ the best therapists to help you with these problems. You will be surprised by how therapy can help you with improving the organization.

The Dilemma

All the complaint and failure of every organization comes from toxic leadership. According to Alan Goldman, Ph.D., “The misbehavior of a boss not only causes upheaval and a variety of negative responses, but it also can negatively impact the organizational culture and model abusive behavior for a department, division, or company.”  That is because there’s no social and emotional intelligence involved in the process. A toxic leadership will not only cause the whole system to fall but will also end up losing its talented assets. That is because there is no better listening. Toxic leaders only focus on telling what they think is correct all the time. Yes, there are instances that these individuals know what their subordinates are capable of doing, but they don’t care enough to appreciate it. The primitive behavior of toxic leadership creates a dysfunctional system in an overall picture.

Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence refers to how people handle themselves. There is an awareness of feelings and passion. It allows people to take control of the things that turn them on and off. There is an emotional capability that supports the individual to become competent in handling situations. Without emotional intelligence, there are tendencies that pressure and other destructive things interrupt the ability to focus. It makes individuals upset. Therefore, it begins to hamper people’s ability to process information. So with that, there is the expectation of less effective work and production.

John D. Mayer, Ph.D. says, “High EI people, for example, can accurately perceive emotions in faces. Such individuals also know how to use emotional episodes in their lives to promote specific types of thinking. They know, for example, that sadness promotes analytical thought and so they may prefer to analyze things when they are in a sad mood (given the choice).” Recognizing other people’s emotions is vital in social relations. It allows individuals to know how individuals see things, how they are feeling, and how they use emotions to interact with each other. Leaders in businesses around the world incorporate emotional intelligence for specific reasons. That includes better decision-making, stable organizational production, better social interaction, as well as consistent industrial growth.

Social Intelligence

The ability of social intelligence focuses on listening skills instead of “communication” as a whole. However, a lot of leaders and executives often don’t recognize that listening skills are more likely as necessary as understanding. Yes, these leaders know a lot, but they often ignore the fact there are things they can’t control. There are things they don’t know too. But because they are the boss, they do not consider that. They want people to follow and look up to them without questions and hesitations. With that, these people become close-minded and self-centered. Without social intelligence, leaders and executives’ performance along with their units result in a much lesser value. It severely affects not only the company but the overall development of each person in the workplace.

“You can easily spot someone with lots of SI at a party or social gathering because he or she knows how to “work the room,” explains Ronald E. Riggio, Ph.D. “The highly socially intelligent person can carry on conversations with a wide variety of people and is tactful and appropriate in what is said. Combined, these represent what are called “social expressiveness skills.”

In unfortunate cases, people don’t often see the correlation between social and emotional intelligence of leadership to every level of organizations’ performances. That’s because most of them don’t care about attachments and relationships. The only focus is on professional career growth, self- motivation, and personal goals. Most of these individuals are not aware of how they are impacting each other in a common scenario. Some executives and leaders also don’t understand the need to depend on other people’s ability to gain success. There is this mentality that their role in the company is more than enough to reach their specific goals. With that, some of these leaders fail to compromise and create better decisions for everybody including themselves. But if all leaders can only choose to get better in listening to their subordinates and assist them in developing skills that are essential for better performance, things can turn out differently. With better listening, companies will not only achieve quality organizational results but will also promote everyone’s emotional and mental strength.

So to put together a higher level of integration in assessing social and emotional intelligence, leaders should learn to listen with their peers and engage with their positive ideas. They need to undergo coaching and become open to constructive criticism as well. That is the only way they can change. That’s the only way they can perform and do their jobs well.

Everyone can lead, but certainly, not all can be great leaders because that road is not an easy path to travel.  Leadership is a roller coaster ride concerning emotions, mentality, and circumstances.  In an article he wrote, John D. Moore, Ph.D. mentioned, “To be blunt, just because you supervise people doesn’t make you a leader. That’s not to say managers can’t be leaders. They absolutely can. I’m simply suggesting that a title alone doesn’t bestow leadership qualities.”  There are times that it makes you feel good and confident, but most often becoming a leader is a stressful and dreadful task that sometimes you just want to quit.  It is in the toughest of times that a great leader emerges.   For whatever the circumstances are, he will lead his people to success.

Continue reading What Qualities Define A Great Leader

When a person lands a managerial or executive position for the first time – whether it’s a small business or a growing empire – his or her confidantes may say the same things. “Follow your gut.” “Do not let others’ opinions dictate your actions.” “Try not to have sleepless nights due to a single decision that you need to make.”

Larina Kase, PsyD, wrote in her article, “Great leaders understand how to balance emotion with reason and make decisions that positively impact themselves, their employees, their customers and stakeholders, and their organizations.”

Although these are all thoughtful comments, the latter sounds too good to be true. It practically tells someone that you should never overthink about some issues, which is not an entirely acceptable recommendation. In truth, leaders should embrace overthinking sometimes so that:

1. You Can Nitpick A Situation

An individual who switches from being chill to worrywart in one snap tends to be very cautious about things that they agree to do. For instance, a colleague asks for their signature on a lengthy document. No matter how busy the person may be – and regardless of how trustworthy the other fellow is – the boss may request for half or full day to read the content on every page before signing the papers.

To some, this habit seems like a waste of time. However, if you become nitpicky when it comes to important subjects, it lessens the possibility of going on a faulty agreement in actuality.

2. Your Imagination Will Flow

When you are overthinking, your mind appears to be no different from stagnant water. It gets stuck in your head for hours or days; the same idea plays over and over even with your eyes closed. What happens here is something called analysis paralysis, which entails that you are aware of your goal, but you cannot seem to figure out how to reach it.

According to Dr. Jeffrey Huttman, a licensed psychologist, “In a very general and non-scientific sense, people with a Type A personality are more likely to be more ambitious, competitive, and intense,” Huttman says. “Those with a Type B personality are alleged to be more relaxed—less frantic and reactive. [Those with] Type A [personalities] would certainly be more likely to engage in overthinking.”

While that can be scary when you experience it for the first time, your imagination will start to flow once the realization that you are merely using your creativity negatively hits. That is when you get to redirect your energy towards thoughts that may resolve issues in the company.

3. You May Put Everything Into Perspective

For clinical psychologist Seth Gillihan, “Overthinking can take many forms: endlessly deliberating when making a decision (and then questioning the decision), attempting to read minds, trying to predict the future, reading into the smallest of details—the list goes on.”

A leader who overthinks more than anyone within the office may be the most compassionate person there too. The reason is that the act pushes you to put everything – and everyone – into perspective before coming up with a decision. Since you are the boss, you know that your words will not only affect you now but also the members of your team or perhaps all the employees in the building.

If we are honest, that is an excellent side effect of overthinking. Someone who is extremely confident about himself or herself will never do that and drop a memorandum without thinking twice. Nevertheless, a worrywart tends to slow down to consider every factor or option out there to ensure that the decision will be the best for all.

4. You Manage To Become Less Regretful

Many people praise leaders who can decide on vital topics immediately. They say that they have more capability than others to rule because it takes them no time to “resolve” issues. Nevertheless, if you follow these folks throughout their administration, you may notice that some of their projects fail or they need to withdraw the words they spoke in public.

The thing is because overthinkers ponder about various matters for too long, it is rare to find them in such a sticky situation. They assume every scenario, as well as the possible outcome of different decisions. Hence, when they impose regulation or initiate a project, you can tell that it won’t be something they will ever regret.

Final Thoughts

Of course, overthinking day and night can never be acceptable. That may lead to physical and mental conditions later since you use every fiber in your body to think about stuff. At times, though, it may be good to embrace the act for leaders or anyone who wants to succeed in their endeavor.

If you constantly find yourself overthinking, there are online counseling platforms such as BetterHelp to help you. They have well-experienced and licensed therapists to help you manage your thoughts.

Employees often think that life becomes sweeter than ever once you get appointed to manage the company. The amount on your paycheck may double or triple. There may be benefits that only the bosses can avail too. Not to mention, you obtain a huge office all to yourself and have your name printed on the door or desk along with a fancy title.

It is only when some of these folks eventually hold a high position in a company they either built or worked for that they realize that the sweet life of bosses is nothing but an idealistic perception. The money and the extra perks are real, for sure, but in exchange for those is a hefty responsibility. After all, the success of the business lies in your actions and decisions. It won’t be acceptable to make a mistake and apologize later because it might cost the job of your colleagues. At the same time, you need always to be ready to jump on your toes in case a situation requires your immediate attention.

As David W. Ballard, PsyD puts it, “Employers who understand the link between employee well-being and organizational performance are best positioned for success in the economic recovery.”

If this very thought increases your anxiety and hinders you from accepting the leadership role you have been dreaming of, you should try to chill now. There are ways to prioritize your mental health still even when you are busy managing a company.

Surround Yourself With Trustworthy Staff

The first thing you cannot forget to do as soon as the good news comes is to select the most reliable people for multiple vital positions. Remember that every president requires a vice president. You should place trustworthy persons in various departments if necessary. Furthermore, you may need an executive assistant to fix your schedule and handle essential calls on your behalf.

The problem that some leaders face at this point is that they feel shy to remove individuals from their posts, primarily if they have had the same position for years. However, when you know that these folks are not effective at their tasks, then you better use mind over matter to avoid getting surrounded by people who might bring you down.

Communicate With Everyone

Have you heard of workers forming a union within a company and battling it out against the administration? The common reason they offer is that the bosses do not talk to them or listen to their woes. Hence, they feel the need to voice it all out on a grander scale.

This action is a definite source of a headache for anyone who manages the business. The stress you may obtain from the situation can develop into anxiety or another mental disorder. However, you can still prevent matters like this one from ever happening by communicating with everyone under your leadership.

Reiterate The Company Goals All The Time

People always need to get reminded of what they are supposed to do to avoid straying away from their goals. It does not only apply for kids but also for adults who work in a company. After all, when you are doing similar tasks for months or years, you tend to assume that you know everything about it. The truth, however, is that everyone has to push their own limitations to fulfill the company’s objectives.

If you can reiterate what those goals are to your employees, you may be able to maintain positive mental health since you won’t have to clean up their mess.

Stay Open For Growth

Think about the situation in this manner: the members of the board did not promote you because you are perfect at what you do. Most of the time, they do that since your eagerness to improve is highly apparent. Thus, you should always be open to learning new things from your colleagues or clients, regardless if you are the boss or not.

On the other hand, Ester Buchholz, a psychologist and psychoanalyst, emphasized alone time to be able ot think clearly and find sensible solutions for the company. She says, “While unplanned and planned interactions can increase employees’ satisfaction, solitude is very essential for original creative thinking and innovation.”

Final Thoughts

Leaders who only know how to work end up exhausting themselves and the people around them. It may lead to bad decisions sooner than later too, which may then cause depression, anxiety, and other disorders. If you love your new role, for that reason, you should prioritize your mental health often.

Make your well-being a priority by taking care of your mental health as well. There are different online counseling apps, such as BetterHelp, which you can try. These online platforms have made taking care of mental health more accessible for everyone.

“So make it a priority to help people develop good habits,” says Amy Morin, LCSW. “Whether you offer incentives to employees who participate in wellness programs, or you offer free gym memberships, make wellness a top priority for your organization.”

Good luck!

“Great leaders understand how to balance emotion with reason and make decisions that positively impact themselves, their employees, their customers and stakeholders, and their organizations.” – Larina Kase, PsyD. 

When you get promoted as the new director of the company that you have been working at for years, you will receive plenty of congratulatory words from your colleagues. For months, the employees may give you a bright smile whenever you walk by or assure you that you will be great at the job. You may also get calls from directors in other companies that the business is associated with, either telling you that you deserve the post or giving advice on how to run the enterprise.

The thing is, despite the encouragement that you can obtain from the folks around you, their words can merely uplift your spirits for a little while. When you walk into your brand-new office and look at the pile of paperwork that may already be there, your confidence might get knocked down a notch. It won’t help either if your telephone rings many times a day, and then you will also have to attend conferences with your colleagues and address the staff.

In this type of scenario, you will realize that there’s no one else who can teach you how to become a better leader than yourself. Hence, here are some things you may try.

1. Figure Out Your Leading Style

Before you even do anything, you should look deeply into yourself to figure out your leadership style at present. Doing so gives you an idea from the get-go if there are habits that you need to get rid of or improve. To accomplish that, you may analyze yourself or ask your colleagues about what they think of your ways.

2. Challenge Everyone To Do Better

As someone who leads the entire operation of the business, you have the means to set tasks that will challenge the skills of your co-workers. At first, it might seem as if you are too strict or that you don’t want them to rest. However, when you explain your wish to see them excel as you did, it may allow them to realize that it’s their success that you are after.

3. Open Communication Lines

As award-winning psychologist Daniel Kahneman agrees, “People would rather do business with a person they like and trust rather than someone they don’t, even if the likable person is offering a lower quality product or service at a higher price.”

Imagine how ideal it will be for all your employees to have a boss that they can talk to any time. Often, that is only probable for managers or supervisors to speak with the director of the company. The others who hold minor positions tend to cower in front of the big boss, primarily if the latter seems aloof. Hence, to be able to lead well, you should open the lines of communication to every person who works with you.

 

4. Manage Your Temper

An excellent leader stays chill regardless of how big of a disaster he or she may need to deal with as well. You see, it is not ideal to lose your cool and yell at your co-workers if somebody slips up. Your temper will merely cause them to panic, to the point that they can no longer focus on fixing their mess. Try to compose yourself for as long as possible.

5. Offer Merits

Lastly, you should not feel wary of establishing a reward system in the workplace. Remember that merits can motivate employees to work hard. For instance, if someone gets a particular number of clients, he or she can get a free coffee or spa session nearby. In case a salesperson manages to meet the quota for the month, you may offer a paid leave for one day.

Be The Leader That Your Co-Workers Deserve To Have

According to psychotherapist Dr. Douglas LaBier, “The higher up you go in companies, the more you’re dealing with psychological and relational issues. Successful CEO leadership requires astuteness about others…And you can’t know the truth about another without knowing it about yourself… Self-knowledge and the relational competencies they’re linked with are central to a CEO’s ability to formulate, articulate and lead a strategic vision.”

Similar to everyone else in the company, there will always be room for improvement for bosses like you. Maybe you can alter your leadership style; perhaps it’s your level of openness or behavior around the employees that can be better. All these changes can only take place, nevertheless, once you pay attention to yourself.

 

 

With so many people wanting to be one of the big bosses in a company, getting that coveted role in actuality is a gift from the heavens. You have probably worked day and night to meet your goals and prove your worth. There may not be a single project that you turned down or failed to complete either. Because of that, it is no surprise if your superiors paid off your hard work by letting you head a department at work.

Larina Kase, PsyD wrote, “Great leaders understand how to balance emotion with reason and make decisions that positively impact themselves, their employees, their customers and stakeholders, and their organizations. Making good decisions in difficult situations is no small feat because these types of decisions involve change, uncertainty, anxiety, stress, and sometimes the unfavorable reactions of others.”

The problem, nevertheless, is that there are people who taint the image of real leaders. Some of them do not have leadership skills, yet they get the title since they know someone from the higher places. Others obtain the role after stealing the ideas of the more deserving but less experienced team members. That undeniably makes employees lose their belief in the administration.

Now, assuming you want to gain the trust of your colleagues and prove that you possess the expertise for the job, here are some tips on how to become an effective leader.

1. You Communicate With Everyone

When the news about the promotion arrives, it is typical for many newly appointed executives to only think about the speech they will have to give in front of the employees. “What can I say to sound noteworthy?” “How long should it be?” “Do I have to hire someone to write it for me?”

According to Psychologist Daniel Kahneman, “People would rather do business with a person they like and trust rather than someone they don’t, even if the likable person is offering a lower quality product or service at a higher price.”

If we are honest, making that your first agenda on day #1 is not a wise move. It is better to gather your subordinates in a hall and communicate with everyone about what you want to accomplish with their help. That entails getting others’ opinions on your thoughts too, mind you. This way, the conversation will not be one-sided, and the goals are clear to all.

2. You Are Not Afraid To Take Risks

Considering the business has been active for years now, the leaders before you may already have set regulations that work for the entire company. It may no longer be essential for you to come up with new ideas. You can merely follow the norm, and everything can go smooth-sailing.

However, a useful leading figure does not fear thinking outside the box to improve or change existing processes. You cannot lounge in your office when you know that there’s more you can do. You are willing to take risks and try new techniques, primarily if it benefits the firm.

Dian Griesel, Ph.D. explains, “In a world that revolves around 24-7 news that is being disseminated to audiences around the world in seconds, a certain amount of risk-taking is inevitable for success.”

3. You Give Equal Opportunity To All

As mentioned above, there is always at least a superior who favors one employee over the others. It may be because they are related to each other, or they have a romantic connection. Sometimes that favorite worker is merely a kiss-up; that’s why he or she gets more recognition compared to people in the same group.

In case you want to be a boss that every employee can respect, you should do the exact opposite of that. When you give an opportunity to a single person, you need to open it to all. Doing so may even allow you to discover the talent of others and offer them the credit they deserve to get.

5. You Work As Hard As Everyone

Lastly, an excellent leader does not delegate all of his or her tasks to others. If there is a project that you want to get completed, you spearhead it yourself. You hardly take any days off as well unless you cannot move out of the bed physically.

This high level of dedication to the job shows your colleagues that they should not slack off because the boss does not do that. It will be before if you work harder than them so that people won’t think twice about supporting you.

Once you manage to do all that and more when you become a leader in the company, there’s no way for you to be ineffective on the job.

If you have been holding a leadership role for quite a while now, you know that stress comes with the territory. From the minute you enter the building, some employees may not wait till you get comfortable in your seat before handing over documents for you to study or sign. Lunch or break time gets pushed at odd hours, primarily when you have to meet various people or present an idea to the board. There may even be days when your office turns into a makeshift bedroom because there’s a project that you cannot afford to leave unfinished for another day.

Despite having tons of responsibilities to take care of, though, you need to avoid dealing with too much stress. A little bit of it may do you some good, yes, but an excessive amount of stress can only give you anxiety, depression, and other mental health disorders. Here are some things you should never do to ensure that you won’t contract the latter.

1. Forgetting To Prepare For The Day

A supervisor or executive in a company cannot merely get off the bed, dress for work, and sit in the office while still dazed. As mentioned above, every day can get very hectic. If you do not get your body and mind ready before the job start, it can catch you off guard or drown you in a pool of stress and anxiety.

A nice pre-work routine should not be challenging to recall. You only have to eat, workout, and perhaps even meditate. You may make calls with your loved ones too on the way to the office. This way, when you reach your workplace, your inner balance is intact, and you won’t have a burnout.

“If you’ve had a burnout experience,” writes Patrick Hyland, Ph.D., “you’ve probably been dealing with a lot of hindrance stress. With that in mind, think about the way work gets done in your organization.”

2.Hiding The Problem

Some people tend to conceal how pressured they are to prevent making others panic. That is especially true for fellows who are in high positions because they know that the employees rely on them for guidance. If their stress becomes evident, the bosses may fear it will affect the mojo of the entire team.

Although the reasoning is quite sweet, it is still not very wise. Hiding your issues to everyone entails that you are bottling up your woes. You do not have an outlet; that’s why there’s a massive chance that you would explode one day.

3. Closing Communication Lines

When the board members gave you an opportunity to prove your leadership skills, it’s pretty sure that they did not ask you to do things on your own. You can bond with your colleagues still after work; you can share your achievements and problems with them. You should never feel the need to close your communication lines with anyone because that may lead to more stressful issues later.

“When we think of what makes someone a great leader,” wrote Larina Kase, PsyD, “one characteristic that comes to mind is decisiveness. We do not envision successful leaders standing around appearing unclear and uncertain. Instead, we view them as people who are able to quickly arrive at their decisions and communicate the goals to others.”

4. Not Walking Away

Lastly, when you cannot handle the stressors anymore, you should not wait there until you collapse or run amok. Considering you already know that they will not go away even if you beg, it is smart to be the first to step out to get a breather. It does not mean that you are giving up or backing down. You are merely trying to calm your nerves in this manner so that you will be able to face the cause of your stress by losing your sense of control.

Some people might find it challenging to calm down when faced with stressful situations. If you find yourself in the same place, do not hesitate to seek help from counseling apps like BetterHelp. These online platforms are very convenient with their apps, which are available on any device.

Susan Battley, PsyD wrote, “To win in today’s competitive business environment, leaders and senior managers must be able to execute brilliantly in up and down markets.”

In Conclusion

If you are dreaming of a day when you will walk in the office and leave it entirely stress-free, you may have to stay in la-la land because it may not happen. There will always be at least one aspect that may stress you out or put extra pressure on your shoulders since you are leading a group of people. However, once you manage to remember the stuff you should never do, you may get to avoid building it up.

Good luck!

Being a leader, in our humble opinion, is a talent that one acquires over time. For instance, a child grows up seeing his parents coming up with solutions to expand the family business. At times, he may become entrusted with the task of looking after the younger siblings too while mom and dad are either cleaning or cooking. More importantly, they can further hone this talent at school when the teachers enable them to lead a project or speak for the entire class.

This pattern often allows people to develop leadership skills. It starts with the chores and small activities that all kids have to do. When they move up to high school or college, they may consider heading various organizations and inspiring others to follow their example. That can transcend to adulthood when they are ready to enter the workforce and lead a company towards its success.

“Great leaders understand how to balance emotion with reason and make decisions that positively impact themselves, their employees, their customers and stakeholders, and their organizations.” – Larina Kase, PsyD. 

The primary question that may now be in your head is, “What are those qualities that make a leading figure excellent?”

1. Resilience

From the get-go, a true leader shows off his never-back-down attitude. It is not always easy to do, mainly if you are new in the industry. Many of your colleagues may give up and let the veterans complete a rather complicated job, but that does not float your boat. You prove to your supervisors that you can do anything. Patrick Hyland, Ph.D. suggests, “If you have gone through burnout, the good news is this: you can use this experience to become a stronger, wiser, and more resilient person. But that will require intentional effort on your part and a commitment to practicing self-care.”

2. Persistence

Leaders do not believe in limitations. You try to learn what you do not have a fundamental knowledge of and show that there is nothing you cannot do. There may be pitfalls along the way, as well as detractors, yet you keep on pushing forward until everyone sees that you are meant to lead, not follow.

3. Commitment

The folks who have the potential to become trailblazers never do a task with 50 percent of their abilities. They have a goal – to demonstrate the things they can do and more – and so they are not satisfied with a job that’s merely done halfway. Instead, you may see them leaving the office a few hours after the shift. Sometimes they may not even sleep to finish their project. That is a high level of commitment that you won’t notice from regular employees.

4. Accountability

Of course, success may not often be the result of someone’s hard work. It can fail too, no matter how much you try to salvage the plan. Although it is unfortunate, it is during these tough times that you can tell who’s ready to take on a leadership role. After all, a person who is only after fame and money will blame the problem on others. A true leader will accept his mistakes and try to correct it as best as he can.

5. Confidence

Individuals who are at the helm of a company tend to meet people from all walks of life. Sometimes you may come across normal-wage earners. Other times, you have to be in the same room as foreign dignitaries. Because of that, it is vital for a frontrunner to show confidence in any situation.

6. Great Speaker

Lastly, it is only a leader who can speak his mind in front of colleagues and not look like a fool. You have a vibrant vision of what you want to achieve or do, after all. You will not need to advertise yourself to catch others’ attention because your simple words are enough to make people stop and listen to you.

Melanie Greenberg, a clinical psychologist, wrote, “Great leaders speak to the best in us – they inspire us to reach for the stars and to become what we dream of being.  Through inspiring stories and personal connection, leaders motivate and energize followers towards goals that exemplify positive values for the organization and society.”

To Sum Things Up

A true leader is not only an excellent communicator but is also resilient, persistent, confident and committed. In times of emergency, his colleagues can rely on him or her to come up with possible solutions. He owns up to any mishap that folks see on the project as well, regardless if the fault comes from a subordinate.

If you realize that you have such qualities and more, then congratulations. You can potentially head a department or the entire company you are working at someday. Good luck!