Spiritual Awareness: A Vital Step in Emotional Intelligence 

We have spent months looking at the competencies that are essential for an effective leader, almost completing our series last week with a blog on self-awareness. Growing these competencies (specifically self-awareness) leads to the growth of another important, overarching necessity in leaders: emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence is the ability to see, understand and manage emotions in yourself and others, and to have the humility and wisdom to rely on others when you are struggling to do so. 

Emotional intelligence will impact how you lead. Everyone develops some amount of emotional intelligence, from basic knowledge like smiling back when a person smiles at you, to a more complex understanding, such as reading another’s physical language. Some people naturally build upon this knowledge throughout life, yet some struggle to do so, perhaps as a result of some trauma or a difficult childhood, or unhealthy role models. A lack of emotional intelligence is likely to prohibit the formation and growth of healthy connections, and can cause a person to come undone in a leadership position, being unable to cope with the stresses and pressures. The good news is that, just like any intelligence, emotional intelligence is something you can learn and practise. 

I have found the book Emotional Intelligence 2.0 by Travis Bradberry a great place to begin when considering your own emotional intelligence. Whether emotional intelligence is a fairly new term to you, or is something you have spent years nurturing, the assessment inside this book can offer insight to anyone. 

Bradberry also includes a very helpful chart in his book that explains how self-awareness, self-management, social awareness and relationship management increase emotional intelligence. However, I like to take this one important step forward by including a crucial aspect; spiritual intelligence. 

Spiritual intelligence is key to building emotional intelligence. We are a combination of body, mind and spirit, and all areas are essential to care for, and all lead to a deeper understanding of ourselves as a whole. Without an awareness of God and a value for our relationship with Him, we can never understand ourselves completely. 

Below is a summary of Bradberry’s chart, with my addition of spiritual intelligence: 

Reflection Questions: 

• How am I as a mentor in terms of competencies?
• Where did I see strengths in myself during this series? Where did I see weakness?
• How am I cultivating my emotional intelligence? 
• Who can help me take the next step as a mentor, supervisor or coach? 

What’s next:

Can we help you find a mentor? Link here:  https://vervelead.com/contact/