MODERN LEADERSHIP
Getting comfortable with
the f word - and how it
drives performance
By Anna-Lucia Mackay
I
f there is one word in business
that makes people roll their eyes
– it’s the f word! Not the swear
word – that’s common and almost
welcomed in business – far worse
is that dreaded word feelings!
The word that makes many people
at work wince and squirm - and
feel generally uncomfortable.
The word which often preempts illogical, ambiguous, and
unpredictable behaviour. The
word most busy people just
don’t have time for in this fast
paced and competitive world
where getting jobs done and
products out the door – is hard
enough without any other added
complications!
The fact is - feelings drive
human performance and unless
your business is run by robots
– human performance drives
business performance! Today
technical competence is a given understanding what makes people
tick is the differentiator – and
your competitive edge.
The needs of clients, customers
and employees have significantly
changed and are far more complex
than ever before. The more
well off people are – the more
complex their needs. Therefore
understanding the wants, needs,
motivations and behaviours of
people enables you to predict and
anticipate far more accurately –
what they will do and how they will
act. This is Emotional Intelligence
at its best. A term most people
have heard of – but a concept
most people misunderstand – or
confuse it with something to do
with being “warm and fuzzy”.
The fact is nothing could be
further from the truth. Emotional
Intelligence is a critical business
skill and is not for the faint
hearted! This competence is
crucial to innovating, creating and
delivering products people will
buy, for building cultures where
employees are driven to serve and
over achieve – and is critical to
influencing buying decisions. So
where do we start?
Although there are about 12 core
competencies to develop – these
are four tips to get you started:
Tip 1 - Develop Self
Awareness.
This must always be the starting
point. In the words of Socrates,
“Know thyself”. Once a person
12 ModernBusiness
January 2016