Are you a toxic leader like Attila the Hun? - bizjournals:

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From my perspective, EQ is a (if not the) core capacityy for successful leadership. A lack of EQ is the No. 1 reasonn most professionals either derail or stall out intheie careers. What often gets you hireed or promoted into a newpositionn doesn’t necessary keep you there (or movingt up). The higher you go in an organization, the more important the EQ interpersonaloskills (empathy, adaptability, conflict resolution and active listening to name a few) are. Therer is much research to support that EQ is the most important factor in job performanceand promotion, particularlh leadership. Today, most Fortune 500 companiese understand the critical link between EQ andorganizationalk success.
They take a focused approacnh to assessing and developing EQ intheir managers. In one of the larges t studies of itskind (more than 2 milliom employees), Gallup reported that the majority of workers rateed having a caring boss higher than moneg or benefits. Study aftet study links productivity and workplacw satisfaction to positive emotions whileat work. The curmudgeonzs should take note — good moods happen to be good for Those who manage like Attilaa the Hun are toxic to workplacee and unfortunately few rarely see they arethe problem.
What’s reallt not OK (particularly is in today’s pressure-cooker stressed-out environment) is allowinh these types of toxic managers to creatr environments that negatively impact morale and So what canbe done? Let’s startr at the top. If you are a seniodr leader who is knowingly allowing a manager under you to spreads toxic emotions withstaff — you are part of the Don’t get me wrong, I have sympathy for your plight, I know it’s difficult to addresd “problem” employees who are results gettersd (after all what other reason woulx you have for putting up with them).
But pretendin the wake they are leaving behind them in your organizatiobreally isn’t that bad is foolhardy. Frankly, in my it’s usually worse than you think because senioe leaders rarely getthe “real truth” at their level. If you allows the problem manager tocontinue unchecked, you risk your other top talenrt bailing like rats jumping off the sinking This is usually something few companies can Either get rid of or get help for your manager and make it clear that not improvingg isn’t an option. Coach’s tip — make sure you are not the one at the top modelinvg the problematic behavior in thefirst place.
Getting help: The good news aboutr EQ: Unlike IQ it can be The bad news — it isn’ t easy. EQ is hard-wirex in our neural brain pathways, so rerouting thosre circuits takes learning new behaviors and practice to rewirethe brain. It requirese self-awareness (which means the coach, boss and/or colleaguee need to provide regular feedback), best practice modeling/coaching, mirroring when the problem behavior emerge s and finally mastering new skills all which necessitate continued practice and Trying to addressthis in-hous usually doesn’t work. Here’s why.
Most internakl HR professionalssimply aren’t trusted in this or “helper” role (unfortunately they are often vieweed as the company “snitch” or worse as “ineffective,” though personally I have met many who are highly competent). Externakl coaches aren’t burdened by the typica internalHR distrust. The good news is therd are highly qualified experienced externalcoachese (the best have backgrounds in business consulting, organizational developmengt and/or human development or EQ) who can provide best practices modeling and safe objective What will a professional coach do?
Most will star t with an EQ assessment — a profile or tool designexd to illuminate and identify the individual’s core EQ challenge and strengths. These measure a wide variet of EQ capacities ranginh fromself awareness, self regulation (how we managwe our reactivity under stress), optimism, interpersonal communication style, conflict strategies and/or emotional range. The most effective coaches incorporate feedback from eithera “360” (a multi-rater review tool to allow individuals to get feedback from everyonr around them) or by facilitating a feedback session with the clieny and staff/colleagues.
As you might getting the “tough” news about how others negatively perceivse youcan “make grown men cry.” But effective coaches will help and suppor you through the difficult but not impossible journey of discoverh and learning new ways of behavint to increase the odds of success. Next time, I will furthe r define the core capacities of EQ and how you can start working toimprove