| Leadership development is important goal from | | | | realize their dreams. Effective leaders must be |
| the small business owner to the Fortune 500 | | | | able to relate to these changes if they want to |
| companies. A recent report from Sherpa | | | | achieve the predetermined results. |
| Coaching revealed that leadership development is | | | | Daniel Goleman in his book Working with Emotional |
| the basis for 49% of all executive coaching. | | | | Intelligence (EQ) speaks directly to the impact of |
| After reading this extensive report and the many | | | | EQ from the variety of studies he researched. |
| other reports on coaching, one can not help but | | | | One research study conducted by Richard |
| wonder why the emphasis on leadership skills or | | | | Boyatzis of 2,000 supervisors, middle managers |
| what many call the soft skills. However, the | | | | and executives at 12 different organizations |
| research suggests that the development of these | | | | revealed EQ separated high performers from |
| critical skills dramatically increases emotional | | | | average ones in 14 of 16 competencies. An even |
| intelligence. One of the foundational concepts | | | | larger multi-national study of 286 organizations |
| within emotional intelligence is the ability to | | | | demonstrated that over 80% of the general |
| intellectually or emotionally identify with another. | | | | competencies that identify superior performance |
| Empathy is that ability. | | | | depend on high emotional intelligence more so than |
| Leadership in today's diverse global market place | | | | pure cognitive abilities. |
| demands the ability to relate to others if the | | | | Goleman's definition of empathy is a social |
| leader truly wants to achieve the desired results. | | | | competence where we are aware of another's |
| Without results, businesses will fail. | | | | feelings, needs and concerns. He further explains |
| The old leadership role of "It's my way or the | | | | that emotional intelligence determines "our |
| highway" might have worked when everyone | | | | potential for learning." Empathy is one of the five |
| shared the same values, the same ethnic origins | | | | elements that he discusses. |
| and the same belief systems. However, people in | | | | Having a high degree of empathy and being able |
| the 21st century are smarter not to mention | | | | to use that emotional competency is truly a "no |
| quite different than their ancestors. These people | | | | brainer." Empathy can be developed within any |
| experience more change in one year than their | | | | individual especially those in leadership roles. The |
| grandparents experienced in their entire lifetime. | | | | challenge is to include this capacity within your |
| All of this change creates additional stress and | | | | leadership development for your organization and |
| pushes them to seek other opportunities to | | | | even yourself. |