Author: Melissa Brown

In today’s fast-paced and ever-evolving workplace, the role of dynamic leadership is critical. A key quality that sets apart successful leaders is emotional intelligence (EQ). Leaders with high EQ can effectively manage relationships, team dynamics, and face challenges head-on. Read on to learn why emotional intelligence matters when it comes to leadership and how it contributes to a positive workplace.

What is Emotional Intelligence?

Emotional intelligence is about understanding and managing your own emotions and those of others. It involves five main skills: self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skills. Leaders who are strong in these areas can build better relationships with their teams, creating a culture of trust and teamwork. 

Unfortunately, leaders who lack emotional intelligence often find managing others frustrating, and unsurprisingly, their team members find their management frustrating. Low EQ can look like variations of the following: 

• Tension in conversations 
• Blaming others when a project fails 
• Emotional outbursts.

Improving EQ starts with the first skill, self-awareness. While many people believe they are self-aware, research shows that in reality only 10-15% of individuals in the workplace have this skill. To cultivate more self-awareness, make a practice of reviewing your performance and asking your team to do the same. Do the assessments match? Closing the gap between your self-perception and the experience of your team will help you build this essential muscle.

Managing Relationships

Leaders work with diverse teams. High EQ helps managers understand their team’s feelings and adapt their communication style. This skill is crucial for building rapport, resolving conflicts, and fostering an inclusive environment where everyone feels valued. 

To improve your communication style, assess your own strengths and weaknesses. What kind of feedback have you received over the years about how you communicate? Where can you improve?

Employees represent the spectrum of human personality — get to know each person on your team and their communication preferences. Some people may like affirmation and recognition, others may value facts and information. Some may want autonomy and independence. A high EQ lets you vary your communication and interactions to build trust and relationships, even when differences are present. 

Handling Team Dynamics

Good team dynamics are essential for productivity and morale. Emotionally intelligent leaders can spot and resolve conflicts early, encourage open communication, and promote collaborative problem-solving, leading to better teamwork. But this only happens when a leader is aware of their own shortcomings. 

For instance, if you feel defensive when your ideas are challenged, you might become rigid and uncollaborative. When you understand your own challenges, you can self-regulate rather than react. In order to be effective at conflict resolution, practice active listening, responding with empathy, and provide constructive feedback, according to Michele D’Amico, an executive leadership coach and founder of Vetta Consultants. Mastering these skills not only enhances personal growth but also significantly improves your ability to navigate and resolve conflicts effectively.

Building a Positive Workplace

Emotional intelligence benefits the whole workplace, not just individual leaders. It leads to a supportive environment where employees feel valued. Experts in leadership argue that Emotional Intelligence (EQ) is crucial for addressing workforce phenomena like the Great Resignation and quiet quitting. This is because EQ encourages leaders to adopt a management style marked by openness, curiosity, and flexibility—traits that are fundamental components of emotional intelligence. Leaders who use these skills at work help to boost engagement, productivity, and retention, with team members more likely to work well together and contribute to success. 

The Takeaway

Emotional intelligence is crucial for leadership. As the workplace changes, there’s a growing need for leaders who are not just skilled in their job but who also have self-awareness, the ability to manage their emotions, listen openly, lead with curiosity, and resolve conflicts. This kind of intelligence is essential for great leadership because it builds trust, teamwork, and respect. Leaders who work on improving their self-awareness, self-control, motivation, empathy, and social skills can handle the challenges of leadership better. Looking ahead, it’s important for leaders to focus on developing their emotional intelligence to succeed in the ever-evolving work environment.

—

The Chamber of Business and Industry of Centre County is a private non-profit organization that aims to support the growth and development of local businesses and our regional economy. We strive to create content that not only educates but also fosters a sense of connection and collaboration among our readers. Join us as we explore topics such as economic development, networking opportunities, upcoming events, and success stories from our vibrant community. Our resources provide insights, advice, and news that are relevant to business owners, entrepreneurs, and community members alike. The Chamber has been granted license to publish this content provided by Chamber Today, a service of ChamberThink Strategies LLC. 

DANVILLE, Pa. – Five Geisinger facilities have received an Energy to Care Award from the American Society for Health Care Engineering (ASHE) of the American Hospital Association.

Geisinger Healthplex State College, Geisinger Healthplex Woodbine, Geisinger Medical Center, Geisinger Multi-Specialty Clinic Danville and Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center are recognized by ASHE for tracking their energy, water and emissions reduction efforts and going above and beyond in achieving their sustainability goals.

The facilities are among 102 participating facilities to receive this distinction in 2024, representing just 2.3% of facilities enrolled in the Energy to Care Program. Participants record and report their energy and water consumption, as well as greenhouse gas emissions, in the Energy to Care Dashboard. Energy to Care Award-winning facilities demonstrate a 10% greater reduction in energy use intensity over the previous year, or 15% over two years.

“This award is a significant achievement for health care facilities taking meaningful steps toward decarbonization, and I congratulate the Geisinger team for reaching this milestone across several sites in their sustainability journey,” says Kara Brooks, senior associate director of sustainability at the American Hospital Association.

Several key sustainability initiatives helped Geisinger facilities earn this award, including:

• Retro-commissioning building systems by monitoring data and usage trends and upgrading equipment components, adjusting control sequences and adjusting system parameters to save energy
• Implementing a building automation system fault detection and diagnosis software platform that collects and analyzes complex data and identifies hidden faults and energy usage optimization opportunities
• Constructing co-generation central utility plants that increase resilience and efficiency of major medical centers by generating electricity and thermal energy from a single fuel source

“When we conserve energy, we’re able to operate more efficiently, but we also impact the health of the communities we serve,” said Bradd Mertz, senior director of facilities operations at Geisinger. “By reducing our emissions and relying less on power plants, we contribute to a healthier region by reducing air pollutants.”

Participation in the Energy to Care Program has grown consistently since its inception in 2006. More than 4,400 facilities have participated since 2010, and in the entire life of the program, health care facilities have seen a combined savings of over $550 million reallocated to patient care.

“These awards are a testament to the effort and dedication our facilities operations team has to lowering our carbon footprint,” said John Hajduk, Geisinger’s associate vice president of facilities operations. “Through this important work, we not only care for our friends and neighbors but also for the environment we all share.”

About Geisinger 

Geisinger is among the nation’s leading providers of value-based care, serving 1.2 million people in urban and rural communities across Pennsylvania. Founded in 1915 by philanthropist Abigail Geisinger, the nonprofit system generates $10 billion in annual revenues across 126 care sites — including 10 hospital campuses — and Geisinger Health Plan, with more than half a million members in commercial and government plans. Geisinger College of Health Sciences educates more than 5,000 medical professionals annually and conducts more than 1,400 clinical research studies. With 26,000 employees, including 1,700 employed physicians, Geisinger is among Pennsylvania’s largest employers with an estimated economic impact of $15 billion to the state’s economy. On March 31, 2024, Geisinger became the first member of Risant Health, a new nonprofit charitable organization created to expand and accelerate value-based care across the country. Learn more at geisinger.org or follow on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X.

State College, Pa. – Mount Nittany Health and the State College Spikes teamed up to raise awareness about breast cancer and honor breast cancer survivors at the annual Paint the Park Pink event on July 27, 2024. The event featured an auction of the special pink jerseys worn by the Spikes, which successfully raised $4,200 for the Mount Nittany Health Foundation. “We’re grateful to the State College Spikes and the community for their support of this special cause,” said Adrienne Krasowitz, Executive Director, Mount Nittany Health Foundation. “The funds raised tonight will help support Mount Nittany Health’s Breast Cancer Fund.”

Breast cancer affects one in eight women, making early screening crucial. Mount Nittany Health’s Breast Care Center is staffed by highly specialized breast imagers, Drs. Anna Hood and Allison Yingling. Both have completed a five-year radiology residency and an additional year of specialized training in breast imaging, making them experts in interpreting mammograms, breast ultrasounds, and MRIs. During the event, Sara Worden, LPN, Patient Care Coordinator at Mount Nittany Health Breast Care Center, spoke about the importance of annual breast imaging appointments and the benefits of early detection. She also highlighted her role in assisting patients throughout their care journey. In addition to Sara, the center offers support through a breast care navigator, oncology navigators, and a patient financial navigator, ensuring comprehensive assistance for all patients. The event also featured a special moment as Pam Crants, a breast cancer survivor, threw out the first pitch of the game. Mount Nittany Health Foundation is dedicated to enhancing healthcare services in our community. For more information on how you can support the Foundation, please visit mountnittany.org/mount-nittany-health-foundation or call 814.234.6777. Thank you to everyone who attended the game and supported this meaningful cause.