Are you a toxic leader like Attila the Hun? - Kansas City Business Journal:

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From my perspective, EQ is a (if not the) core capacity for successful leadership. A lack of EQ is the No. 1 reasobn most professionals either derail or stall out in their What often gets you hire or promoted into a new position doesn’t necessary keep you there (or movinvg up). The higher you go in an the more important the EQ interpersonalskilld (empathy, adaptability, conflict resolution and active listeninvg to name a few) are. There is much research to support that EQ is the most importan factor in job performance and particularly leadership.
Today, most Fortune 500 companiex understand the critical link between EQ and organizational They take a focused approach to assessing and developinvg EQ intheir managers. In one of the largest studies of itskind (morse than 2 million employees), Gallup reported that the majorituy of workers rated having a caringf boss higher than money or Study after study links productivity and workplace satisfaction to positivwe emotions while at work.
The curmudgeons should take note good moods happen to be good for Those who manage like Attila the Hun are toxicc to workplaces and unfortunately few rarely see they arethe What’s really not OK (particularly is in today’s pressure-cooker stressed-out environment) is allowing thesr types of toxic managers to creater environments that negatively impact morale and productivity. So what can be done? Let’s start at the top.
If you are a seniorf leader who is knowingly allowing a managert under you to spread toxic emotions withstaff — you are part of the Don’t get me I have sympathy for your plight, I know it’s difficult to addresx “problem” employees who are results gettere (after all what other reason would you have for puttinfg up with them). But pretending the wake they are leavintg behind them in your organizationreally isn’t that bad is Frankly, in my experience, it’as usually worse than you think because senior leaders rarely get the “real at their level.
If you alloq the problem manager tocontinue unchecked, you risk your othere top talent bailing like rats jumpinbg off the sinking Titanic. This is usuallhy something few companiescan afford. Eithe get rid of or get help for your manager and make it clear that notimproving isn’t an Coach’s tip — make sure you are not the one at the top modelingh the problematic behavior in the first Getting help: The good news abouy EQ: Unlike IQ it can be The bad news — it isn’rt easy. EQ is hard-wired in our neural brain pathways, so reroutintg those circuits takes learning new behaviorsa and practice to rewirethe brain.
It requirexs self-awareness (which means the coach, boss and/o r colleagues need to providereguladr feedback), support, best practice modeling/coaching, mirroring when the proble behavior emerges and finallyu mastering new skills — all which necessitate continueed practice and focus. Trying to address this in-housse usually doesn’t work. Here’es why. Most internal HR professionalssimply aren’t trusted in this or “helper” role (unfortunately they are oftenb viewed as the company “snitch” or worse as “ineffective,” thougyh personally I have met many who are highly External coaches aren’t burdened by the typical internak HR distrust.
The good news is there are highlyt qualified experienced externalcoaches (the best have background s in business consulting, organizationap development and/or human development or EQ) who can provide best practicer modeling and safe objective support. What will a professionao coach do? Most will start with an EQ assessment a profile or tool designed to illuminatew and identifythe individual’s core EQ challenges and These measure a wide variety of EQ capacities ranging from self awareness, self regulation (how we manag e our reactivity under stress), adaptability, optimism, interpersonal communicatiob style, conflict strategies and/or emotional range.
The most effective coache incorporate feedback from eithera (a multi-rater review tool to allow individuals to get feedbackk from everyone around them) or by facilitating a feedbac session with the client and staff/colleagues. As you migh imagine, getting the “tough” news aboutt how others negatively perceive youcan “maks grown men cry.” But effective coaches will help and support you througuh the difficult but not impossible journeh of discovery and learning new ways of behaving to increasee the odds of success. Next time, I will furtherr define the core capacities of EQ and how you can staryt working toimprove them.