It makes sense that the more intelligent you are, the better you’ll be at your job. It takes more than book smarts to be a good leader though. 

That’s where emotional intelligence comes in.  

As Marcel Schwantes says in Inc., “non-cognitive skills can matter as much as IQ for workplace success and leadership effectiveness.” 

Schwantes summarizes the traits that make you emotionally intelligent and make you great at your job. 

Self-awareness 

Being self-aware means that not only do you recognize your strengths and weaknesses, you can monitor how you react to situations in your life. 

“During times of frustration, you're able to pinpoint the root and cause of your frustration,” Schwantes explains. “You also have clarity on your values and sense of purpose, which allows you to be more decisive when setting a course of action.” 

Self-management 

Schwantes describes self-management as “you possess emotional self-control and can stay calm under pressure and recover quickly from upsets” while being adaptable even amongst uncertainty.  

That helps you achieve excellence in your own work and encourages it in others. 

Social awareness  

To be socially aware means to have empathy.  

“You pay full attention to the other person and take time to understand what they are saying and how they are feeling,” Schwantes says. “You always try to put yourself in other people's shoes in a meaningful way.” 

Relationship management 

If you are an emotionally intelligent leader, you should be able to “act in ways that motivate, inspire, and harmonize with others, while also maintaining important relationships.” 

Schwantes also makes it clear that it’s not just dealing with positive relationships, you may have to work in conflict management and try to find win-win solutions whenever possible.