Episode 14
Unlocking Emotional Intelligence: The Key to Authentic Leadership
Summary:
Explore how leaders can enhance their emotional intelligence with Kelsey Arico. Discover the balance between authenticity and growth as leaders expand their capacity without losing their authentic voice. Kelsey discusses the importance of self-awareness, psychological safety, and trust in the workplace. Learn strategies for integrating emotional intelligence into your leadership style, starting from your strengths and adapting new behaviors. This episode delves into how being real and transparent can elevate team dynamics, allowing leaders to guide with emotional clarity and intention, ultimately becoming more of who they truly are.
Chapters:
| 0:00 | Embracing Emotional Intelligence in Leadership |
| 0:25 | Navigating New Practices and Doubt |
| 1:06 | Authenticity and Growth in Leadership |
| 1:31 | Impact of Authentic Leadership on Teams |
| 2:01 | Building on Strengths for Emotional Intelligence |
| 2:29 | Adapting Emotional Intelligence to Your Style |
Host Kelsey Arico: linkedin.com/in/kelsey-arico-775b772b
Executive Producer Jim Kanichirayil: linkedin.com/in/drjimk
Music Credit: "Lost in Dreams" by Kulakovka
Transcript
Here's where it gets sticky. As soon as they start practicing something new, like pausing, before reacting, naming a feeling or listening longer, it can feel off. Not bad, not wrong. Just s not like them yet. So when that doubt creeps in, is this still me? Am I trying too hard? What if this doesn't land with my team? That's when we need to take a minute and think about how authenticity is not a fixed identity.
bout being comfortable. It's [:You are expanding your capacity. You are growing in your range. So that's not inauthentic. That's just part of growth. That is growth. And here's the magic of it.
When leaders show up with the real self-awareness, when they stretch emotionally without pretending to be perfect, they get everyone else around them permission to do the same thing. Your team sees it, your peers, your coworkers, they feel it. Psychological safety goes up, trust deepens people start to speak more honestly, share more openly.
empathetic, but start there, [:Add just one layer, curiosity, compassion, emotional vocabulary, reflective questions. Practice won't mean performance. You don't have to nail it every time. You can say, Hey, I'm working on listening more and talking less, or, this is new for me, but it feels really important. That level of transparency is going to build trust faster than pretending that you've master it all.
Stay connected to who you are throughout the process. If a behavior feels totally foreign. Pause. Maybe you don't toss it completely, but think about it and adapt it. There's always a version of emotional intelligence that's going to fit your voice, your values, your leadership style,. It's not a script, it's just a way of showing up more fully and intentionally.
When you lead with emotional clarity and intention, you don't lose who you are.
You become more of who you've always been.
