Written by: Craig Edwin Holdway
The foundation of leading a highly productive and engaged team starts with a comprehensive understanding of your own personality. This understanding of one’s self is not only the essence of emotional intelligence but in my opinion, the pinnacle.
Setting aside any biases or prejudgements you may have, and listening with empathy to what your team members are saying, will eventually precipitate into a culture of trust.
So many times, a less engaged leader will be formulating their verbal response, to divert a conversation in a certain direction 'while the other party is still speaking' in an effort to avoid an uncomfortable preconceived outcome, rather than intently focusing in the moment. Pausing to thoughtfully absorb the entire breadth of what the team member is trying to convey, will provide objectivity to your interactions, thus empowering and motivating your team. This bond will not only manifest into the trust needed to succeed but to excel.
You might also discover that your team may have intrinsically adopted an increased capacity for self-reflection, leading to a heightened emotional intelligence, and team cohesiveness.
The views are my own and are based on my own experiences and are written from personal insights and observations.