5 Reasons Entrepreneurs Should Cultivate Emotional Intelligence

4. Good decision-making skills are essential. Good decision-making is at the forefront of every entrepreneur’s day. With so many balls to juggle, understanding what’s at stake and how to process a sea of information is vital. Self-awareness is an important component. Knowing yourself and how you respond to external triggers will help you to maneuver as you consider the pros and cons of any outcome. For example, when making decisions of consequence (they all are, by the way) you want to eliminate the tendency to be impulsive, biased or reactive. As you boost your emotional intelligence, you become increasingly aware of barriers that undermine clear thinking, and can proactively remove them.

5. Effective communication skills are indispensable. Entrepreneurs who are skilled communicators are naturally poised to build rapport and connect with others. As social skills go, effective communication is one of the most coveted. It opens doors, resolves conflict, and seals deals. What is less understood, however, is the role that empathy plays in structuring effective communication and helping to ignite connectedness with others. Empathy helps you to acknowledge the needs and perspectives of others (as opposed to merely bolstering your own) while building much-desired connections. As the saying goes, ‘when you help others get what they want, they help you get what you want.’ It’s really that simple. When this process works, it seems almost effortless. But that’s because the magic is in mastering your emotions and creating synergy authentically.

Entrepreneurs can reap tremendous gains from cultivating emotional intelligence. While technical expertise may be a prerequisite to entry, soft skills mastery is the linchpin that drives long-term success. Interested in seeing where you fare on the EQ scale? Take the test here.

To your success.

Karima Mariama-Arthur, Esq. is the founder and CEO of WordSmithRapport, an international consulting firm specializing in professional development. Follow her on Twitter: @wsrapport or visit her website, www.wordsmithrapport.com.