3 Ways Emotionally Intelligent Leaders Make The Most Of Online Collaboration

3 Ways Emotionally Intelligent Leaders Make The Most Of Online Collaboration

Being a successful leader today requires a much higher level of ‘people skills’ than ever before. Social media, online collaboration tools, and the age of transparency have made it vital leaders leverage a high level of emotional intelligence in order to be perceived as someone employees can trust and respect. Emotionally intelligent leaders share five qualities:


  • Non-defensive and open in their communications.
  • Aware of their emotions and how they affect their communication style.
  • Sensitive to the emotions of their staff when communicating.
  • Available to those that report to them.
  • Able to put aside ego and encourage others to shine.
That said, having the qualities listed above doesn’t guarantee success as a leader. Nowadays, leaders also have to know how to ensure their personal brand as a leader is being showcased properly. Leaders have approval ratings, both formal and informal. Which leads to the question: What can a leader do to increase their approval rating?

Online Collaboration Tools = Opportunity To Showcase Your Leadership Style

Leaders can use online collaboration tools, like Microsoft Teams, as a way to display their emotional intelligence more frequently and consistently to their staff. The stronger your online presence, the better the approval ratings. Here are three tips for leveraging online collaboration as a leader:

1. Show you value their efforts by responding quickly.

The speed and efficiency of online collaboration tools can let you instant message (IM) staff with timely answers and feedback, enabling them to move forward with their work and get things done faster. It also tells employees you appreciate and respect their contributions.

2. Be generous with praise and shout-outs.

Online collaboration tools offer the ability to deliver more compliments to teammates. Providing public praise for a job well done is a simple and effective way to show your team you’re grateful for their efforts. Online recognition is not only a powerful motivator, it’s free!

3. Make collaborating around a project with you easier.

One of my personal favorite uses of Microsoft Teams is the ability to share a document with a group of stakeholders. The virtual collaboration is so much easier than in the cloud. The speed and efficiency makes the team feel more confident in our work and keeps them all informed and on the same page with my thoughts and objectives for the project. Micro-moments are the key to enhancing trust and respect for your leadership style. By leveraging the power of online collaboration tools, you can not only improve your approval rating, you can model the way you want your own team to communicate with one other. Ultimately, training them to be better future leaders as well. This post is sponsored by Microsoft Teams.
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