I’m constantly trying to work on being more emotionally tuned in.

This article is a great checklist to consider the behaviours and actions that demonstrate being emotionally intelligent and it’s inspired me to consider each point in more of a business context.

14 Signs You’re An Emotionally Intelligent Person

So here goes … a twist on the points made .. from a person centred to a business centred maybe…

1. Constantly strive to understand the business impact your business/function team has on others.

Are your customers satisfied?

Do you agitate or excite your peers with the work that your team does?

Are you a disruptive or supportive business to others in your community?

2. Be inherently curious about how people engage and are served by the services that your business offers?

You get out onto the shop floor and observe what’s going on?

You talk to customers and find out what more you could do?

You consider why others are not yet customers of your business?

3. Be critically aware of the business short comings and strengths

You don’t just do a superficial SWOT but you look to measures and signals to evidence the impact of the short comings and strengths of the business performance

4. Make a point of being in the detail of today – not just looking back at what could be improved or looking forward to what the business could achieve

This means taking time to check in with people today and help them, reassure them, encourage them to make a difference today.

(I do wonder if there is too much of a tendency of senior exec to spend time only on post implementation reviews and next years planning cycle missing the obvious things that need fixing today – the quick wins can make a big difference it’s worth spending a bit of time in the detail)

5. Actively look to the sentiment across your business – is it one of enjoyment and satisfaction or agitation, dysfunction and verging on toxic

The mood of the business is important are you getting under the action and listening and reading more into what people say and what people write.

(Great advice given to me years ago was listen to the last thing someone says when they leave the room – often that’s what they really wanted to tell you and couldn’t quite manage to get it out when sitting directly opposite/next to you)

6. Confront teams, suppliers and customers when things are going wrong .

Do this from a stance of wanting to support, help and improve the outcomes not just let them know that somethings wrong and someone else has to fix it.

7. Base your business on what difference your business wants to make in the markets not just what the markets want you to do.

This one is tricky and it’s a fine balance – decide what you stand for – assess if there is a market for what you want to do – find that market – engage with that market and make that market yours – in that way you will be doing what you set out to do.

8. Invest in business development and business learning

This is not just about putting your team on training courses it’s about giving everyone the chance to step out and step up and keep up with emerging trends in the markets you serve and the capabilities that you offer… and providing the space and culture to let your teams put what they learn into practise.

(I love the phrase helping people get out of their comfort zone – more people should be helped out of their comfort zone as thats when great things happen and a business steps forward)

9. Genuinely look to help your customers and teams have a better experience

You are constantly looking for and encouraging others to look to ways to improve and simplify how people engage with the business – reducing time spent and getting better outcomes

10. Be aware and interested in how your business makes people feel

This resonates with a few others of the points above but it gets back to listening to others and being tuned in

11. The business is open to a diverse set of people and opinions

You operate in a very inclusive way making anyone who wants to engage with your business, in what ever role, feel included and valued.

12. Make decisions based on facts and metrics but also on how what your business does next will make people feel

Yes ensure the facts and metrics underpinning performance are set at a level to grow all aspects of the business but strive to consider the impact of those measures on people .. set them too low and people won’t feel challenged, won’t get a sense of pride of achieving .. set them too high people will feel inadequate and not worthy.

13. Know when to say no or not now

The list of opportunities and potential priorities is always longer than the capabilities and immediate capacity to have to address them – be selective in what you chose to act on say no or maybe not now or not yet to those things that are less impactful for the business result.

14. Be instinctive and tuned into your market and business trends

You know your market inside out, you can sense where it is heading next and you have an acute instinct to how you need to lead or follow the market to get the best result for your customers and teams.

What do you think to the twist … it’s an exciting time to be tuning in to the broader signals .