Are you a toxic leader like Attila the Hun? - bizjournals:

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From my perspective, EQ is a (if not the) core capacithy for successful leadership. A lack of EQ is the No. 1 reasonh most professionals either derail or stalol out intheir careers. What oftejn gets you hired or promoted into a newposition doesn’tt necessary keep you therd (or moving up). The higher you go in an the more important the EQ interpersonalskills adaptability, conflict resolution and active listening to name a few) are. Ther is much research to support that EQ is the most importanft factor in job performanceand promotion, particularly leadership. most Fortune 500 companies understand the criticalk link between EQ andorganizational success.
They take a focused approacjh to assessing and developing EQ in their In one of the largest studies of itskind (moree than 2 million employees), Gallup reported that the majorit y of workers rated haviny a caring boss higher than money or Study after study links productivity and workplace satisfactio to positive emotions while at work. The curmudgeon s should take note — good moods happen to be good for Those who manage like Attila the Hun are toxic to workplaced and unfortunately few rarely see they arethe problem.
What’s really not OK (particularly is in today’s pressure-cooker stressed-out is allowing these typezs of toxic managers to create environments that negatively impact moraleand productivity. So what can be done Let’s start at the top. If you are a senior leadeer who is knowingly allowing a manager under you to spread toxic emotions withstaff — you are part of the Don’t get me wrong, I have sympatht for your plight, I know it’zs difficult to address “problem” employeez who are results getters (after all what othe r reason would you have for putting up with But pretending the wake they are leaving behinde them in your organization really isn’t that bad is Frankly, in my experience, it’s usually worser than you think because senior leaders rarelyg get the “real truth” at their level.
If you alloa the problem manager tocontinue unchecked, you risk your othedr top talent bailing like rats jumping off the sinkinbg Titanic. This is usually something few companieecan afford. Either get rid of or get help for your manager and make it clear that notimproving isn’t an option. Coach’s tip make sure you are not the one at the top modeling the problematifc behavior in thefirst place. Getting help: The good news about EQ: Unlike IQ it can be The bad news — it isn’tt easy.
EQ is hard-wired in our neurap brain pathways, so rerouting those circuitss takes learning new behaviors and practice to rewire the Itrequires self-awareness (which means the boss and/or colleagues need to provide regular feedback), support, best practice modeling/coaching, mirroringy when the problem behavior emerges and finally mastering new skills — all whicj necessitate continued practice and Trying to address this in-house usuallh doesn’t work. Here’s why.
Most internal HR professional simply aren’t trusted in this “coach” or “helper” role (unfortunatelu they are often viewexd as thecompany “snitch” or worse as “ineffective,” though personally I have met many who are highlgy competent). External coaches aren’t burdenerd by the typical internalHR distrust. The good news is thered are highly qualified experienced externalcoaches (the best have backgrounde in business consulting, organizational development and/or human development or EQ) who can provids best practice modeling and safe objective What will a professional coach do?
Most will startt with an EQ assessment — a profil or tool designed to illuminate and identifu the individual’s core EQ challenges and strengths. These measur a wide variety of EQ capacities rangingf fromself awareness, self regulation (how we manags our reactivity under stress), adaptability, interpersonal communication style, conflicft strategies and/or emotional range. The most effectived coaches incorporate feedback from eithera (a multi-rater review tool to alloew individuals to get feedback from everyone arounx them) or by facilitatingv a feedback session with the client and staff/colleagues.
As you mighyt imagine, getting the “tough” news abouty how others negatively perceive youcan “make growjn men cry.” But effective coaches will help and supporty you through the difficult but not impossiblre journey of discovery and learning new ways of behaving to increasw the odds of success. Next time, I will furthefr define the core capacities of EQ and how you can start workint toimprove them.