I have reiterated in previous columns the relevance of true leadership in times of turbulence; However, there is an additional factor that debate in different forums and listen to diverse voices I realize that it has a very active role today: emotionality. Emotionality pays, and in a polarized environment it takes advantage over rational concepts and arguments. The center and the stable are somehow boring and do not achieve what has taken weight in societies today, viralization.
He role that social networks currently represent in people’s lives it has been magnified; In the same way, polarization has been amplified, turning it into a kind of epidemic, generating a “hostile activism” and a discourse that pushes us like an invisible force towards division and desolation.
As context in this line, the own inventor of the repost button (retweet) On Twitter, today
Francis Fukuyama, American political scientist and economist, highlights that in 2010 we had 300 digital interactions per day; at the moment, we have more than 5,000 interactionswhich positions the use of social networks as a significant challenge for the political and economic power they hold.
Emotionality vs. Rationality impacts at a personal, social, political and business level because it divides and disunites, influencing decision-making. He pointed it out well. Daniel Goleman, precursor of emotional intelligence in the 90s, who warned leaders of the need to sbe empathetic and develop skills to know how to read and recognize the emotions of others. Emotionality is so relevant in our times that the global consulting firm Development Dimensions International (DDI) classifies empathy as the most important soft skill for leadership, which can increase cohesion and decision-making in teams by up to 40%.
But what is the reason for this situation that pits emotion against reason? Why are the different voices divided? moving away from empathy as teams, as societies and humanity? To a large extent it is due to economic disparity, because a large part of the world’s population has lost social mobility and quality of life.
Throughout the world, traditional political parties have failed to promote development, in generate jobs and offer the security that people demand. If democracy does not generate these minimum satisfiers, then “obscene inequality”, discontent and tendencies that sometimes seem irrational are generated.
What can we do in this situation? I am not a politician nor do I have that area of experience, but I began this article talking about true leadership and without a doubt the deep meaning of the word leads me to this point. Business leaders, both in corporate businesses and in any economic activity, have a great responsibility and commitment to work so that “emotionality” does not take its place from “rationality.”
Harvard Business School points out that Emotional intelligence is one of the most sought after interpersonal skills in the workplace, which is valued 71% more than technical skills in management positions, and identifies four primary competencies: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management.
Therefore, as leaders we must listen and connect with peopleunderstand their emotions, connect objectively to try to distinguish between noise and reality to go beyond be resilient to economic problems. Because emotions are certainly a factor that influences rationality and decision-making, because what we feel reconfigures our beliefs.
Yes, the search for balance between emotion and reason is also a business questionleaders must be able to listen, empathize and persuade, beyond just giving reasons. That is the only way to avoid divisions and, on the contrary, find common ground and achieve effective communication with strategy and purpose.
