EQ Is A Leadership Superpower

Embracing empathy to attract and retain top talent in a post-pandemic world

While emotional intelligence or emotional quotient (EQ) has long been recognized as an important component of Human Resources, it took a global pandemic to underscore its true value as an essential element of leadership. To ensure our teams were supported and connected, we had to adapt to the dynamic environment. Through navigating the stress of the pandemic and its unknowns and learning to effectively work from home amid distractions from kids and pets, empathy evolved from a “nice to have” to a “must-have.”

With a post-pandemic reality on the horizon, EQ is one of the most valuable skills a leader can bring to the table. A survey conducted by TalentSmart last year found that EQ was the strongest predictor of high performance in all types of jobs, with 90 percent of top performers scoring high in EQ.

Leaders now have the chance to be thoughtful about what the post-pandemic work environment looks like and to think about the needs of employees in new ways. With so many companies vying for talent, employers and HR professionals must offer more than a generous benefits package – to go above and beyond the basics – and cultivate a culture where employees feel valued and supported.

With that in mind, here are some ways leaders can ensure they are bringing EQ into their interactions with employees:

I firmly believe that human connection is the best investment of time and energy. Creating an environment of psychological safety and openness where individuals feel comfortable speaking up makes teams more successful and drives innovation forward.

At Edwards, human connection is a defined aspect of our culture. We’ve made it a point to build listening mechanisms within our organization to ensure employees are heard and needs are addressed. One way we do that is through something we call “Ask Mike,” where all employees can submit a question, anonymously or openly, to our CEO and EVERY single question is answered. I created a similar program called “Chat with Christine” that gives each member of the global HR team the opportunity to meet for a virtual, one-on-one chat with me every quarter.

It is also important to recognize that all employees are different. Through assessments like DISC and Myers Briggs, leaders (and other team members) can gain valuable insights into how individual employees prefer to communicate. Utilizing these types of assessments deepens our understanding of teams and empowers colleagues to build stronger, more effective working relationships.  

We also need to take the time to understand individual needs and find ways to balance these with the needs of the business. Life can change in the blink of an eye, which we can all attest to this past year. My mantra for my team is “family first.” While bridging the gap between business needs and individual needs takes compromise and flexibility, the job market is more competitive than ever and retaining talent is key to organizational success. By accommodating different circumstances where possible, we are much more likely to keep our best people on board when they come up against challenging or life-changing events.

We all want our employees to be healthy, but also, good health is good business. When we take care of our personal health, we live healthier, more productive lives. This translates into how we show up at work, which ultimately has an impact on the success of an organization.  

At Edwards, patients are at the core of everything we do. Helping them means that we need our employees to stay healthy, too. This philosophy drove us to implement a comprehensive, holistic approach to wellbeing that includes onsite gym and health services, health education seminars, online access to wellness and mental health apps, opportunities to give back to the community, and much more. As part of our ongoing efforts to keep our employees safe in this dynamic environment, we recently invested in creating a Vice President, Employee Health position. By providing this level of expertise to the organization as well as the tools and resources that can help employees to take care of their health, we can maintain a high level of employee satisfaction and continue to innovate for patients.

We can also empower employees to prioritize their mental health and wellness and take advantage of the resources that are available to them by leading through example. I’ve found that sharing how I take time away from my computer to recharge – whether it’s turning away from my screen to have tea with a colleague or participating in a mindfulness session – has helped encourage my team to do the same. This also reinforces that it’s okay, and actually very important, for leaders to take time for themselves and prioritize their wellbeing, too.

A company’s set of core values should serve as its North Star. Staying rooted in your values sets the foundation for business decisions and interactions guided by a sense of purpose. It’s much easier to live your values when things are going well. But demonstrating how deep those values run (and how real those values are) is put to the ultimate test in times of significant change or crisis. Leaders who authentically role model core values during tumultuous times shine brighter than their peers and validate the positive impact those values have on company culture and employee experience.    

In a recent company survey conducted during the pandemic, 94% of our 15,000 global employees said they consider what’s important to patients when making decisions.

One way we help employees stay connected to one another and our work is through sharing positive stories and good news. At a time when the pandemic made it difficult to interact in person, we created a video series called “A Dose of Edwards Goodness,” where we share inspiring stories of our patients and colleagues. It has been so successful that we’ve continued to build on it.

While EQ can be learned, it’s not something that happens overnight. By allowing ourselves to be human and meet people where they are, we can reinforce a culture where employees feel supported, valued, and comfortable sharing their voices.