Social Intelligence is the Key to Leadership
The definition of leadership is simple.
It's the process and skillset of getting a group of people to accomplish an objective.
The key in that definition is people.
How do you get better at working with people?
Increase your social intelligence.
What is social intelligence?
Social intelligence is the ability to understand people and successfully navigate social situations.
When you have high social intelligence, you know:
- When to be quiet.
- When to speak-up.
- What words to say.
- When to give credit.
- When to take credit.
- Which questions to ask.
- How to read body language.
- How to maneuver around people to reach your goal.
When you have low social intelligence, you:
- Offend people.
- Misinterpret messages.
- Irritate the ego of others.
- Misunderstand intentions.
- Become an outcast, not part of the "group".
Low social intelligence gets you nowhere.
High social intelligence is the key to leadership.
The relationship between social intelligence and leadership
Leadership is about working with people to accomplish an objective.
Social intelligence is your ability to work with people successfully.
You can't be an exceptional leader without high social intelligence.
You must understand people and how to interact with them to accomplish the mission. Instead of spending your time learning technical skills, reading up on industry news, or scrolling social media, spend your time building your social skills.
The first step to exceptional leadership is to accept that social intelligence is the key.
Once you do, your education starts.
Learn how to win any social situation and you will be able to lead anywhere.
"Social intelligence is the ability to see people in the most realistic light possible...Navigating smoothly the social environment, we have more time and energy to focus on learning and acquiring skills. Success attained without this intelligence is not true mastery, and will not last" —Robert Greene (125)
References
Greene, Robert. 2012. Mastery. Penguin Books.