Seven Characteristics of Trusted Leaders – Social Intelligence

Our last blog covered the first characteristic of trusted leaders: honesty. We discussed how transparency is the foundation for trusting yourself and others. Today, we’ll cover the second characteristic, social intelligence. Understanding the different layers of social intelligence is vital to understanding trusted leadership.

We already know that trust is built on honesty and our interactions with others. This means how we relate to them, communicate with them, listen to what they are saying, and empathize with them. Social intelligence, the second characteristic of trusted leaders, is the key to balancing these aspects. Along with actively assessing other people’s emotions to understand how we can connect to them in a meaningful and authentic way, developing this skill can lead to more effective leadership and stronger relationships.

Social intelligence involves many factors, including gauging dynamic situations, complex emotions, and subtle and sometimes unspoken language. Trusted leaders who are socially intelligent read the moods of other people, assessing their motives and mental state. It encompasses both a broad social understanding and relationship management.

Accurately reading a room in a social setting is one piece of the puzzle. The other is the ability to respond to what you perceive in a way that benefits everyone. A trusted leader will guide what’s happening socially in a way that resolves and reduces conflict and creates mutually beneficial and productive relationships.

Attributes of Leaders with Social Intelligence

• Express genuine empathy and interest in others
• Are mindful and active listeners
• Feel confident in social settings
• Are flexible during changing social situations
• Communicate their thoughts and feelings with clarity and confidence
• Have great self-awareness
• Can interact well with a diverse array of people
• Accurately assess social situations
• Have the ability to respond to social environments in a positive way

Trusted leaders demonstrate their social intelligence in various ways. They use it to find rare bridges of connection, to use humor to break up tension, and to be patient and dependable. By promoting safe environments, praising others, handling constructive feedback with grace, and keeping others’ best interests at heart, they create a positive work environment where everyone feels valued and motivated.

In our next blog, we will explore the characteristics of trusted leaders: expertise. Before moving on, you might want to reflect on what stood out to you the most about social intelligence and consider any new ways you may implement it in your workplace.