How a Technical VP Became a More Effective Leader

As a technical Vice-President, Mark had always been good with numbers and data. However, his emotional intelligence was raw, and this caused him a lot of stress and anxiety at work. He was never quite sure how to read or react to people properly. After a few career missteps and at the suggestion of his People and Culture Partner, Mark came to me as a client.

While I'll provide an update on Mark later in the article, I wanted to highlight some of the important insights from our work.

There's no question that being good at your job is essential to having a successful career. But what many people don't realize is that being a good leader also requires strong relationship-building skills. To be an effective leader, you need to be able to access both your rational and emotional sides. You must be smart and capable of handling tasks, but you must also be good with people. Building relationships is key to professional development, and these are five reasons why.

1. Relationships Help You Develop a Strong Support Network

One of the most important aspects of being a successful leader is having a strong support network. And one of the best ways to develop a strong support network is by building relationships with the people around you. When you have strong relationships with others, they are more likely to be there for you when you need them. They'll be more likely to offer advice and help when you're facing challenges. And they'll be more likely to celebrate your successes with you.

2. Relationships Help You Develop Your Emotional Intelligence

In order to be an effective leader, you need to have strong emotional intelligence. This means that you need to be able to understand and regulate your own emotions, as well as the emotions of others. Relationship-building is an excellent way to develop your emotional intelligence. When you're interacting with others, you're constantly practicing reading non-verbal cues and understanding how your words and actions affect others. The more you practice these skills, the better you'll become at them.

3. Relationships Help You Grow and Develop as a Person

Relationships help you grow and develop as a person. When you're in a relationship with someone, you constantly learn about yourself and the other person. You learn how to communicate effectively, how to compromise, and how to handle conflict. You also learn about the important things to the other person, which can help you better understand yourself. All of these things help you grow and develop as a leader.

4. Relationships Help You Develop Your Professional Skills

In order to be a successful leader, you need to have strong professional skills. And one of the best ways to develop your professional skills is by building relationships with others. When you're interacting with others, you're constantly practicing your communication, negotiation, and problem-solving skills. The more you practice these skills, the better you'll become at them.

5. Relationships Help You Achieve Your Goals

Finally, relationships help you achieve your goals. When you have strong relationships with others, they are more likely to support you and help you achieve your goals. They'll be more likely to offer advice and assistance when you're facing challenges. And they'll be more likely to celebrate your successes with you.

Through our work together, Mark learned that being emotionally intelligent and good at building relationships is just as important as being technically competent. In fact, it's essential for leaders to be both smart and good at tasks and equally good with relationship management. The best leaders access their rational and emotional sides.

As Mark continued to develop his emotional intelligence, he found that his work relationships improved. He could have more difficult conversations easily, and his team began to trust and respect him more. His professional development had improved, and he was finally able to focus on his goals and achieve success.

If you're struggling with your professional development, ask yourself if you're focusing enough on developing relationships. It may be the key to your success.