You don’t have to introduce a revolutionary way of doing things, provide fresh new insights or demonstrate an uncanny ability to anticipate future challenges and opportunities. Sometimes it’s enough to be a decent human being, someone with integrity and compassion, some one with emotional intelligence. Sometimes it’s enough to be yourself.

Communication and emotional intelligence are central to maintain a promising start in an organisation whatever the size, complexity and nature of the business. So what does effective communication and emotional intelligence look like in a successful manager/leader ?

It’s about understanding people, making a connection, knowing what to say. It tends to go with the ability to empathise. It comes more naturally to some people than others but all managers can improve their listening skills. Listening involves being willing to open up discussions not close it down. Unlike Brian Clough who memorably said, “ I listen to what a player has to say, we have a discussion and then we decide I was right”. Unfortunately there are plenty of managers who still think this is   “listening” or letting people have their say.

The type of listening I am referring to is not about seeing dissent as personal disloyalty. Being willing to listen is not compatible with a blame culture, where people are criticised for making a mistake. Remove the fear factor and you release the creativity within the group.

Such an approach encourages collaboration rather than competition within the senior management team. The combination of modelling emotional intelligence, developing a listening culture and encouraging creativity and innovation signals an organisation prepared to think outside the box.

Thinking outside the box is essential to tackle some of the big issues facing organisation like recruitment, retention and management burnout. In these circumstances an organisation that is led by a compassionate individual seems spot on.