IT Leadership

Effective communication and negotiation are rooted in our emotional intelligence (EQ). Supporting the development of these skills requires a toolkit equipped with empathy, understanding, and strategic storytelling. These techniques and methodologies have driven success in my career and mentorship journey, and I hope they will do the same for you.

The Importance of EQ

Before we dive into the how-to, it’s crucial to understand the importance of EQ. Particularly for those in IT, possessing a high EQ has become increasingly necessary as we emerge as strategic partners driving organizational change. On a foundational level, EQ enables us to build strong relationships, navigate conflict, and inspire and lead teams. Ultimately, it empowers us to drive buy-in for IT initiatives and catalyze change.

Understand Your Audience

IT professionals know this intrinsically — our work is highly cross-functional, and we rarely operate in a bubble. With this in mind, understand your audience and their unique priorities, fears, and motivations is step one in effective communication and negotiation. IT initiatives are typically driven by a need to bring a host of solutions to the table to solve a particular business problem. A key to success here is reframing your communication approach to consider how your diverse stakeholders define success.

Practice Empathy

Empathy is a cornerstone of EQ. In practice, this means truly understanding your audience’s perspective. Taking the time to empathize with stakeholders helps you build trust, demonstrate your value, and develop relationships that will foster future collaboration. Empathetic communication demonstrates care and concern for others and tends to be far more influential and persuasive, especially in times of conflict or tension.

Tell a Story That Matters

A core component of communication is meeting your audience where they are. As humans, we process information best when it’s told as a story. Crafting your message with a narrative arc increases both stickiness and emotional connection to your message, inspiring action and driving change.

Negotiate with Confidence

IT professionals know that there is never a one-size-fits-all solution for any problem. Therefore, negotiation is a critical skill for this profession. Being able to negotiate with confidence requires that you understand your goals, the barriers to those goals, and have a solid plan to overcome them.

When You Don’t Know, Say So

In IT, there are very few absolutes. We deal in probabilities and the likelihood of success. It’s important to recognize what you don’t know and be transparent about it. This level of honesty builds trust and allows you to pivot to problem-solve together.

Final Thoughts

IT professionals drive change. Embrace empathy, understanding, and strategic storytelling to catalyze that change. Doing so bolsters your emotional intelligence, empowering you to navigate even the most challenging of situations with confidence, humility, and success.