Emotional Intelligence has been found to be the critical success factor for leaders when compared with their Intelligence (IQ) and technical expertise. The further a leader goes up in an organization the more they need Emotional Intelligence. Emotionally Intelligent leaders know and manage themselves well and understand and manage others well. These "moments of truth" happen very quickly and stars consistently do what the average performer ignores, avoids or is unaware of.

This article explores the invisible territory of inferences and assumptions that employees quickly make of their leaders and leaders constantly make of their direct reports. Often incorrect or based on limited data, these assumptions of leaders are powerful influencers on employee’s motivation, creativity, mood and performance.

Leaders are under the Spotlight 24/7

Communication is important to all of us, but leaders are under the spotlight by their direct reports and the organization all the time, 24/7. Like Santa Claus the organization sees when you are good and bad. Almost all leaders I have dealt with don’t realize this to the extent that it happens. Therefore most leaders have under estimated their influence on others and consequently have under performed as have their teams. Most leaders are more concerned with getting their job and tasks done rather than how they are perceived by others.

Without realizing it, the snap shots of you are quickly collected to form an impression. It exemplifies what I call "Snapshot Management." Members quickly make positive or negative fixed impressions of you as a leader. If your behavior, posture, and style are similar in three to four meeting snapshots and you can count it on "One Hand." Then you get "thin-sliced" as "that is you." People don’t take time to truly understand your intentions or rationale. They want to know quickly if they can trust you or not. If you are unpredictable, you are untrustworthy in their eyes. Certainty, even if wrong, is more comfortable than ambivalence. These snapshots may not be accurate portraits of who you are as a leader, but unfortunately they stick in people’s minds and become "reality."

How are these snapshots formed?

Below are some of the basic premises that make leadership such a challenging endeavor:

*People don’t have time to truly get to know you; instead they take the easiest short cuts.

*2 by 4 rule: The impression you make in the first 4 seconds is so powerful that it takes 4 more minutes to change it 50% either positively or negatively.

*Many of these snapshots take place in meetings; it is often here that your image as a leader gets crystallized.

*You are always communicating, even if you are not saying anything.

*Everything you say counts. There are no second attempts, editing, or deleting of what you say.

*When your words leave your mouth, you have no control over how they are going to be interpreted.

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