70 years on the throne and Queen Elizabeth–the longest serving monarch–has shown some strong emotional intelligence in handling the family dynamic.
Social Awareness
The last several years have proven to be anything but smooth sailing when it comes to the Royal Family. Between scandals and drama, Queen Elizabeth has had to take into consideration all that is happening in the family and what the public is seeing and hearing. Two key social awareness strategies she has employed quite nicely are seeking the whole picture and catching the mood of the room. Consider the ability of the Queen to get below the surface of some of what’s going on and understanding how to frame them for the general public. When you seek the whole picture, having better conversations to truly understand the full context of situations are extremely important before making a judgement call. When you catch the mood–and in this case–of the public, it’s important to understand perceptions that may or may not be reality.
Relationship Management
Strong social awareness can lead to even more effective relationship management. The more the Queen has been able to understand the needs of all parties involved, the more effective she has been at having a successful jubilee celebration. Two key relationship management strategies stand out. First, avoiding giving mixed signals. By choosing specifically who would be seen on the Queens balcony at specific times and where members of the royal family would be seated at events, she was able to control the interaction and subsequently, the narrative. By using the strategy of not avoiding the inevitable, it allowed Her Majesty to not ignore what was important to the general public and what was important to her and the family, hence being very strategic in her decisions.
The platinum jubilee is now in the books. The Queen, her family, and everyone who watched were entertained and by all accounts, satisfied in part because the 96-year-old Monarch acted with emotional intelligence.
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