Hi, Melissa:)

Nice post ... you've covered some important aspects of leadership and emotional intelligence clearly and concisely.   I cannot argue with any of the elements you cover and appreciate this overview.

I think that of the five things you mention, the fifth one of "Vulnerability" is both the most important and the most difficult to practice.

Vulnerability involves two critical factors, both of which are hard for many people to do:

Risk by being open to others and ...

Sharing of experiences and emotions with others ...

We often have to develop a strong sense of trust with another person in order to share at the level you suggest.  When we have the ability and the time to develop this trust within a relationship naturally, daring to risk and sharing ourselves is easier.

Unfortunately, leaders do not always have the luxury of the time to do this naturally or in a one-on-one relationship.  A leader may be required to lead others abruptly and with little or no time to develop that trust in an unforced manner.  Military leaders in combat face this, as do corporate leaders caught in stressful events or transformative change.

In my experience, this is where the real test of leadership occurs:  when you have to build trust quickly in order to lead in a time of stress.

Not sure this qualifies as a response to "What's next?", but this is where your comments led my thoughts this morning:)

Enjoyed reading your contribution and look forward to doing so again in the future.

John