It takes all kinds of smarts to succeed in the promo industry. You need to be able to juggle client requests, budgets, product sourcing and much more, often all at once with competing deadlines. And that’s just part of the job. You also need to be able to tap into your skills and use them well. It’s not just about what you know but about how you connect, communicate and adapt along the way.

Dr. Shanda Gore, the founder and president of Mays and Associates, Ltd., a global consulting firm, says leaders should master several types of intelligence to motivate and influence their teams effectively. We share her thoughts in this issue of PromoPro Daily.

  1. Emotional intelligence. This is the ability to use emotions to communicate a message effectively with others, Dr. Gore says. You can tell someone excels in this kind of intelligence if they know how to perceive, evaluate and relate well to others. The best part of emotional intelligence, according to Dr. Gore, is that it gives you and your team members a level of grace in terms of making mistakes.

  2. Intrapersonal intelligence. Leaders with high intrapersonal intelligence reflect each day. Dr. Gore says they regularly check in with their dreams, hopes and vision for themselves before attempting to communicate their message to others.

  3. Interpersonal intelligence. This kind of intelligence expands the ability to build and maintain positive relationships. According to Dr. Gore, knowing your limits and setting boundaries is one indicator of interpersonal intelligence. This kind of intelligence requires a consistent analysis of the environment and the context in which a message is sent, either verbally or nonverbally. 

  4. Artificial intelligence. Dr. Gore recommends leaders use AI to complement and augment the other 3 intelligences. AI may not always get it right, she says, but the more practice you get with AI, the more useful it can become for you. For example, you could try using AI to predict buying behavior or analyze client data. The goal isn’t to replace human judgment but to reduce guesswork and sharpen your focus.

Whatever your role in the promo industry, it’s smart to embrace different types of intelligence. When you combine what you know, like your product expertise with your people skills, you work more effectively and build stronger connections.

Compiled by Audrey Sellers
Source: Dr. Shanda Gore is the founder and president of Mays and Associates, Ltd., a full-service leadership development, strategic planning and culture-building consulting firm.