Whether it pertains to daily operations, corporate training or ad-hoc project assignments, intelligent decision-making is a crucial leadership skill. Here are some daily habits that can help leaders become more intelligent decision-makers.

General Intelligence

General intelligence refers to common sense, problem-solving skills and cognitive abilities. The importance of a corporate leader or trainer’s general intelligence cannot be overstated. Since this is a subject that has been studied extensively, there are plenty of proven methods to bolster general intelligence.

Thinking creatively or outside-of-the-box, regularly pursuing new challenges, and completing tasks completely and on time are all great ways to increase cognitive potential. Moreover, most corporate environments lend themselves nicely to these activities. To maximize the general intelligence of your trainees, you can also encourage them to read more often, establish and meet life goals, maintain a healthy diet, and even exercise on a regular basis.

Learning can also improve intelligence. There has been a great deal of research investigating the correlation between increased IQ and learning a musical instrument, for example. Separate studies have explored a similar connection with learning a foreign language, which is also useful when preparing employees to conduct global or international business.

Believe it or not, certain “brain games” can actually make you smarter. There have been numerous neuroscientific studies performed on the topic, though they’ve yielded mixed results thus far. Nevertheless, many highly reputable organizations and entities have touted the benefits of certain learning games. Try some of them for yourself, and then pass them on to your developing leaders.

Emotional Intelligence

In addition to general intelligence, emotional intelligence is extremely important for dealing with people in a business environment. According to psychologist Daniel Goleman, there are five specific components of emotional intelligence:

• Self-awareness
• Self-regulation
• Professional motivation
• Empathy
• Social skills

Not only are these great qualities to maintain in everyday life, but they can work wonders when utilized in a corporate environment. This is especially true when it comes to passing such proficiencies on to your peers, who can then play off each other’s strengths and weaknesses to forge a successful team.

While some find it more difficult to manage and improve their emotional intelligence than others, there are a number of simple practices that will lead to greater emotional regulation in the workplace. For example, by overcoming common negative emotions, such as the fear of rejection or constant negative personalization, your emotional intelligence will begin to improve.

Transferring this kind of knowledge is a rather straightforward process. By providing team members with the same resources you’ve used and offering your input where necessary, you can develop an emotionally intelligent team. In addition to jumpstarting the customer service capabilities of your workers, this tactic works for grooming an employee for promotion or advancement. Lead by example, and it will rub off.

Social Intelligence

The term “social intelligence” refers to your ability to work with and alongside others on a daily basis. Sometimes referred to as interpersonal or people skills, your success as a leader — and your ability to foster the intelligence of others — may very well depend on this trait.

Trainers tend to rely on social intelligence more than other professions. Your job is a highly interactive one that requires a great deal of communication, so it’s crucial that your social intelligence is up to par. After all, how do you expect to refine the intelligence of your team if you don’t develop it yourself?

You can take a number of steps to sharpen your social intelligence. First, try to put yourself in the shoes of your trainees or employees. Understanding their career trajectory, achievements and goals can go a long way in empathizing with your subordinates, forging stronger professional connections and improving social intelligence.

When working with developing leaders, ask them to imagine what the training process is like for you. This exercise can help create a stronger bond. Moreover, their empathy toward you — and others — can have a significant impact on workplace relationships overall.

Try to identify new and emerging trends in corporate leadership and training as soon as possible, through face-to-face discussions and even by monitoring your competitors. Not only will these actions boost your ability to convey the latest ideas to your trainees and employees, but it is a great exercise for strengthening your social intelligence.

Applying Intelligence in a Corporate Environment

Many corporate environments hold similar values and mindsets that new employees are already used to as professionals. Although it might be difficult to help them adapt to a new environment, it’s a hurdle that can be conquered or mitigated by applying everyday intelligence and common sense to the modern corporate environment.

Sarah Landrum is a freelance writer and blogger who writes about career and education opportunities.