Anthony Edwards is Leading the Pack with Emotional Intelligence

At only age 22, Anthony Edwards of the Minnesota Timberwolves has been exhibiting traits of an NBA veteran. Beyond his remarkable basketball skill set, Ant is vividly demonstrating high levels of emotional intelligence as a leader. Here is a brief analysis based on an emotional intelligence competency coupled with a specific behavior. 

Self-Awareness: (Ei competency)
Responds effectively to feedback provided to them. (specific behavior)
Although he doesn’t always love the feedback officials share, Ant craves coaching from the Timberwolves staff and feedback from his teammates. When he receives it, he expresses gratitude. He is locked in and gives his own verbal and nonverbal feedback–he then puts the information shared with him into action. When asked about his thoughts on coach Chris Finch, Edwards discussed how he appreciates that Finch holds everyone accountable: “We all listen to him, look up to him, and he does a great job of making sure we’re ready to go every night." Ant wants to be pushed to maximize his potential. 

Authenticity: Is open about their thoughts, feelings, and opinions.
Ant is definitely authentic, and the world is embracing it. He may use colorful language at times, but his message is one of belief in his coaches, teammates, and himself. And his gratitude for the fanbase of the Timberwolves is ever-present in his dialogue and actions. 

Self-Management: Learns from mistakes, strives to improve their own performance, and adapts to new circumstances. 
It is no secret that teams work to try to stifle Edward’s performance. Their theory: you stop Ant, you have a chance at stopping the Wolves. However, what has become apparent is that Edwards can adapt. Throughout the season, he has become better and better at reading the situation and making the right decisions–even if that means he doesn’t lead the team in scoring. 

Inspiring Performance: Helps you understand your purpose and contribution to the organization.
Fans have been fortunate enough to hear Ant while he has been mic’d up during the season–and in the flow of the game, during dead balls, and within timeouts–he lifts others up by promoting their strengths. The Western Conference Semifinals were full of instances where Edwards told teammates that he would find them when he was doubled, shared that he believed in them, and he encouraged them to keep shooting. 

Awareness of Others: Makes others feel appreciated.
This is the one that stands out the most to me. Edwards consistently praises and recognizes his teammates in press conferences and interviews. He expresses truthful and heartfelt appreciation for what his teammates add to the Wolves. He has been quoted telling teammates, “I want you to shine.”  Specifically, Jaden McDaniels has been mentioned over and over again by Ant as being an integral cog of the team. After the game 6 win over the Denver Nuggets, Ant was asked what he thought of the team’s response. Pointing to McDaniels, Edwards said, “This guy right here–he led us tonight . . . everybody on our team is a leader, and he was our leader tonight.” As Edwards was talking, the camera panned to a very visibly proud and thankful McDaniels. There is an old adage: what gets praised gets repeated, and in game 7–guess what?--McDaniels did it again . . . helping to lead the Wolves to a trip to the 2024 Western Conference Finals. Appreciation matters. 

How people feel impacts how well they can perform, and Anthony Edwards is elevating the performance of the entire Timberwolves organization through emotionally intelligent leadership. 

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