How can you improve emotional intelligence in the workplace? By reading this post, you will learn this core question more in detail. Besides some advice on personal improvements, I will talk about the necessity and benefits of having emotional intelligence at work.
Moreover, I will address the qualities of an emotionally intelligent person. As a take-away, I will offer you a book and some practical hacks that you can become more emotionally intelligent with. Are you ready for this? Then, let’s go!
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In your life, whatever you do depends on many things. Emotional intelligence is one of them. Emotional intelligence is also known as the Emotional quotient (EQ), is vital to know, control, and utilize your own emotions to achieve what you consider essential.
You want to lead a peaceful life, communicate effectively, have empathy, overcome challenges and minimize conflict. Emotional intelligence empowers you to build stronger relationships, make decisions, act according to your intentions, achieve educational, career, and personal goals.
What’s next?
Knowing the general significance of Emotional Intelligence, you must have been thinking of improving it and utilizing it positively to achieve your short-term and long-term goals in your life. Most of the worldly things we get in our life are through work, whether you do your own or work for someone else to earn.
So the main focus of this article would be emotional intelligence in the workplace, how to improve it and apply it, and why it is important in the first place. But, to thoroughly understand the concept and its application, I would like you to read Daniel Goleman, an American psychologist’s book “Emotional Intelligence- Why it can matter more than IQ.“
This book has the power to completely change the perspective you have about being intelligent. Goleman says:
“Emotional intelligence is a skill that can be taught and cultivated.”
Daniel Goleman
Why is emotional intelligence necessary in the workplace?
What do you think? A person academically brilliant is capable of handling his personal relationships effectively because of his IQ. However, it’s not the most intelligent people who are the most successful or the most fulfilled in life.
Do you know somebody who is socially awkward and unproductive at work with terrible personal relationships but highly educated and qualified? If yes, then you have met a classic example of EQ failure.
To be productive and efficient at work, you must have a solid knowledge of how your sentiments and activities influence your people. The greater you associate and operate with others, the more prosperous you will be.
Based on the research: Women tend to have higher emotional empathy on average. They are fast in sensing how someone is in the moment and managing relations between people and groups.
Goleman’s view on the connection between emotional intelligence and leadership is that there are differences between men and women in this domain. Still, as people grow, they pick up skills in the area they need.
How is emotional intelligence used in the workplace?
Intellectual ability isn’t enough on its own to achieve success in life. Yes, your IQ can help you get into college, but your EQ will help you manage stress and emotions and sustain you there. Therefore, IQ and EQ are equally important and are most effective when they build off one another.
Lack of emotional intelligence makes you less self-aware. Being self-aware when you’re in a workplace means having a clear picture of your strengths and weaknesses, which means behaving with modesty.
Emotional intelligence in the workplace makes you conscious of what you really love about your profession. Recall the time when you wanted this job and why you wanted it in the first place. Then, make sure that your goal statements are fresh and energizing.
“The part of the brain which supports emotional and social intelligence is the last circuitry of the brain to become anatomically mature, and because of neuroplasticity, the brain shapes itself according to repeated experience. It’s evident then that emotional intelligence is beneficial – both in and out of the workplace.”
Daniel Goleman
What are the 5 characteristics of emotional intelligence?
According to Daniel Goleman, Self-awareness, Self-regulation, Motivation, Empathy, Social skills are 5 characteristics of emotional intelligence.
- Self-awareness: Knowing your feelings and how your emotions and actions can influence the people around you. Understanding yourself, knowing your weaknesses, strengths, impulses, and values;
- Self-regulation: Self-regulation is all about staying in control. People who do not regulate themselves effectively usually attack others orally, make emotionally rushed decisions, and compromise their values due to a lack of emotional intelligence;
- Motivation: Self-motivated people work consistently toward their goals. They have incredibly high standards for the quality of their work;
- Empathy: If you want to earn respect and support at the workplace, show them you care by being empathic. Look at situations from other people’s perspectives;
- Social skills: Communication is the key to improving your social skills that will ultimately improve emotional intelligence in the workplace. Be open to hearing bad news as good news, support your team, and be excited about a new mission or project.
What are the benefits of emotional intelligence?
There are uncountable benefits of emotional intelligence, and you can enjoy them more if you improve them gradually. Let’s see some:
- You’re able to control impulsive feelings and behaviors;
- You can manage your emotions in healthy ways;
- You could take the initiative;
- You start to follow through on commitments;
- You are more adaptable to changing circumstances;
- You recognize your own feelings and how they affect your thoughts and behavior;
- You know your powers and vulnerabilities and get confidence;
- You have empathy;
- You can understand other people’s emotions, needs, and concerns;
- You could easily pick up on emotional cues. You feel comfortable socially;
- You now recognize the power dynamics in a group or organization;
- You know how to improve and sustain healthy relationships;
- You have command in communicating clearly;
- You start to inspire and influence others;
- You work excellently within a team;
- You can manage conflict.
How can I improve emotional intelligence at work?
Practice the following tips to improve emotional intelligence in the workplace and your chances of success as well.
Keep a journal: Journals support you to develop your self-awareness. For example, if you consume just a few minutes writing down your feelings and ideas each day, this can prompt you to a higher degree of self-awareness.
Learn conflict resolution: It would be best to know how to resolve disputes between co-workers, clients, and vendors. Improvising conflict analysis and presenting the solution is vital if you want to succeed.
Hold yourself accountable: Stop blaming others when something goes wrong. Instead, make a commitment to admit to your errors and to face whatever the outcomes.
Learn how to appreciate others: When a co-worker or a subordinate proves himself, praise them. Learning how to honor others is challenging but well worth the struggle.
Slow down: When you feel anger or other strong emotions, slow down and contemplate the issue calmly. It is always in your control how you react to the situation; always choose wisely.
Know your values: Spend some time reviewing your morals and ethics. Once you have set the bar, you don’t need to think twice before making the right choice.
What are the qualities of an emotionally intelligent person?
A person with high EQ possesses unlimited qualities. Obviously, I cannot mention all of them here. So instead, I would like you to find some more and come up with your favorite ones.
- An emotionally intelligent person can put himself in somebody else’s shoes;
- Welcoming honest feedback and taking criticism positively is also what an emotionally intelligent person does;
- Be curious! A less interested person is less likely to learn and improve;
- The most emotionally intelligent and persistent people are deep-thinkers;
- They are good at managing differences and fixing disagreements diplomatically;
- They set an example with their own behavior instead of ordering and examining;
- People with a high EQ use their passion to move forward no matter their circumstances. They are also willing to persevere.
Take Away
I hope you learn some sense and meanings from this and understand how you can control your mind and influence the minds of others.
The goal is to grow emotionally every day in all that you do. These takeaways will improve your overall emotional intelligence, whether in the workplace, home, or a social gathering.
- Now you know the importance and how to improve emotional intelligence through different perspectives;
- You may extract some useful information from the article and apply it at your workplace;
- You can be stable in your personal and professional relationships and manage them like a pro;
- You can recognize what stimuli you’re facing and prepare to manage yourself both proactively and reactively;
- With improved emotional intelligence, you can better analyze and process all new information that comes your way;
- Take the time to work on self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skills. Working on these areas will help you excel in the workplace.
That will be all from my side for the topic. I am also in the process of improving my emotional intelligence, and I would really appreciate feedback, suggestions, likes, and dislikes from you. I would be more than happy to have you on my blog, and your comments are my motivators.
Please, share your thoughts, either on the topic or off the topic, and your feelings overall. Let us join hands, work together on improving ourselves, help others, be empathetic, and try to make this world a better place.
