Emotional Intelligence
A crucial skill to master in Life and Workplace
Consider these two workplace examples:
Scenario 1:
During a team meeting, Sarah notices that her colleague, Mayank, seems a bit quiet and withdrawn. Instead of ignoring it, Sarah approaches Mayank privately after the meeting.
Sarah: “Hey Mayank, I noticed you seemed a bit quiet during the meeting. Is everything okay?”
Mayank opens up on some personal challenges he’s facing, affecting his mood at work.
Sarah: “I appreciate you sharing that with me, Mayank. If you ever want to talk more or need any help, I’m here for you.”
Scenario 2:
Kiran, a team leader, receives feedback from his team that they feel overwhelmed with the workload and tight deadlines. Instead of acknowledging their concerns, Kiran dismisses them and insists that they need to work harder to meet the targets.
Kiran: “I don’t want to hear excuses. We have goals to meet, and I expect everyone to step up their game. If you can’t handle the pressure, maybe this isn’t the right team for you.
What is the difference between the two managers here? The answer is Emotional Intelligence.
After noticing a change in Mayank’s behavior, she actively listens to his concerns and responds with empathy.
She is also communicating her willingness to help him and provide assistance if needed. This is a display of high emotional intelligence by Sarah.
Whereas Kiran fails to recognize and address the needs of his team. Instead of understanding their concerns and finding solutions, he dismisses their feelings to create an unsupportive work environment. Kiran is an example of having poor emotional intelligence.
What is Emotional Intelligence?
Emotional Intelligence (E.I) is the ability to manage both your own emotions and understanding the emotions of others around you.
People with high Emotional Intelligence identify their feelings and understand how it impacts their behavior with others. They know that they cannot control how others feel or behave.
Therefore, they simply identify the emotions behind other’s behavior to have a better understanding of where they are coming from and the best way to interact with them.
Elements of Emotional Intelligence
There are four domains that contribute to Emotional Intelligence and certain competencies or abilities associated with each.
1. Self-Awareness
Self-awareness is recognizing and understanding one’s own emotions, as well as being aware of the impact of these emotions on thoughts, behaviors, and decisions.
Competency displayed: When you are self-aware of your emotions you have a clear understanding of your strengths and areas of improvement.
You also believe in your abilities to tackle challenges with confidence.
2. Self-Management
Self-management is the ability to control and regulate one’s own emotions and behaviors effectively.
You display excellent self-management when you can avoid making impulsive decisions and think objectively before acting.
Thoughtful decision making in the workplace fosters better outcomes by careful consideration of options.
3. Social Awareness
Social awareness is identifying and understanding the emotions and their underlying factors of other people around you.
When you are humble towards your colleagues, it enhances communication, strengthens relationships, promotes inclusivity, and contributes to a supportive work culture.
4. Relationship Management
Relationship management is the ability to navigate social interactions, communicate effectively and build positive relationships with others.
Having good vibes with your work buddies can work wonders in your workplace – especially during conflict resolution. Any disagreements or quarrels among the team members can be easily handled.
When you’re the team member who genuinely motivates others, you naturally step into the role of an inspirational leader. Your ability to contribute to team efforts sets the tone for shared success.
Practical steps to improve your Emotional Intelligence
- Respond but don’t react to emotions – When someone upsets you – don’t just lash out in return. Try to give some thought to the emotion underneath their behavior.
- Understand that nobody is good at everything, everyone has weaknesses. Think about your strengths and weakness and play according to that. Know when to ask for – or offer – help.
- Work on communicating effectively and listening actively in the workplace. Get straight to the point and cut out irrelevant information.
- Try to understand non-verbal communication from others. If you’re asking for help from someone and they agree but sound hesitant, recognize that hesitance because they may come from a different background than yours. Address this issue quickly before moving forward.
CONCLUSION
Individuals with high Emotional Intelligence are self-aware, think objectively and display humility. They can balance this humility with empathy. This translates into colleagues feeling valued and appreciated in the team. Fortunately, Emotional Intelligence is a dynamic and trainable skill set. With some thoughtfulness and practice, you can enhance this skill with practice and intentional development efforts.
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