Emotional Intelligence (EI) is about being able to control your own emotions and the emotions of others. Having emotional intelligence means being emotionally aware, able to identify, harness and apply those emotions to tasks like thinking and problem solving. Emotionally intelligent people will also have the ability to manage their own emotions and the emotions of others. For example, having the ability to cheer someone up or calm someone down.
Emotional Intelligence impacts one’s attitude and outlook on life. It can lesson mood swings, depression and ease anxiety. People with high EI are better at conflict resolution and can be better negotiators as they are better able to understand the desires and needs of other people. Relating to others in a positive way, understanding their motivations and building strong, sold bonds with co-workers ultimately allows those with higher emotional intelligence to be stronger leaders.
In today’s workplace, it is important to have open communication, team work, and a mutual respect among employees and their supervisors. Employees do not check their emotions at the door when they come to work. Interactions with people in the workplace will involve emotions. Managers who possess emotional intelligence can better understand and motivate the employees that they supervise. Employees with higher emotional intelligence can overcome minor indifferences and focus on what needs to be achieved for the greater good of the team.
Human Resources can help create a more emotionally intelligent workforce by hiring employees who exhibit a high EI, by evaluating employees using EI criteria, integrate EI into performance management systems and offer training to improve emotional competence. During the interview process, employers can look for certain traits such as: People Skills, Self-Awareness, Empathy, Self-Management, and Motivation.
Emotionally aware staff can assimilate into the workplace with greater ease than those who are simply competent at their job. Emotional Intelligence can strengthen organizational culture, increase resiliency and flexibility, ultimately leading to a greater competitive advantage in the market. An emotionally intelligent organization where employees share strong connections and are able to work more effectively with each other should result in greater productivity.
Managers and business owners can’t let themselves lose sight of the fact that their employees are people, with real lives and emotions that impact how they think, feel, and act. Managers with emotional intelligence understand that their staff members are people first and workers second. Incorporating emotional intelligence into your personal and organizational management philosophy may be the best way to retain key employees and help with overall organizational success.
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