"Some research states that Emotional Intelligence is responsible for 58% of your job performance and 90% of top performers have a high EQ. So what is it? And why is Emotional Intelligence important in the workplace?"
This blog post introduces the concept of emotional intelligence and in particular the work of Daniel Goleman. Emotional intelligence or EI is the ability to understand and manage your own emotions, and those of the people around you. People with a high degree of emotional intelligence know what they're feeling, what their emotions mean, and how these emotions can affect other people.
Below you will find a short description of each of the five dimensions identified in his research and some ways in which they can be developed.
The Five dimensions
Self-awareness
is the ability to recognize and understand your own emotions and is a critical part of emotional intelligence. Just recognising your emotions is not enough though as self-awareness also includes being aware of the effect of your own actions, moods, and emotions on other people.
People with high levels of self-awareness:
- Can recognise their own strengths and limitations;
- Have a good sense of humor (particularly towards themselves);
- Are confident in themselves and their abilities;
- Are aware of how other people perceive them;
- Can recognize the relationships between the things they feel and how they behave
You can improve this by ...
- In order to become more self-aware, you must be capable of monitoring your own emotions, recognizing different emotional reactions, and then identifying their impact on others. You could do this by:
- Keeping a journal – Journals help you improve your self-awareness by increasing your levels of conscious awareness and reflection. Just spend a few minutes each day writing down your thoughts, emotions and experiences.
- Slow down – When you experience strong emotions, slow down to examine why. Putting distance between stimulus and response will help you manage your behaviour more effectively.
Self-regulation
is the ability to control and manage your impulses and emotions. Acting rashly or without caution can lead to mistakes being made and can often damage relationships with students or colleagues. Self regulation means selecting the right time, place, and method for expressing your emotions. Self-regulation is all about expressing your emotions appropriately.
People with high levels of self-awareness:
- Are able to take responsibility for their actions;
- Are flexible and able to adapt to change;
- Are able to respond appropriately to other peoples irrational emotions or behavior;
- Are high in conscientiousness;
- Are good at managing conflict and diffusing tense or difficult situations.
You can improve this by ...
- Knowing your values – Spend some time reflecting on your values and those things you will not compromise on? If you know what's most important to you, then you probably won't have to think twice when you face a moral or ethical decision.
- Hold yourself accountable – Make a commitment to admit to your mistakes and to face the consequences, whatever they are. This process will help you build integrity and earn the respect of those around you.
- Practice being calm – Practice deep-breathing and mindfulness exercises to increase calm. Writing negative emotions down can also help by allowing you to privately express them before they become a problem.
Internal Motivation
is being driven by more than just material rewards and more by a passion for what you do. This type of motivation is more sustainable and leads to clearer decision making and self-improvement.- People with high levels of internal motivation:
- Take the initiative;
- Are action-orientated;
- Set goals and have a high need for achievement;
- Show perseverance;
- See failure as an opportunity to learn.
You can improve this by ...
- Re-examine the why – Take some time to remember why you do the things you do (job, hobbies etc). Starting at the root find what motivated you to start and what keeps you doing what you are doing.
- Self-assess – Reflect on your levels of motivation for different areas of your life and whether these are internal or external. Knowing this will allow you to set actions and make changes.
- Be hopeful and find the good – Adopting an optimistic mindset is important and more often than not there is something to be thankful for. Every time you face a challenge, or even a failure, try to find at least one good thing about the situation.
- Track your accomplishments - Don't be shy about recording the things that are going well as they can help with the development of the positive mindset and help clarify motivations. (They are also good during recruitment processes).
Empathy
- is the ability to understand other people's emotions and reactions and Goleman believes that you must understand yourself before you can understand others. Identifying moods or emotions in colleagues or students and reacting to them appropriately is helpful in developing relationships. Being empathetic also allows people to understand the power dynamics that often influence social relationships, especially in workplace settings.
- Interested in other peoples worries and concerns;
- Able to anticipate someone's emotional response to a problem or situation;
- Able to understand societal norms and why people act the way they do;
- Able to tailor their behaviour to the emotions of others.
You can improve this by ...
- Put yourself in other people's position – Take the time to look at situations from other people's perspectives and how their feelings or point of view may be affecting their behaviour.
- Pay attention to body language – Body language often gives additional information about a situation or behaviour. Learning to read body language can be a real asset and help you to determine how someone truly feels. This then gives you the opportunity to respond appropriately.
- Respond to feelings – Address feelings when you respond to people, showing that you have noticed and factored them into your response. Acknowledging levels of frustration or other negative emotions can help to reduce their impact.
Social Skills
- is “friendliness with a purpose”, meaning everyone is treated politely and with respect, yet healthy relationships are then also used for personal and organisational benefit. Being able to interact well with others is another important aspect of emotional intelligence and contributes to the formation of strong relationships.
Some important social skills include active listening, verbal communication skills, nonverbal communication skills, leadership, and persuasiveness.
People with good social skills:
- Have good communication skills;
- Have good time management skills;
- Have the ability to lead or manage a group of people;
- Have the ability to resolve difficult situations or conflicts using negotiation or persuasion;
- Are successful persuaders.
You can improve this by ...
- Learn conflict resolution – Take the time to invest in understanding how to resolve conflicts. Seek out colleagues who have strengths in this area and pay attention to techniques used during conflict situations.
- Improve your communication skills – Make a commitment to improving in this area by seeking out professional development resources on the topic and then purposefully practicing techniques in your day to day interactions.
- Improve your time management skills - Make a commitment to improving in this area by seeking out professional development resources on the topic and then purposefully practicing techniques in your day to day interactions.
Reflective Questions - Click to open
▶What is your overall level of emotional intelligence?
▶Which is your strongest element?
▶Which is your weakest element?
▶What actions could you take tomorrow to improve your emotional intelligence?
▶What actions will require a longer investment?
