Conventional business traits like industry knowledge, decisiveness, and strategic thinking have long held an important place in leadership and team roles across multiple industries. However, skills gained through training and education are only half of the puzzle when it comes to business success. Emotional intelligence equips employees at all levels with a specialized skill set that empowers them to connect with the people around them and influence greater levels of achievement.
Understanding Emotional Intelligence
Emotional intelligence (EI) is the capacity to recognize, understand, and express one’s own emotions. It also involves the capacity to recognize and respond effectively to those of others. The concept of EI (and its place in the workplace) isn’t new. Since the publication of the first book on the subject, written by psychologist Daniel Goleman in 1995, the importance of emotional intelligence in the workplace has been widely recognized.
Goleman’s book defined emotional intelligence and identified five key components that make up EI: self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skills. Self-awareness and self-regulation relate to recognizing and managing our emotions, while empathy and social skills describe how we understand the feelings of others and maintain relationships with those around us. Motivation empowers us to set goals and work toward them, even in the face of setbacks.
This insight into the role of emotions in the workplace highlights the importance of emotions in decision-making and behavior in a professional setting. It suggests that people with higher emotional intelligence can better regulate their emotions and make more effective decisions.
The Importance of EI in Leadership
Studies conducted over the past few decades have led researchers to recognize how effective leadership depends on a leader’s ability to understand and manage their own and other’s moods and emotions.
When leaders can use this knowledge constructively, they can build stronger relationships to inspire and motivate team members to reach the highest levels of success. Conversely, supervisors’ abusive behavior toward their subordinates has a negative impact on employees’ work, behavior, and performance. Leaders with low EI can lead to decreased job satisfaction and commitment to the organization.
Effective communication has long been regarded as a crucial leadership skill, and EI enables leaders to connect more meaningfully with team members. Emotionally intelligent leaders have the ability to recognize and manage their own emotions and the emotions of others to diffuse high-pressure situations. They can build stronger relationships with team members through empathy and understanding.
High levels of EI enhance the decision-making process with a calculated balance of rational factors and consideration of the impact of choices on team morale and relationships. As a result, emotionally intelligent leaders naturally inspire employees and perform in ways that drive teams toward shared goals.
Emotional Intelligence and Employee Success
The benefits of emotional intelligence in the workplace aren’t limited to effective leadership. Emotionally intelligent team members at all levels of seniority are more likely to communicate effectively and empathize with others to build stronger relationships that improve collaboration. These skills can lead to improved performance.
On a personal level, high EI allows employees to recognize how their actions are connected to their emotions and act accordingly. For instance, if someone who is nervous speaking in front of others observes their emotions, they may be able to react in a way that enables them to speak with confidence. In another situation, an emotionally intelligent employee may recognize a trigger situation. Then, they can avoid lashing out when things don’t go their way. When working in teams, emotionally intelligent employees display good listening and communication skills. This helps them foster a collaborative environment that inspires successful teamwork.
Developing Emotional Intelligence
Like rational skill building, emotional intelligence can be learned and cultivated. Developing emotional intelligence requires self-assessment, self-regulation, empathy, and understanding of others. By first looking inward, you can learn more about the impact of emotions and how to improve interactions with others.
These tips can help you build your emotional intelligence to use in the workplace.
- Conduct a self-assessment. Identify and understand your emotions, specific triggers, and how you react to specific situations.
- Use what you’ve learned in your self-assessment to manage your emotions during high-stress situations. Practice techniques like deep breathing and pausing before responding.
- Develop stronger empathy. Start by listening closely to others without judgment. Avoid formulating responses while others are speaking, and honestly consider their perspective to fully understand how they feel.
- Improve your social skills. Network and seek feedback to connect with your colleagues on a deeper level.
Hiring for Emotional Intelligence
Employers are more widely recognizing the benefits of emotional intelligence in the workplace. As a result, organizations are more likely to implement hiring processes that seek out applicants with highly developed EI. Unfortunately, recognizing EI in the hiring process isn’t as simple as testing for hard skills.
Hiring for emotional intelligence begins with a commitment to focusing on EI throughout the process. Acknowledge EI as a job skill and develop interview questions designed to seek it out. During the interview, ask questions about an employee’s past roles and situational questions that uncover how an applicant might respond in various workplace situations. Observing an applicant’s behavior during interactions can also be a helpful indicator of their ability to handle their emotions successfully.
Reach Your Career Goals With Emotional Intelligence
As the global economy develops, organizations seek out diverse teams of employees that boost innovation and collaboration to stay relevant in an increasingly competitive market. Emotional intelligence gives team members a greater understanding of the individuals they interact with. It can improve communication and collaboration and bring more voices to the table. An emotionally intelligent workforce creates a strong company culture, enhancing performance and improving recruitment and retention.
As a leader in the localization industry, Vistatec embraces the value of emotional intelligence in leadership and team roles. Visit our blog to learn more about our values in the workplace. You can also contact us to learn about available roles.