Emotional Intelligence: The Key to Success At Work
How many times have we met someone who is academically talented but is unable to socialize or really click with workers? Probably, a whole lot of times. Their high IQ may help them to thrive in analytical roles that do produce extremely important output for others, in contrast to someone who may not have intellectual skills and knowledge, but possesses the ability to socialize and communicate effectively with others. This kind of intelligence is a different and more recently identified type of intelligence in action: what some call emotional intelligence (EI). Daniel Goleman, who has authored some of the most popular work on the subject, suggests that EI is the ability to understand and manage emotions – our own, and those of others.
Emotional intelligence has recently gained popularity in the field of business. Thus, in this article, we are going to discuss emotional intelligence for success at work.
The Relationship Between Emotional Intelligence and Organizational Success
Emotional intelligence is the ability to identify and manage our own emotions, as well as identify and influence the emotions of others. It is a concept that is becoming more and more prevalent in conversations about business, although it tends to be linked most often with leadership and teamwork.
However, emotional intelligence is equally important in the success of an organization. Employees who are emotionally intelligent understand the value of their work and are truly committed to it. This commitment in turn leads to productive outcomes both for the employees and the organization as a whole.
Emotional intelligence is the ability to be self-aware of one’s emotions and to clearly identify and label each emotion. It is the ability to regulate one’s emotions to avoid impulsive reactions. It also includes having empathy for others, so as to truly understand others’ situations. Also, EI is about effective communication skills that help us maintain healthy social relationships.
EI is something that some people are born with. However, this does not mean that others cannot develop it. Building our emotional intelligence only requires practice and some simple strategies. These in turn not only benefit our well-being but also contribute to work performance and productivity.
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Below are some strategies to improve EI for success at work –
- Schedule downtime and don’t wait for society to reward you for it. They get to believe the what and why behind their actions or inactions. It provides them the insight to be disciplined in future interactions.
- Assertiveness, to ask questions and challenge the customer’s assumptions.
- Empathy for the customer to understand their interests and needs.
- Independence to foster more self-starting behaviors.
- Facilitate control to be more proactive than reactive.
- Flexibility to adapt and deal with stressful situations.
- Optimism for maintaining a positive outlook in the face of setbacks.
Other emotional intelligence areas ripe for development might involve self-improvement, self-awareness, emotional expression, relationship building, problem-solving, and stress tolerance. Although right now emotional intelligence development is in the very earliest stages for most organizational departments, emotional intelligence for success at work is slowly becoming a popular concept nowadays, and integrating it into the workplace is yielding excellent results.
Every day we make emotionally charged decisions. We feel plan A is better than plan B and many times we make choices based on our emotions and don’t really think. When we understand the sources of these emotions, especially when working in a group, we are more connected to each other. Essentially, emotional intelligence for success at work comes down to understanding, being aware, expressing and regulating, good relationships, and solving problems effectively under pressure.
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