Emotional Intelligence

THE MODEL OF EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

We all have different personalities, needs and wishes and different ways of expressing our emotions. Navigating through all this takes balanced thinking and cleverness –particularly if we tend to hope to achieve good health, wellbeing in life and plays a great role. Emotional intelligence is the capacity to recognize one’s emotions, understand what they’re conveying, and realize how emotions affect oneself and people around you. It also involves one’s perception of the emotions of others: understanding how others feel and the ability to manage relationships more effectively. Emotional intelligence is something that not only improves our personal wellbeing, but also enhances performance at work. Hence, in this article we are going to discuss the model of emotional intelligence and how it is essential in maintaining overall health and wellbeing.

The Model of Emotional Intelligence

The original model of emotional intelligence was proposed by Daniel Goleman. According to Goleman, emotional intelligence is the ability to perceive emotions accurately, to access and generate emotions to assist thought, to understand one’s own and others’ emotions and emotional knowledge, and to regulate emotions to promote emotional and intellectual growth and wellbeing. Daniel Goleman has stated that there are five components that form the model of emotional intelligence. The absence of any one of these elements can hinder a person’s efforts in pursuing emotional intelligence. The components are –

• Self-awareness – All emotional intelligence learning is dependent on the development of this component of EQ. Self-awareness can be defined as the ability of a person to simply be aware of one’s emotions. A person who is highly self-aware is able to accurately identify and label each particular emotion that he/she is feeling, the main component of emotional intelligence. Goleman suggests that people who are high on this element of emotional intelligence are receptive to and able to learn from criticism and have a thorough understanding of their strengths and weaknesses.
• Self-regulation – Self-regulation is the ability to control or redirect disruptive moods or emotions and express them appropriately. It is the skill to monitor and regulate one’s own thoughts, emotions and behavior and altering or expressing them in accordance with the demands of the situation. Goleman defines emotional maturity in self-regulation as being able to take full responsibility for one’s actions and being able to respond correctly to the irrational emotions and behaviors of others. Those who are skilled in this ability tend to be flexible, adapt well to change and are good at conflict management.
• Motivation – Motivation refers to the internal process that initiates, guides and maintains goal-oriented behaviors. Specifically, intrinsic or internal motivation plays an important role in emotional intelligence. Intrinsic motivation is a crucial concept in emotional intelligence. It is the kind that comes from within and fuels an individual to overcome a challenge and achieve the goal. People who are emotionally intelligent are energized by things beyond external rewards such as money, to fulfill their inner happiness and goals. Those who are competent in this area are action oriented, set goals and tend to be very committed and have a high need for achievement.
• Empathy – Empathy or the ability to share someone else’s feelings or experiences as if they were one’s own is critical to emotional intelligence. It is important to be empathetic rather than sympathetic in order to be emotionally intelligent. Goleman suggests that people high on empathy are self-disciplined, optimists, competitive, initiative, resourceful and determined. People who are high on empathy are competitive, initiative, compassionate and resourceful.
• Social Skills – Social skills involve expertise in managing and sustaining relationships and the ability to interact well with others. It also involves the ability to guide and inspire others and diffuse stressful situations using cooperation and negotiation. People who possess high social skills are effective in leading change, persuasive, active listeners and have good verbal communication skills.

The model of emotional intelligence provides a clear framework as to how emotional intelligence can be built and how personal qualities can be enhanced. These five components can help a person achieve good health and wellbeing, both in life and work.

Types of Emotional Intelligence

Emotions are described as a natural state of mind derived from both our current and past life experiences. On the other hand, emotional intelligence is an ability of having the awareness and the skill to recognize and understand feelings and emotions, use them in a constructive way and its types involve learning how to manage feelings and emotions and to use this information to guide our behavior.

Emotional intelligence drives our decision-making ability and teaches us various problem-solving, self-management skills and is known to be a relatively stable talent which can be acquired more readily and can be taught. The following are the types or components of emotional intelligence we need to effectively practice to control our behavior: –

• Self-awareness- Self-awareness is the capacity of an individual to recognize and understand emotions and to have a sense of how emotions have an effect on our mood and how we act. It involves keeping track of and noticing different emotional reactions, as well as being able to identify them correctly. It includes having awareness of your own strengths and limitations.

Self-awareness is associated with being open to challenging experiences and new ideas and learning from social interactions. People with high emotional intelligence have an awareness of how certain emotional states are associated with specific thought processes and its type associated with this concept is understanding emotions and how they can drive a person’s thinking.

• Self-regulation – Self-regulation is the component of emotional intelligence which includes being flexible, being able to cope with change and manage work conflicts. It also refers to dissolving tense situations and being aware of the impact of one’s actions and taking ownership of it. This aspect of emotional intelligence and its type involves the appropriate expression of emotion. Highly skilled individuals are able to manage the emotions of themselves and others. This type of intelligence is effective emotion management. These individuals are socio-emotionally aware.

• Social skills – This component of emotional intelligence refers to how well one can read emotions while interacting well with the people around you. It involves applying the understanding of emotions of ourselves and others and being able to communicate effectively with them on a day-to-day basis. Different social skills include active listening, having good verbal and non-verbal communication skills and developing connections. Highly emotionally intelligent people have an appreciation for emotions and respect their meaning.

• Empathy – Empathy is being able to understand how other people feel. Such emotional intelligence and its type enable us to respond appropriately to other people based on their emotions. It enables us to sense the power dynamics that play a part in all social relationships. Empathetic people are able to quickly and accurately solve a series of emotion-related problems. Those who are highly skilled can perceive other people’s emotions through their face by learning the art of facial perception.

• Motivation – Motivation, as a component of emotional intelligence, is referred to intrinsic motivation which means that an individual should be driven to meet the desired needs and goals, rather than being motivated by rewards like money or fame. People who are intrinsically motivated are more likely to be goal-oriented and ambitious. Such individuals are more committed and always feel the need for achievement to search for ways to constantly improve themselves.

Emotional intelligence touches and influences every aspect of our lives. It affects how we manage stress in our day-to-day life, as well as how we perform in activities of our workplace. It is necessary for both our personal and professional development. It helps us to mature and attain our goals.

Emotional Intelligence And Emotional Competence

For several years, emotional intelligence has been one of the most researched concepts. Although most studies boost the advantages of emotional intelligence, something is still missing and that is the concept of emotional competence. There is a close relation between the two. Emotional intelligence is essential for developing emotional competence which, in turn, leads to performance. In order to achieve the results that many training programs assert to bring , emotional intelligence is a must yet not enough on its own. For durable results, emotional competence must be developed, based on improved emotional intelligence. In this article, we shall discuss the difference between emotional intelligence and emotional competence.

A particular level of emotional intelligence is necessary to learn emotional competence. The ability to recognize exactly what another person feels, enables one to develop a competency such as influence. Similarly, people who are better able to control their emotions will find it easier to develop a competency such as initiative. Emotional intelligence expands our chances for personal impact. Its effect is infectious, creating inspiration and leadership. As the world of business makes even greater demands on a person’s emotional, mental and physical resources, EI  and EC will become increasingly important.

Contrast and Comparison

The difference between EI and EC are as follows –

• Whereas EI is one aspect of mental ability, EC is the level of expertise of one aspect of EI.
• EI encloses a wider range of mental abilities, whereas EC concentrates on the degree of self-regulation and awareness.
• EC is the deeper subdivision of EI. EI is the primary foundation for EC.
• EI lays stress on controlling one’s emotions whereas EC is the ability to express emotions properly and effectively.
• Emotional intelligence is the ability to identify and control one’s emotions and also of others. Emotional competence refers to a person’s ability to express or release one’s inner feelings and also one’s ability to effectively and successfully lead.
• EI is the ability to regulate emotions to promote personal growth. EC is the ability to correctly recognize, effectively utilize, and appropriately manage emotions.

There are several differences between EI and EC, but one common component is self-awareness. As a component of EI, self-awareness develops along with other mental abilities with which the individual socializes. EI is affected by development in that as the individual develops more precise and a wider range of abilities, the level of emotional intelligence and self-awareness grows. Self-awareness in EC is influenced by development as well. As individuals grow and their EI emerges, they also have a greater possible capacity to evaluate personal patterns of EI and, become more self-aware, and take the opportunity to discover how to manage emotions in a way that maximizes related circumstances.

As the mental skills grow, so does the individual’s EI as well as the capacity to learn to manage various aspects of EI, in this case, the competence of managing emotions as they relate to self-awareness.

The ability to recognize our feelings and those of others and manage emotions well in ourselves is the most important factor to emotional competence. Emotional intelligence is relevant for employees’ work performance because most jobs require the ability to manage emotions. EI is one of the most frequently researched topics in organizational study. It has been found to be an important medium of various organizational outcomes, such as job performance, job satisfaction, organizational citizenship behaviour, and organizational  responsibility.

Emotional intelligence requires managing feelings so that they are expressed in a way that makes it possible for  employees to work together towards common goals in a constructive and transparent setting. When the leader values feelings, so will the employees. Thus, if the manager feels optimistic, confident, creative, forgiving, flexible, respectful, and warm hearted, the employees are likely to show these feelings. Emotional intelligence and emotional competence are extremely important in today’s organization with changing  motivations and behaviours. In spite of the difference between EI and EC, research has shown that there is a significant relationship between the two.

How Emotional Intelligence Leads to Inclusion & Diversity

The link between a diverse, inclusive workplace and its numerous benefits—innovation, customer satisfaction, team engagement, and revenue growth—is well-documented. Yet, the challenge lies in cultivating such an environment. Recent studies have illuminated the connection between Emotional Intelligence (EI) and the promotion of Inclusion and Diversity (I&D). Teams demonstrating higher levels of EI invariably embrace inclusivity.

Understanding the EI-Inclusion-Diversity Nexus:

To grasp how EI drives I&D, it’s crucial to revisit Daniel Goleman’s definition: the capacity to recognize, evaluate, and manage one’s own emotions and those of others and groups. This awareness fosters deeper interpersonal connections, trust, and a secure environment, essential for inclusivity. Below are EI components pivotal for nurturing I&D:

• Empathy: Beyond recognizing emotions, empathy involves deeply understanding diverse perspectives and experiences, fostering a welcoming environment where all voices are valued and integrated.
• Overcoming Biases: Addressing and mitigating personal biases is integral to I&D. EI’s self-awareness aspect enables individuals to reflect on and challenge their preconceptions, fostering a more objective, inclusive mindset.
• Self-Regulation: EI promotes considered responses over reactive ones. This deliberation extends to language and behavior, ensuring respect and consideration for all, irrespective of their background.
• Interpersonal Skills: Effective interaction across diverse groups hinges on appreciating and valuing different viewpoints. High EI individuals excel in creating inclusive spaces by recognizing and celebrating this diversity.

In essence, EI serves as the foundation for a culture rich in diversity and inclusivity. Organizations keen on enhancing their I&D should prioritize bolstering their teams’ emotional intelligence through targeted training and development initiatives.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Emotional intelligence is the capacity to be aware of, control and regulate, express one’s emotions appropriately, and establish and handle interpersonal relationships judiciously and empathetically. It is the capability of an individual to recognize one’s own emotions and those of others, discern between different feelings and label them appropriately, and use this emotional information as a guide to thinking and behavior. Emotional competencies are not innate talents, but rather learned capabilities which can be mastered through guidance, training and practice. Emotional intelligence taps into the emotional competencies of the younger generation, stimulating greater self-awareness, regulation, social skills and motivation. Thus, in this article we are going to discuss the difference between emotional intelligence and artificial intelligence.

The Difference Between Emotional Intelligence and Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence (AI) refers to the theory and development of computer systems and computerized processes, to be able to perform tasks normally requiring human intelligence, such as visual perception, speech recognition, decision making and translation between languages. AI algorithms don’t need to be altered by a human hand, they do it automatically by analyzing information and finding current errors to prevent future problems. The key difference between emotional intelligence and artificial intelligence lies here. Emotional intelligence is a skill that comparatively focuses on manual labor, and can be mastered. It requires training and practice, but is necessary to live fuller and healthier lives. Emotional intelligence attempts to enhance an individual’s key personal emotional competencies as well emotional intelligence relationship skills for both personal and professional success.

The well-known author and spiritual authority Amit Ray recently said in an interview, that as more and more artificial intelligence comes into play in the modern workplace, we must infuse our business leadership skills with the various elements of emotional intelligence. There are numerous numbers of things that machines can do better than human beings, and we actually shouldn’t be very proud to admit it. With the inclusion of artificial intelligence in business, AI now has the capability to not only gather, analyze, and interpret data, but also to develop an action plan to carry out a solution.

At first, it seems rather alarming. Is there even something that machines do that humans can? The answer is simple: understanding, motivating, and actually talking with humans. This is where the role of emotional intelligence (EQ) comes in. Leaders who have the ability to empathize, energize, and develop meaningful, respectful relationships with their employees, in other words, leaders who possess emotional intelligence, will begin to achieve success in a constantly evolving and uncertain world.

What humans can offer to the business world that machines cannot, is the ability to relate and actually interact with the people around us, the primary difference between emotional intelligence and artificial intelligence. Machines will always have to learn how to develop their capacity to understand and interact with others, as well as develop their ability for compassion and empathy in order to be on the same level as humans. While artificial intelligence will need to be developed, humans already possess these abilities, and the human factor will always stay relevant. This may be the only way that we can stay relevant in the workforce, as computational skills and number crunching could all be completely automated down the line, in the near future.

Perhaps somewhere in the future, we humans will be able to develop an artificial intelligence that can relate to humans emotionally. Until then, we will have to nurture and train ourselves to highly value emotional intelligence and its various capacities, which previously was underestimated as a trait in the workforce.

Emotional Intelligence For Beginners

Emotional intelligence is very important be it a workplace or any other place. It is an ability to realize one’s own emotions and as well as others’ and responding properly to them. EI is popping up everywhere recently and is very important in helping beginners develop relationships, deal with stress and handle the changes facing them. In this articles, we’ll discuss EI for beginners, why it matters, and how to develop it and various ways that they can grasp this knowledge and use it in practice. In fact, the concept has become of unbelievable interest to everyone who’s realized that today’s beginners are going to make up tomorrow’s workforce.

In their busy routine, most beginners not only fail to understand others’ emotions but forget to take care of their own emotions and mental health. They are unable to handle pressure.  Emotions affect how and what we learn. Being more aware of our emotions and reaction to it will help us manage stress and communicate better.

Tips For Beginners to Enhance EQ

The skills that comprise emotional intelligence can be learned at any time. To change behavior in ways that support under pressure, beginners need to learn how to overcome stress right away. The key skills for building  EQ and improving their ability to manage emotions and connect with others are:

• Self Management – EI for beginners starts with self- management. In the face of stress, we are hurt emotionally and lose control of ourselves. By managing stress and staying emotionally present, one can learn to receive disturbing information without letting it  determine your thoughts and self-control. You’ll be able  to control hasty feelings and behaviors, manage your emotions in healthy ways, take action, and adapt to changing situations.
• Self- Awareness – The ability to manage feelings such as anger, fear, sadness and joy often depends on your emotional experiences. Being able to connect to your emotions is the key to understanding how emotion affect your thoughts and actions. You need to practice  mindfulness which means focusing your attention on the present moment. It helps brings a larger perspective on life. It  focuses and calms you, making you more self-aware in the process.
• Social Awareness – Social awareness is another component for emotional intelligence for beginners which helps you to understand and interpret the nonverbal cues others use to communicate with you. This way you become aware of how others are really feeling and what’s truly important to them. Recognizing the importance of mindfulness is important to build social awareness. This way you can further your social goals by focusing on the interaction and setting other things aside. Paying attention to others doesn’t reduce your own self-awareness. You actually gain insight into your own emotional state as well as your values and beliefs.
• Relationship Management – Working well with others is a process that begins with emotional awareness and your ability to recognize and understand what other people are feeling. This helps you to effectively develop skills that will make your relationships more effectual, fruitful, and fulfilling. Resolving conflict in healthy, constructive ways can enhance trust between people. When conflict isn’t detected as threatening or punishing, it fosters liberty, creativity, and security in relationships.

The way a beginner handles emotions can have an impact on everything from his relationships with others to performance in the workplace. Emotional intelligence for beginners can develop over time, as long as they have the desire to increase it. It takes practice, but they can start reaping the benefits instantly. Emotional Intelligence for beginners covers their ability to use emotions effectively and productively in a flexible  way which helps them in their relationships in the workplace and in all areas of life.

Emotional Intelligence for Leaders

When one thinks of a perfect leader, they are most likely to picture someone who never loses their temper irrespective to the problem they are facing or someone who trusts their employees, listens to them, is easy to talk to and makes informed decisions.

If these are qualities that you also pictured, you have actually pictures a person with high degree of emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence is defined as the ability to understand and manage ones emotions, and those of others. Those who possess high degree of emotional intelligence are aware of their own emotions, meaning of those emotions and the impact on others due to those emotions.

It is not difficult to see why emotional intelligence is important for leaders, after all, a leader who stays calms and handle situations calmly are more like to succeed when compared to a leader who is ready to shout at their team when they are under stress.

According to Daniel Goleman, there are five key elements to emotional intelligence:

• Self-Awareness – If someone is self-aware, they always know how they feel and know how their emotions and actions can affect people around them. Being self-aware in a leadership position also means having a clear picture of one’s strengths and weaknesses and it also means behaving with humility. One can improve their self-awareness by writing down their thoughts daily so as to keep a track record of their emotions and also to slow down when negative emotions like anger comes up.
• Self-Regulation – Self-regulation is all about being in control. Therefore a leader who can control or regulate themselves, rarely attacks people verbally, make emotional decisions or compromise with their values. This shows leader’s flexibility and commitment to personal accountability. To improve self-regulation, one should be aware of their work ethics, handle difficult situations by not blaming others but by analyzing if there was a miss by them and practicing being calm.
• Motivation – Leaders who are self-motivated work consistently towards their goals and keeps their quality of work exceptionally high. A leader can bring their motivation on track by re-examining why they chose the career they are currently in and by being optimistic irrespective of the situations they are in. Every time a leader fails tries to find one good thing from that failure.
• Empathy – Having empathy in leader is an important quality to manage a team successfully. Leader with empathy has the ability to put them in someone else’s shoe. One can improve their empathy by putting themselves in other’s position, by understanding other’s body language and most importantly responding to feelings. You can ask your direct report to work extra hours and they might agree however you can feel the disappointment. Responding to that disappointment is necessary to build empathy.
• Social Skills – Leader who possess social skills are actually great communicators. They are open to listen to bad news as good news and are expert in getting everyone excited about a new project or goal. Leaders who have good social skills are good at managing change and resolving conflicts. They are able to set example by their own actions and behaviors. One can improve their social skills by learning the art of resolving conflicts, improving their communication styles and by understanding the importance of praising others.

Strengthscape has a team of experts in the domain of emotional intelligence and have delivered multiple sessions on emotional intelligence both virtually and in a classroom setup. You can reach out to them for more info at +91 9740001600 or email at [email protected]

Emotional Intelligence Training For Employees

Emotional intelligence means understanding and managing your emotions. Embracing the variation of human emotion in the workplace can have logical benefits, such as better collaboration among employees and a happier workplace. It helps improve communication, management, problem-solving, and relationships within the workplace. This skill that can be improved with training and practice. In this article we are going to discuss about emotional intelligence training for employees.

Developing Emotional Intelligence Training For Employees

Think of a workplace where employees feel appreciated and cool headed. They know that they are part of a bigger project, working with others to create a space where even the completely opposed people can come together and build harmony. Emotional intelligence training for employees can help in reaching there. Emotional intelligence is the ability to manage not only your own emotions but also the emotions of others. This includes three separate skills:

• Identifying and naming emotions.
• Applying emotions to problem solving when necessary.
• Regulating your own emotions and knowing when to help regulate the emotions of others.

These skills can be helpful in almost every field. Emotionally intelligent employees are better able to meet the needs of the organization than those who do not really understand how to regulate their own emotions or solve problems when emotions run high. Emotional intelligence can help employees identify the real underlying issues when they are working, rather than being carried away by anger or frustration. Emotional intelligence in the workplace is a soft skill that make employees better at their work.

Developing emotional intelligence training for employees begins at planning and runs all the way through to evaluation of the training itself –

• Be Convinced From the Top – Perhaps more than any other type training, you need executive approval from the very beginning. Help everyone understand why emotionally intelligent employees are the best kind. Give them the information on the benefits of emotional intelligence in the workplace, and then plan accordingly for success.

• Measure Current Emotional Intelligence – Every good emotional intelligence training for employees starts with an understanding of where everyone is beginning. There are a number of opinions you can use to determine a good start which can give you an overall understanding of your employees’ emotional intelligence skills. Since emotional intelligence can be learned, it’s important to identify a standard so you can measure progress going forward.

Emotional intelligence training for employees must include the following steps of development:

• Self-awareness
• Self-management
• Social awareness
• Relationship management

These can be trained most effectively through experiences and communication. Simple things like holding discussion groups or giving employees regular time to volunteer can help develop all four domains. Now that you know the benefits of developing your employees’ emotional intelligence, you’re probably thinking how to improve EQ in your workplace, which is where emotional intelligence training for employees becomes a true motivation for change.

It is important to understand what emotional intelligence is before training your employees. Training is about improving how your employees comprehend and impact their own emotions, and the emotions of their fellow workers.

Emotional intelligence training for employees will not only be an eye opener to what EQ is all about but also will train the participants how to apply the concepts in daily life and get along with situations that are challenging more easily and results full of happiness. While some people possess EQ as a natural talent, for those that don’t, EQ skills can be learned. People can learn how to communicate more effectively at work and increase their emotional intelligence. To make this possible, an individual needs to be personally motivated to do this.

EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE TRAINING FOR MANAGERS

Emotional intelligence or emotional quotient (EQ) is now becoming an increasingly vital component of human success in the increasingly digital future of work. Emotional intelligence can be defined as the ability to monitor and regulate one’s own and other people’s emotions, to discriminate clearly between different emotions, label them appropriately, and to use emotional information to guide thinking and behavior. Emotional intelligence is a concept that is gaining increased popularity at work, particularly due to the importance placed on employee well-being and its direct effects on performance and productivity. Thus, in this article we are going to talk about emotional intelligence training for managers.

Emotional Intelligence at Work

With globalization on the rise, emotional intelligence is more significant than ever, because teams are now cross-cultural and global, thus increasing the complexity of interactions of emotions and how they are expressed. Essentially, emotional intelligence in the workplace plays a significant role in understanding, expressing and managing emotions, establishing and maintaining good relationships and solving problems under pressure. Emotional intelligence has a significant role to play at work, because it not only enhances performance, but also productivity of the organization as a whole. According to Daniel Goleman’s model, those with a higher EQ have a greater ability to self-regulate, and possess higher levels of motivation – which can in turn reduce their tendency to procrastinate, lead to improved self-confidence, and enable them to focus on achieving long-term goals.

Emotional intelligence training for managers at the workplace primarily focuses on enhancing five main abilities of an individual. These are –

• Self-awareness – Self-awareness is described as the ability to recognize and understand personal moods and emotions and drives, as well as their effects on others. It refers to an individual’s ability to clearly identify and define each particular emotion and be completely aware of one’s emotional state. It is this awareness of emotions that is targeted in the first step of emotional intelligence training.

• Self-regulation – Self-regulation is all about one’s commitment to personal accountability. Leaders who regulate their emotions effectively rarely verbally attack others, make rushed or emotional decisions, stereotype people, or compromise their values. Self-regulation is all about staying in control. It is about regulating one’s emotions in the right direction so as to achieve circumstances of one’s own choice.

• Motivation – Self-motivated leaders work consistently towards their goals, and they have extremely high standards for the quality of their work. Motivation is an important component of emotional intelligence training for managers. It is a manager’s motivation that drives him to take action and accomplish goals for the organization. Only when a leader is motivated himself can he motivate his employees to work hard.

• Empathy – For leaders, being empathetic is extremely important for leading a successful team or organization. Leaders with empathy have the ability to put themselves in someone else’s situation that helps them truly understand their situation. They help employees develop empathy on their team, challenge those who are acting unfairly, give constructive feedback to employees to enhance their performance, and listen to those who need it. All this can only be achieved if empathy is made a part of emotional intelligence training.

• Social skills – Managers who do well in the social skills realm of emotional intelligence are great and effective communicators. Managers who have good social skills are also good at adapting to changing environments and resolving conflicts diplomatically. Emotional intelligence training helps managers to establish and maintain healthy relationships and communicate effectively with others.

Many of us believe that great leaders are born. The key traits most of us believe a leader should possess are passion, vision, fearlessness, infallibility etc. However, besides these characteristics, a good leader must have a strong sense of self, which only comes into being when he is in full control of his emotions. Emotional intelligence thus plays a crucial role in emotional intelligence training for managers.

THE ROLE OF EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE AT WORK

As we all know, intellectually intelligent people are not always the most successful or fulfilled in life. We all know people who excel academically but are socially awkward and unsuccessful at work or in their interpersonal relationships. Intellectual abilities, or intelligence quotient (IQ), are insufficient on their own to ensure success in life or at work. Yes, our IQ can help us get into the best colleges, but our emotional quotient (EQ) will help us deal with the overwhelming stress and emotions that come with making career decisions. In the workplace, IQ and EQ go hand in hand and work best when they complement one another. Thus, in this article we are going to talk about the role of emotional intelligence at work.

How do Emotional Intelligence Skills affect the Workplace?

Emotional intelligence competencies can be learned at any stage of life. However, it’s important to remember that there’s a big difference between learning about emotional intelligence and actually using it in our lives. We don’t always do what we know we should do, especially when we are overwhelmed by stress, which can override our best intentions and decisions. To change our behavior in healthy ways that can withstand pressure, we must first learn how to overcome stress in the present moment and in our relationships in order to remain emotionally aware.

The role of emotional intelligence at work is commonly defined by five attributes:

1. Self-awareness – the ability to recognize and label our own emotions and how they affect our thoughts and behavior. It is the skill to know our strengths and weaknesses, and have self-confidence.
2. Self-regulation – We’re able to control and direct impulsive feelings and behaviors, manage our emotions in healthy, appropriate ways, take initiative, follow through on commitments, and adapt to changing environments.
3. Social skills – the key is effective communication and active listening. We are able to understand the emotions, needs, and concerns of other people, feel comfortable socially and make others feel so, and recognize the power dynamics in a group or organization. We know how to establish and maintain good relationships, inspire, respect and influence others, work well in a team, and resolve conflict.
4. Motivation – emotionally intelligent people are motivated internally to achieve goals for inner satisfaction and happiness, rather than external rewards such as money or fame.
5. Empathy – this is the ability to share and understand someone else’s feelings and emotions as if they were one’s own. It is best to understand others’ situations in order to help them deal with life situations better.

Enhancing Emotional Intelligence

The following steps can be taken to enhance emotional intelligence –

• Perceiving emotions – The first step to enhancing emotional intelligence is perceiving emotions. This ability relates to being aware of, labelling and recognizing other people’s personal moods and emotions accurately, identifying emotions in other people, expressing one’s own emotions and needs accurately and appropriately according to the situation, and distinguishing between accurate, honest feelings and inaccurate, dishonest feelings.
• Using emotions to facilitate thought – Using emotions to facilitate thought involves redirecting and prioritizing our thinking based on the emotions associated with those thoughts, generating and intensifying emotions that will facilitate better judgment, rational thinking and memory, capitalizing on mood changes so we can appreciate others’ opinions as well, and using mood states to improve our problem-solving skills and creativity.
• Understanding emotions – The skill of understanding emotions includes understanding the relationships between various emotions and how they produce different reactions, perceiving the sources and consequences of emotions, understanding complex feelings and contradictory emotional states, and understanding the transitions from one emotion to another.
• Managing emotions – The final technique, managing emotions, refers to being open to and accepting both pleasant and unpleasant feelings, monitoring and reflecting on our emotions, engaging, prolonging, or detaching from a particular emotional state and directing the emotions both within ourself and in others in the right direction.

Emotional intelligence plays a significant role at work. Understanding our emotions and how to control them allows us to better express ourselves and understand how others feel. This enables us to communicate more effectively and build stronger relationships at work and at home.

EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE ETHICS AT WORKPLACE

Recent leadership failures in several well-known organizations have heightened awareness of the fact that achieving goals through employee performance is only one component of the success formula. Another important factor in this equation is how leaders conduct themselves, which has an impact on employees and, ultimately, relationships. Leaders who lack self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and interpersonal skills are said to lack “emotional intelligence” (EI/EQ), according to psychologist Daniel Goleman’s model.

HR managers and professional training directors have long known what distinguishes an average employee from a star. It is not simply intelligence; it is something else, which was previously difficult to define and was known as people skill. Nowadays, the phrase “people skills” has given way to a more scientific term known as emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence is defined as a set of social and emotional skills and abilities that aid in personal and professional success. As a result, in this article, we will discuss emotional intelligence ethics in the workplace.

How Emotional Intelligence affects Workplace Ethics?

Following emotional intelligence ethics at the workplace is a critical tool for handling moral challenges in business ethics. Emotions are considered as important contributions to ethical decision making at work. The two components of emotional intelligence play a role in this decision making; the cognitive component that facilitates accurate perceptions of other’s emotions and the empathy component that contributes to the understanding of other’s emotions by sharing their experiences.

Individuals with high emotional intelligence are more skillful at reasoning and regulating their emotions and the behavior of others, and use this information to guide their own thinking and behavior. Such people are more likely to guide themselves towards ethical thought and actions through their emotional competencies. Therefore, individuals with high emotional intelligence are better able to manage their emotions and react less impulsively and aggressively to the behaviors of others, reflecting more ethicality.

Those who practice emotional intelligence ethics in the workplace are thought to be able to facilitate creations and innovations that fully unleash human potential. Such teams are also thought to be more powerful than those at the top of the hierarchical structure. Customer-oriented, pliability, learning and growth, accountability, and team dedication are all characteristics of an emotionally intelligent organization. “What do you need to be the best you can be?” is the new business mantra. This improves the organization’s ethical attitude, which in turn facilitates social justice and respect, as well as the employees’ emotional competencies.

Empathy, as one of the core competencies of emotional intelligence, is required to improve selflessness and sympathy. These tendencies contribute to the encouragement and development of ethical attitudes and behaviors in organizations. Furthermore, emotional intelligence can be used in the opposite direction to limit unethical attitudes or actions in the workplace by some employees. One disadvantage is that abilities such as empathy and interpersonal skills such as persuasion may be used by deceitful people who may use emotional intelligence skills to deceive or manipulate them. They may use their social skills to advance in the organization by lowering others. Thus, emotional intelligence is one of the essential ingredients for the success of any business or organization.

Ethical concerns have been the subject of attention by management and business literatures for a long time now, where ethics represents a set of standards that seek to define what is “good and moral”, and a set of principles and values that guide behavior in a society. For organizations, it is important that they be aware of the benefits of this concept, now seen as a critical success factor, that is, emotional intelligence. In the world of business, the use of emotion can either be genuine, or simply a strategy to achieve the goals pursued. It is highly important to follow emotional intelligence ethics at the workplace, not only for employee productivity, but for the success of the organization as a whole.

Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire

Emotional intelligence is generally perceived as a “the more the better” quality. This is true for most aspects and perhaps even for most jobs. It is important to realize that the value of emotional intelligence depends critically on the nature of the job the environment we work in. Being good in one aspect of emotional intelligence may be productive in some situations and counter-productive in others.

The questionnaire which takes about fifteen minutes to complete, measures the four key branches of emotional intelligence using the Standard Ten scoring system. It provides an in-depth side view of the individual’s emotional intelligence level and competencies along with suggestions to improve performance. The key braches in the questionnaire are:-

1. The art of reading people
   1. Analyses of our own emotions in different situations.
   2. Recognizing how others are feeling in different situations.
   3. Expressing emotions and needs appropriately according to situations.
   4. Recognizing the feelings and emotions that point towards any kind of work discrimination.
2. Utilizing emotions
   1. Using feelings and emotions to redirect towards positive thinking.
   2. Using emotions to facilitate positive judgment and decision making.
   3. Capitalizing on mood changes to appreciate other’s point of view.
   4. Using emotional states to facilitate problem solving ability and employee creativity.
3. Understanding emotions
   1. Spotting the clues and warning signs of common emotional states that people go through at workplace.
   2. Understanding the root causes of both positive and negative emotions.
   3. Understanding complex feelings and amending them to sustain great work relationships.
   4. Understanding the transitions among different feelings and emotions.
4. Managing emotions
   1. Opening up to both pleasant and unpleasant feelings and emotions.
   2. Monitoring the feelings and reflecting on the implications thereafter.
   3. Knowing how to effectively control our own feelings and emotions.
   4. Also handling others’ feelings and emotions sensitively.

Generally speaking, emotional intelligence is measured in three different ways of self report, other report and ability measures. A variety of scales and questionnaires have been developed for each of these methods but generally we have four types of assessment tests:-

• Ability based tests.
• Trait-based personality tests.
• Aptitude based tests.
• Behavior based tests.

To see what we can expect from an emotional intelligence questionnaire, one must be able to assess himself in the following emotions presented, to know how we feel about them and be able to reflect on these feelings later:-

• Recognizing emotions as we experience them in the moment.
• Losing temper when we are frustrated.
• Being a good listener.
• Knowing to calm ourselves down when we feel anxious or upset.
• Enjoying the company of others.
• Focusing on thing for long time.
• Knowing own strengths and weaknesses.
• Avoiding conflict and negotiations.
• Not enjoying own job.
• Asking for feedback and ways to improve from others around us.
• Setting long term goals and assessing every step of the way.
• Being able to read emotions of people.
• Struggling to build a rapport.
• Using active listening skill for other people.

We make emotionally charged decisions everyday of our life. When we understand the origin of our emotions, especially when we are working in a team, we are more in tune with others. With globalization, emotional intelligence is more significant than ever now, increasing the complexity of emotion interactions and how they are expressed. Following are the objectives of emotional intelligence questionnaire and self-assessment:-

• To increase awareness and understanding of emotional intelligence.
• Analyzing the emotional intelligence level and competencies of other people.
• Offering tips for improvement of performance.
• Improving emotional intelligence, abilities and skills.

In order for emotional intelligence to be effective, it has to start with oneself. One cannot enhance the well being of others and work on self improvement without first having a sense of how to operate on an emotional level.

Emotional Intelligence Training: A Necessity at Workplace

Emotional intelligence is defined as the “ability to monitor one’s own and other people’s emotions, to discriminate between different emotions and to use this information to guide thinking and behavior.” It is a quality that is being increasingly valued in organizations around the world. The reasons are not difficult to understand. An awareness and understanding of our own emotions let us recognize the same in the others. It forms the basis of empathy, which is a crucial attribute in a leader, a manager, or more importantly in an individual. While some are naturally highly intelligent in this regard, others can work on building a better emotional intelligence through practice and training. Hence, in this article we are going to discuss about emotional intelligence training.

What is Emotional Intelligence Training?

Emotional Intelligence Training is an efficient way to improve interpersonal relationships, parenthood, duality, and to cope with trauma and changes and to improve our personal capacities. It is a revolutionary method that enables us to identify and improve our emotional skills. Emotional Intelligence Training is based on a new revolutionary concept of human nature. It suggests a simple and efficient way that enables us to realize our capacities and understand our emotions. Emotional training assumes that we can be responsible for our emotions and actions.

In the field of leadership, soft skills are truly integral to the success of those wanting to move up in an organization. Emotional intelligence training is one of the most impactful things in an employee’s career. However, a good emotional intelligence training program must have certain aspects and features to it that are both helpful and impactful to the trainees. The various aspects of a good emotional intelligence training program are:

• A good emotional intelligence training program trains employee in performing and leading under pressure.
• Meet basic challenges that every employee faces such as work pressure, job satisfaction and communication.
• Train leaders into leading change effectively, dissolve stressful situations, build teamwork and connected relationships.
• Increase awareness of situations that put an employee at risk of having emotions lead to unskillful behavior and poor decisions.
• Make employees learn to suspend judgment – become ‘more curious and less certain’ to effectively engage and influence others.
• Develop every person emotionally regardless of their level within the organization.
• Develop self-awareness and self-assessment for higher collaboration and productivity.
• Focus on specific ways to practice and improve various emotional competencies such as empathy, motivation and social skills.
• Adopt proven strategies and techniques that are customized to employees during the day- long experience

Thus, to meet the challenges every organization faces, individual, leaders and teams need to be armed with strategies and tools required to show up in the right way every day, to lead and drive results. Whether one is a formal manager or wants to enhance individual performance, or both, emotional intelligence training programs teach the foundational principles and the science of emotional intelligence to work effectively and enhance overall development and productivity. Emotional intelligence training has become sort of necessary in the current workplace, considering the role empathy and social skills play in improved relationships and how important it is to manage our emotions to deal effectively with work pressures and gain professional success. Emotional intelligence training is thus the perfect way to enhance our emotional competencies to achieve desired and fulfilling results at workplace.

Coaching for Emotional Intelligence

Emotional Intelligence is the ability to accurately and adaptively perceive, use, understand and manage emotions both in one’s personal space and in the workplace. In recent times emotional intelligence is measured based on ability and skill through performance-based tests. This skill-based model can be directly used for training and development and can itself be used as a coaching model. It provides a tool through which emotional intelligence can be measured objectively. Despite the overt claims and rise to fame that emotional intelligence had in the 2000s, it is proven that the ability model is indeed valid and provides reasonable evidence of its importance.

The ability model of emotional intelligence is used in coaching. It includes four related emotional intelligence skills and it is hierarchical in a manner that each ability grows out of the previous one. The abilities are identifying emotions, using emotions to facilitate thought, understanding emotions and managing emotions. Identifying emotions accurately allows an individual to read others’ intent clearly and have successful interpersonal interactions. Emotions affect thought process and positive emotions aid creative problem solving whereas negative emotions promote error-finding.

Although it may be difficult to influence emotions, working on positive thought processes has long-term effects. Understanding emotions means tracking the intensity and change in the emotions one and those around them experience. Managing emotions is the last and most complex ability which involves preventative and responsive strategies. The coach can utilize any such standardized model to guide the coaching process.

During the process, the individual is encouraged to identify their emotions in the moment, be it negative or positive and tired or high energy. The second step involves the identification of how they use that emotion to think, whether they are open or closed to the process and whether they are focused on it as opposed to being distracted. The third step consists of the individual understanding how they would feel about the negative and positive feedback they get from the emotional intelligence tool and the fourth step would be to devise strategies with the guidance of the coach in order to best handle both the negative and positive feedback. The fourth step also includes openness, which is required in the first place in order to move on to devising strategies. Following these four steps continually empowers an individual to improve their emotional intelligence.

The continuous practice of being aware of one’s emotions and how it influences one’s own and others’ thoughts over time can give an individual the ability to manage their emotions and work cohesively with those around them. Emotional intelligence being a kind of intelligence cannot be learned to a large extent but the goal of coaching for emotional intelligence is to enable employees at the workplace to be able to become aware of their own emotional strengths and weaknesses and also lean objectively towards ‘reading’ or perceiving the emotions of their co-workers. This contributes to effective communication and prevents misunderstandings to maintain a good environment where there is a flow of quality output.

MEASURING EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE AT WORKPLACE

You may have heard that what is even more important than a person’s IQ is their emotional intelligence (EI or EQ). Broadly speaking, emotional intelligence is the capacity to understand and manage emotion. Yet, can this be measured? There are many free quizzes readily available to measure EI at Workplace, but as is explained shortly, such self-report measures are not always accurate. Ability tests of EQ are far better. In this article we shall explore the details of emotional intelligence testing.

Emotional Intelligence Tests

Well, put simply, an EI test is developed differently. It is based on the premise that EI consists of a group of skills that are employed in order to solve emotional problems. Therefore, as explained by leaders in the research area, EI is a diverse ability that can be measured objectively. There are a number of tests that are likely to measure EI at workplace settings. Let’s examine these different measures.

• The Emotional Quotient Inventory – This test is the most widely used, EI assessment worldwide. It is a self-report measure for people aged 16 years and older and can be delivered online. It takes around 30 minutes, and the attendees are required to respond to questions created to assess key aspects of emotional skills related to life and workplace performance. Such skills have been shown to affect performance in areas such as conflict resolution and planning.The results can provide respondents with information about emotional skills they can improve as well as those areas that they exceed in, which can then lead to individuals having the capacity to use their strengths to amplify performance in daily tasks. Once an individual completes the test, a report is produced that takes the form of an inventory. Although taking this test is free, in order to carry out the test a practitioner must meet its requirements.
• Profile of Emotional Competence – This is another test for measuring emotional intelligence at the workplace that provides separate measures of intra-personal and inter-personal EI. It looks at the main emotional competencies: understanding, identification, regulation, expression and use of emotions in the self and others. It has been extremely popular and is available free of charge for research and clinical purposes.The full PEC consists of 50 items and takes around 1- 15 minutes to execute, and the short form includes 20 items and takes 5 – 10 minutes to complete. Though PEC is a self-report measure, it needs to be administered by a psychologist who is familiar with emotional intelligence and emotional competence research and theory.
• The Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire – This questionnaire is presented to gather ratings from observers. It consists of 75 items which are responded to on a 5-point scale and looks at the nine distinct facets of trait EI in children.
• Wong’s Emotional Intelligence Scale – This is a self-report measure of EI based on the four ability dimensions that make up EI. It consists of two parts: The first part includes 20 events. Respondents choose the option that most closely reflects the reaction they are likely to have in each event that is described. The second part is made up of 20 ability pairs. Respondents are required to select one of two types of abilities that best show their strength.

Emotional intelligence (EI or EQ) refers to one’s ability to identify and manage their own emotions and the emotions of others. Measuring emotional intelligence at the workplace before hiring helps employers identify which candidates have better relationship management skills and who can be aware of and in control of their emotions. Emotional intelligence tests also guide decisions on which candidates to select for leadership positions.

Psychometric Test on Emotional Intelligence

The crux of emotional intelligence is the ability to understand and manage self and others’ emotions in order to be more effective in the workplace. People in the organization, irrespective of their role interact with others and thus need to work on their emotional intelligence to be effective.

Emotional Intelligence is defined by Salovey and Mayer as “the ability to recognize, understand and regulate the emotions of self and others”. Whereas, Caruso has said “emotional intelligence is not the opposite of intelligence, it is not the triumph of heart over head – it is the unique intersection of both”.

Let us go ahead and see what makes emotional intelligence as a crucial skill. There are two aspects that explains the importance of Emotional Intelligence. One aspect is to understand the ways in which higher emotional intelligence aid in improving the efficiency. So, these can be in a way referred to as the benefits of possessing higher emotional intelligence. The other aspect to look at is the different factors that emotional intelligence has an impact on. These are basically the different factors that EI has an influence on.

Higher emotional intelligence helps in improving relationships with stakeholder, managing change better, reducing stress levels, better listening skills, etc. Similarly, the areas emotional intelligence has an influence are decision making, conflict resolution, negotiation, driving for results, etc. While viewing the areas EI has an influence, all these aspects are very crucial to be successful in any workplace. This way it is quite safe to say Emotional Intelligence is quite an important skill to work on.

There is a very well-known model by Daniel Goleman (1995), which looks at EI as a concept that encompass wide array of skills and competencies that enable individuals to succeed in their roles. He has suggested four areas that is essential for emotional intelligence: self-awareness, self-regulation, social-awareness and social-skills.

Based on this model several psychometric tests on Emotional Intelligence has been developed. These tests help in understanding the level of emotional intelligence with the help of an EQ (Emotion Quotient) score. Apart from that there are also psychometric tests that assess on these four areas of emotional intelligence given by Daniel Goleman.

The psychometric test on emotional intelligence gives scores on all of these four areas and then an overall score called the EQ score. Typically, self-awareness is referred to as the ability to know what one is feeling at any given time, understand the impact those moods have on others and recognise personal strengths and challenges. Self-awareness tend to be the base for emotional intelligence and act as the leading step to control emotions.

Self-regulation is the ability to control or redirect one’s emotions and impulses and also adapt to changing circumstances. When we intend to define social awareness, it comes out as the ability to sense, understand, and react to others’ emotions apart from comprehending social networks. Social skills as the ability to manage relationships and the ability to inspire and induce desired responses from others.

The psychometric tests measure a person on these areas and probably several competencies corresponding to each area and gives an overall emotion quotient score, which highlights the individual to be low, moderate or high on emotional intelligence. This also suggests the areas or competencies the individual has a high score, which is the strength and where they have scored low, that is their challenge area. This way a training or coaching can be planned to enhance the emotional intelligence of the individual to ensure enhanced performance.

Measuring Emotional Intelligence at Workplace

You may have heard that what is even more important than a person’s IQ is their emotional intelligence (EI or EQ). Broadly speaking, emotional intelligence is the capacity to understand and manage emotion. Yet, can this be measured? There are many free quizzes readily available to measure EI at Workplace, but as is explained shortly, such self-report measures are not always accurate. Ability tests of EQ are far better. In this article we shall explore the details of emotional intelligence testing.

Emotional Intelligence Tests

Well, put simply, an EI test is developed differently. It is based on the premise that EI consists of a group of skills that are employed in order to solve emotional problems. Therefore, as explained by leaders in the research area, EI is a diverse ability that can be measured objectively. There are a number of tests that are likely to measure EI at workplace settings. Let’s examine these different measures.

• The Emotional Quotient Inventory – This test is the most widely used, EI assessment worldwide. It is a self-report measure for people aged 16 years and older and can be delivered online. It takes around 30 minutes, and the attendees are required to respond to questions created to assess key aspects of emotional skills related to life and workplace performance. Such skills have been shown to affect performance in areas such as conflict resolution and planning.The results can provide respondents with information about emotional skills they can improve as well as those areas that they exceed in, which can then lead to individuals having the capacity to use their strengths to amplify performance in daily tasks. Once an individual completes the test, a report is produced that takes the form of an inventory. Although taking this test is free, in order to carry out the test a practitioner must meet its requirements.
• Profile of Emotional Competence – This is another test for measuring emotional intelligence at the workplace that provides separate measures of intra-personal and inter-personal EI. It looks at the main emotional competencies: understanding, identification, regulation, expression and use of emotions in the self and others. It has been extremely popular and is available free of charge for research and clinical purposes.The full PEC consists of 50 items and takes around 1- 15 minutes to execute, and the short form includes 20 items and takes 5 – 10 minutes to complete. Though PEC is a self-report measure, it needs to be administered by a psychologist who is familiar with emotional intelligence and emotional competence research and theory.
• The Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire – This questionnaire is presented to gather ratings from observers. It consists of 75 items which are responded to on a 5-point scale and looks at the nine distinct facets of trait EI in children.
• Wong’s Emotional Intelligence Scale – This is a self-report measure of EI based on the four ability dimensions that make up EI. It consists of two parts: The first part includes 20 events. Respondents choose the option that most closely reflects the reaction they are likely to have in each event that is described. The second part is made up of 20 ability pairs. Respondents are required to select one of two types of abilities that best show their strength.

Emotional intelligence (EI or EQ) refers to one’s ability to identify and manage their own emotions and the emotions of others. Measuring emotional intelligence at the workplace before hiring helps employers identify which candidates have better relationship management skills and who can be aware of and in control of their emotions. Emotional intelligence tests also guide decisions on which candidates to select for leadership positions.

Benefits of Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence benefits an individual’s capability to manage and control emotions. Such people are able to identify what they are feeling, interpret their and other’s emotions and recognize how their emotions can affect others. Practicing emotionally intelligent behaviors helps our brain adapt to making these automatic and take the place of less helpful behaviors.

By evaluating emotional intelligence, companies can have a closer look into a person’s ability to deal with stressed situations. Measuring emotional intelligence provides an insight into a person’s workings. Having a culture that is not emotionally intelligent can actually have a negative impact on employee productivity and performance. These negative impacts can lead to a breakdown in work culture which ultimately has an impact on the organization. Some benefits of emotional intelligence which could help us tackle such negative impacts at the workplace include: –

• Better teamwork – Employees with higher emotional intelligence are able to work better as a team and are better at communicating with others. They are open to sharing their ideas and listening to what others have to say as well. Emotionally intelligent employees value their coworker’s ideas and are more likely to get along with them. They are considerate, thoughtful, and respectful while working as a team.
• Better working environment – A workforce that is driven by emotionally intelligent employees, helps boost morale in the workplace. The company culture tends to be much stronger when the office staff gets along well with one another. Productivity is always higher when we enjoy the company of the people we work with.
• Coping to change – A company is never stagnant and is more likely to experience change when the employees are focusing on ways to improve both themselves and the company. Employees with higher emotional intelligence find it easier to adjust and tend to embrace the changes as the company grows. This benefit of emotional intelligence is a personality trait which tends to be contagious, having a positive effect on other employees as well.
• Self-awareness – Emotionally intelligent people know their strengths and weaknesses. They can take negative feedback and use it to improve themselves. People with high emotional intelligence are self-aware and know what they are capable of achieving in a certain amount of time and promise accordingly.
• Greater self-control – Difficult conversations can stir up all sorts of emotions in the workplace. Emotionally intelligent people know how to handle difficult situations by being aware of the fact that their acting irrationally or negatively will only cause the situation to worsen. They can practice self-control and display their emotions in a controlled manner when called for.
• Accelerates company growth – Many companies have yet to realize the significance and benefits of emotional intelligence. As a result, there are many employees out there who feel less valued. Hiring emotionally intelligent talent can help an organization stand out by gaining a competitive advantage over other companies with team members that do not get along well or lack motivation.
• Building trust – Emotional intelligence allows us to build trust with people around us as well as a rapport. One is able to understand the feelings of others and empathize with them.
• Key to strong leader – Great leaders understand people and know how to influence them and inspire them. Emotional intelligence helps us achieve this understanding in order to be a brilliant leader and always guide our team in the right direction.

Now that we understand the benefits of emotional intelligence at the workplace, we know the traits companies are looking for while choosing an employee to handle a project or lead the team. High emotional intelligence should always be given more importance than work experience. In business life, having emotional skills rather than technical skills affects the personal performance and success of the company in a positive manner.

EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE SELF-AWARENESS

Emotional Intelligence remains a key ingredient in the development of business leaders. EI Self-Awareness is the ability to comprehend your own emotions and their impact on your performance. You understand what you are feeling and why and how it supports or hurts what you are trying to do. You have an awareness of your strengths and limitations, which gives you a practical self-confidence. It also gives you precision on your values and sense of purpose, so you can easily decide when you set a course of action. As a leader, you can be straightforward and authentic, speaking with certainty about your vision.

EI Self-Awareness isn’t something that you achieve once and then you’re finished with it. Rather, every moment is a chance to either be self-aware or not. It is a continual attempt, a conscious preference to be self-aware. The best part is that the more you practice it, the easier it becomes. One way to become more self-aware is to attend to your sensory experience regularly, and change your behavior accordingly. EI Self-Awareness is the capacity to listen to your own feelings, be aware of inner signals, and understand how your feelings affect you and your performance. It is an important skill for leadership at any stage and in many aspects of life.

Developing EI Self- Awareness

The objective of developing emotional Self-Awareness is that it allows us to understand how our bodily sensations and our emotions affect us, others and also our surrounding. It provides insights into your world so you can gain from the changes you make. Furthermore, it helps you to recognize situations when negative emotions begin to control you. This helps you to know what exactly activates your emotional reactions.

Being aware of your feelings and their influence on your actions is a skill you can develop. Noticing your feelings isn’t something you do once and then it stays forever. It is something that takes consideration and practice to develop, and then daily attention to retain just like mindfulness. Emotional self-awareness will give you control over your feelings, and the ability to choose how to handle each situation you are faced with.

Importance

Controlling one’s emotions is not easy, but it is possible. Self-awareness is the ability to admit and recognize the feeling you are having. When you are aware of an emotional response, the chances of handling it appropriately improve. You can’t expect your awareness to appear out of nowhere, you need to seek it. The solution is to decide with purpose to be objective about your feelings. If you are not aware of your feelings and how to control them, chances are you may be crushed. EI self-awareness specifies in teaching you how to detect your emotions and how to react to them. With time and attentiveness, you could even learn to control them and use them to serve your mind and its objective.

Most people go through their lives without bothering much about their emotions, either completely ignoring them, or allowing them to control their lives. Emotions are a strong force that can do wonders with your life, or completely destroy it. Your mind needs to spot them and put itself between the emotion and the physical reaction. By doing so, you would finally be able to get the control of your life in your own hands.

Mastering the Art of Emotional Intelligence

Emotional Intelligence is the capacity to be aware of, control, express one’s emotions, and handle interpersonal relationships judiciously and empathetically. It is the capability of an individual to recognize one’s own emotions and those of others, discern between different feelings and label them appropriately, and use this emotional information as a guide to thinking and behavior. Emotional competencies are not innate talents, but rather learned capabilities which can be mastered through guidance, training and practice. Emotional Intelligence activities tap into the emotional competencies of an individual stimulating greater self-awareness, regulation, social skills and motivation. Thus, in this article we are going to discuss the role of emotional intelligence activities in improving and enhancing emotional intelligence and overall well-being.

Activities for Developing Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence is a skill that can be mastered. It requires training and practice but is necessary to live fuller and healthier lives. Emotional Intelligence activities attempt to examine key personal emotional competencies as well key emotional intelligence relationship skills for both personal and professional success. Such activities tend to stimulate various cognitive and affective processes that help an individual better understand and regulate one’s own emotions and manage relationships effectively with empathy. Emotional Intelligence activities that help improve emotional intelligence skills and competencies are –

• Mindfulness Meditation – Mindfulness is a form observational meditation where meditators place their awareness on a focal point. This point can be the breath or our thoughts, but it can also be on any information coming in through our five senses. Developing this observing self is the key to gaining a unique perspective on life experiences, monitoring our thoughts, emotions and actions, and developing self-awareness.
• Make a Journal – Make a list of your daily life experiences and the emotional impact they’ve had on you. Writing down thoughts and emotions help us objectify them, compare and analyze them and therefore becomes one very useful Emotional Intelligence activity. Looking back at the journal an individual can gain a clear understanding of one’s emotions and how they can be regulated for better results.

• Socialize – Take part in social activities and gatherings. Socializing with people is a great activity to develop effective social skills, a key competence of emotional intelligence. Taking part in competitions or programs help meet and interact with people and form fulfilling interpersonal relationships. It helps understand oneself from a new perspective in relation to others and manage relationships effectively.

• List Personal Goals – Listing personal goals can provide long-term direction and short-term motivation. So, grab a pen and paper and think about where you want to be and set some targets for yourself. Based on them and your strengths, make them relevant to you and ultimately, make them exciting and achievable. This task alone is enough to get an individual instantly motivated.

• Practice active listening and communication – Empathy is the proficiency to share someone else’s emotions and experiences as if they were one’s own. A key activity to improve empathy is to listen actively and communicate effectively. Don’t act impulsively and listen to what the other person has to say. Take their perspective and communicate in a straightforward, yet effective manner.

Besides these common activities to develop emotional intelligence, there are games that stimulate affective processes and enhance emotional intelligence skills. For instance, the Zhan Zhuang, a Chinese standing meditation that helps develop a deep level of body sensitivity and the Grounding Techniques, a series of exercises for grounding oneself in one’s body and reconnecting to the Earth, are activities for developing self-awareness. Therapies like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy help improve self-regulation.

Emotional Intelligence is a set of skills or competencies that is the key to both personal and professional success. It is not an innate talent, but a learned capability which can be developed. Emotional Intelligence activities are stimulators that attempt to activate affective processes, and improve and enhance emotional skills and competencies. Emotional intelligence activities thus are a way to understand oneself better and use this knowledge about oneself to deal effectively with others.

EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE ACTIVITIES AT WORKPLACE

Emotional intelligence can be defined as an individual’s ability to manage one’s emotions and express them appropriately so as to achieve the desired results. It is a person’s ability to be aware of one’s emotions, as well as those of others, so as to be empathetic towards others’ feelings and experiences. Emotional intelligence is a concept that is now being incorporated in business as well, keeping in mind the immense benefits it has for an organization. Emotional intelligence activities at the workplace tap into the emotional competencies of an individual stimulating greater self-awareness, regulation, social skills, empathy and motivation. Thus, in this article we are going to discuss the role of emotional intelligence activities in improving and enhancing performance and productivity, and overall wellbeing.

Activities for Developing Emotional Intelligence at Workplace

Emotional intelligence is a skill that can be developed by using the right strategies. Emotional intelligence activities at the workplace particularly target the analysis of the skills and abilities that an individual already possesses, that may help in further enhancing a person’s emotional intelligence. These activities help an individual modify maladaptive cognitive and emotional patterns, so that one can develop a healthy relationship, both with oneself and others. Some activities for developing emotional intelligence at the workplace are –

• Meditation – The yogic method of meditation consists of a sequence of techniques for refocusing attention. Meditation is a practice where an individual focuses their mind on a particular object, thought or activity – to gain awareness and achieve a mentally clear, emotionally calm and stable state. The goal of meditation is to attain an inner state of awareness and intensify personal growth. This helps in becoming more aware of disturbing thoughts and emotions and redirect them in the right direction.

• Art Therapy – Art therapy is a therapeutic means of fostering self-awareness, reconciling emotional conflicts, managing behavior, developing social skills, reducing anxiety, solving problems, increasing self-esteem and aiding reality orientation. An employee is not required to have any artistic ability to use or benefit from arts therapy. Rather, it is through the use of an individual’s senses that the imagination can flourish, process and support healing.

• Role Play – Role play is a common and very popular technique that is used in organizations to test employees’ abilities as well as develop their skills and capacities. Role play scenarios help employees understand their own feelings as well as others’. These situations also help employees have a greater understanding of relationships and help them manage their emotions in stressful situations.

• Yoga – Yoga asana are movements designed to increase strength and flexibility. The Asana can be described as subtle exercises that take care of external as well as internal functioning and development. This is achieved by improving various systems in the body, such as the respiratory system, the digestive system, the spinal cord as well as all the dormant glands and subtle nerves. Yoga asana facilitates the healthy functioning of all the bones, muscles, joints and the nerve centers. Due to this reason, it is extremely crucial to get the yoga techniques just right.

• Motivating employees – One of the most important techniques to ensure employees’ emotional intelligence development is motivating employees. Motivation is a key concept in job satisfaction, employee retention as well as performance and productivity. It is extremely crucial that employees stay motivated at all times, so that they can produce the desired results for an organization. Motivation provides the employee with a reason or incentive for doing something which in turn enhances one’s emotional intelligence.

Emotional intelligence activities at the workplace particularly help employees manage their emotions and keep an appropriate balance between work and life. Often, personal problems can hamper work performance and vice versa. Emotional intelligence activities help employees stay connected to their emotions, be self-aware and regulate them effectively so performance can be enhanced and healthy relationships can be formed.

WORKSHOPS ON EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

Emotional intelligence can be defined as the capacity to reason about one’s emotions, and of emotions, to enhance thinking and problem-solving. It includes the abilities to accurately perceive one’s own, and the emotions of others, to access and generate emotions appropriate to a given situation, in order to assist thought and behavior, understand one’s own and others’ emotions and gain emotional knowledge, and to reflectively manage and control emotions, to promote emotional, spiritual and intellectual growth. Emotional intelligence is a concept that is now being incorporated into the world of business, considering the far-reaching benefits it has for employees and the organization as a whole. It is now a major part of training workshops that are being organized for employee productivity and efficiency. Thus, in this article we are going to discuss emotional intelligence workshops.

The Components of a Good Emotional Intelligence Workshop

Emotional intelligence workshops are an efficient way to improve interpersonal relationships, parenthood, duality, and to cope with trauma and changes and to improve our personal capacities. Emotional intelligence training is a revolutionary method that enables us to identify and improve our emotional skills and competencies. Emotional intelligence workshops are based on a new revolutionary concept of human nature. It suggests a simple and efficient way that enables us to realize our capacities and understand our emotions. Emotional intelligence workshops assume that we can be responsible for our emotions and actions.

Emotional intelligence is something that is now proving to be highly beneficial in enhancing employee performance in the modern world of business. Not only is EI beneficial for employees, but for managers too, as they exert the primary influence on their people. In the field of leadership, soft skills are truly staple to the success of those wanting to move up the ladder in an organization. Emotional intelligence workshops are one of the most impactful things in an employee’s career. However, a good emotional intelligence workshop must have certain aspects and features that are both helpful and impactful to the trainees. The various aspects of a good emotional intelligence workshop are:

• A good emotional intelligence workshop trains employees in performing and leading under pressure.
• Meets the basic challenges that every employee faces such as work pressure, job dissatisfaction and communication barriers.
• Trains managers into implementing change effectively, dissolve stressful situations and conflicts, build teamwork and communication and trustworthy relationships.
• Increases the awareness and knowledge of situations that put an employee at risk of having emotions come in the way of rational thought, and lead to unskillful behavior and poor decisions.
• Makes employees learn to suspend irrational judgment – enhance ‘more curiosity and less certainty’ to effectively engage and influence others.
• Develops every person’s emotional competency, regardless of their position within the organization.
• Develops self-awareness, self-assessment and self-regulation for higher collaboration, communication and productivity.
• Focuses on specific ways to practice and improve various emotional skills such as empathy, self-awareness, motivation and interpersonal skills.
• Adopts proven strategies and techniques that are customized to each particular employee during their day- long experience.

Thus, to meet the challenges and obstacles every organization face, individuals, leaders and teams need to be trained in the strategies and tools required to show up in the right way every day, to lead and drive results. Whether one is a formal manager or wants to enhance individual performance, or both, emotional intelligence workshops teach the foundational principles and the science of emotional intelligence to work effectively and enhance overall development and productivity. Emotional intelligence workshops have become sort of necessary in the current workplace, considering the role empathy and social skills play in improved relationships and how important it is to manage and regulate our impulsive emotional responses to deal effectively with work pressures and gain professional success. Emotional intelligence workshops are thus the perfect way to enhance our emotional competencies to achieve desired and fulfilling results at the workplace.

Developing Emotional Intelligence At Workplace

Emotional intelligence, or EQ, is a set of skills for recognizing, understanding, and controlling emotions in yourself and others. In this article, we’ll look at how to develop EI at workplace. Emotional intelligence is an important application in the workplace. While contributing to greater happiness and satisfaction in employees, higher emotional intelligence also contributes to better job performance.

Developing your emotional intelligence can improve emotional stability, the quality of being honest, cognitive ability and many other experiences at work. As you get better at understanding and managing emotional responses, you can learn to use all of your emotions even the negative ones to incite your productivity.

Improving Emotional Intelligence

Developing EI at workplace is essential for your professional success. Below are some ways to increase your EQ:

• Utilize an Assertive Style of Communicating – Assertive communication contributes greatly toward earning respect. Emotionally intelligent people know how to communicate their views and needs in a direct way while still respecting others.

• Respond Instead of Reacting to Conflict – During conflict, feelings of anger and emotional outbursts are common. A person with high EI knows how to stay calm during stressful situations. They don’t make rash decisions that can lead to even bigger problems. They understand that in times of conflict their goal is a settlement and they act and speak accordingly.

• Utilize Active Listening Skills – In conversations, emotionally intelligent people think before they speak. They make sure they understand what is being said before replying. They also pay attention to gestures. This avoids misunderstandings, allows the listener to shows respect and respond properly to the person they are interacting with.

• Be Motivated – Emotionally intelligent people are self-motivated and their approach motivates others. They set goals and are strong in the face of challenges.

• Practice Ways to Maintain a Positive Attitude – A negative attitude infects others easily. Emotionally intelligent people have an awareness of the moods of those around them and shield their attitude accordingly. They know what they need to do in order to have a good day and an optimistic outlook.

• Practice Self- Awareness – Emotionally intelligent people are self-aware and perceptive. They also gather others’ emotions and body language and use that information to improve their communication skills.

• Take Criticism Well – An important part of developing emotional intelligence at workplace is to be able to take criticism. People with high EQ understand know where the criticism is coming from, how it is affecting their performance and how they can constructively settle any issues without feeling offended.

• Empathize With Others – Emotionally intelligent people know how to empathize. They understand that empathy is a characteristic that shows emotional strength, not weakness. Empathy helps them to relate to others and open the door for mutual respect and understanding between people with dissimilar opinions and situations.

• Utilizing Leadership Skills – People with high EQ have admirable leadership skills. They have high standards for themselves and set an example for others to follow. They take action  and have great decision making and problem-solving skills. This leads to a higher and more productive level of performance in life and at work.

• Be Approachable and Sociable – Emotionally intelligent people seem approachable. They smile and give a positive presence. They use appropriate social skills based on their relationship with the person around. They know how to communicate clearly since they have great interpersonal skills.

When you’re planning to develop emotional intelligence in the workplace, choose just one element of EQ and identify some actions you could take straight away to improve your skills in that area. As your skills increase, the  excitement  of results will want you to learn more. Your emotional intelligence will only develop with each new step you take.

How to Improve Your Emotional Intelligence?

Emotional Intelligence, known as a key determinant of life success, is the ability to effectively regulate emotions by accurately perceiving a situation and then understand, apply and manage one’s emotions. There is a difference in such ability across the population and this can be ascertained with psychological testing and perhaps enhanced with appropriate training.

While intelligence (traditionally measured with IQ) is related to one’s ability to learn, the pace of acquiring knowledge and problem solving, Emotional intelligence is related to something more basic as decision making. There are many theories that point towards multiple intelligences and there is little consensus on one robust definition of emotional intelligence. In general, emotional intelligence relates to aspects related to the emotions and the way they interfere with our response to situations.

There is a difference between the elements of personality or behavioural preferences such as extraversion, optimism or assertiveness and the underlying capacity to be emotionally intelligent. At some level, emotional intelligence can be seen a skill that can be put through objective measurement and could be used repeatedly in coaching and enhanced through training and development.

Many psychologists and popular trainers linked life success to Emotional Intelligence. Many companies relabelled their behavioural training programs as emotional intelligence programs. While there is a connection between personality and emotional intelligence, what’s important to notice is that emotional intelligence largely relates to the capacity to regulate one’s emotions and not the preferences as purported by the trait’s theory and personality models.

Emotions tend to start automatically, alters our attention and thinking and creates certain physiological differences in the body. Emotions are temporary and prepare us for action. Ultimately, emotions help us survive in our environment. They contribute significantly to the choices we make, to the decisions we make on day-to-day basis and the responses we give in interpersonal situations.

To use emotional intelligence for success in life, consider the following four points.

1. The first aspect of emotional intelligence is related to our ability to identify the emotion. It’s the accuracy of perception that matters here. For example, by realizing and naming the emotion we may be feeling at a certain time or in a certain situation, we may influence how that emotion is influencing us physiologically. Because emotions are often related to people’s intent and their expected response, accurately identifying someone else’s emotions may be the key to better interpersonal relationships.
2. And then emotions influence thinking. Positive emotions help us learn, reflect, be engaged in creative tasks and group tasks. Negative emotions may be more appropriate when we are looking for mistakes or errors and identifying risks. When people differ in their ability to regulate emotions, they may differ in their ability to generate the appropriate emotions for the task at hand. This creates a difference in the level of emotional intelligence of people.
3. Earlier we talked about identifying emotions and labelling them. The ability to understand emotions assist us in not only labelling the emotions we experience but also understand how they will influence our thinking and how they may progress. There exists an entire vocabulary for emotions that could help us label emotions such as surprise, disgust, shame, guilt etc. By understanding how each one of them show up and how they progress, transmit and subside, we could regulate emotions better.
4. Finally, regulating emotions is about identifying the emotions, understanding how they may influence our thinking and decision making, understand different emotions and their respective characteristics and staying open to integrating all the knowledge to cope or make the best of every situation.

This openness to adapt and the ability to integrate all the steps above to be more effective in intra and interpersonally defines one’s emotional intelligence. Many authors and psychologists have spoken about how emotional intelligence is a better predictor of life success than intelligence (IQ) in its traditional sense. To sum it up, Emotional Intelligence can influence life success tremendously and can fortunately be developed with appropriate training.

EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE: THE KEY TO SUCCESS AT WORK

Emotional Intelligence: The Key to Success At Work

How often have we met someone who is academically gifted but unable to socialize or connect with coworkers? Probably quite a few times. In contrast to someone who lacks intellectual skills and knowledge but possesses the ability to socialize and communicate effectively with others, their high IQ may help them thrive in analytical roles that produce extremely important output for others. This intelligence is a distinct and more recently identified type of intelligence in action: emotional intelligence. According to Daniel Goleman, author of some of the most popular works on the subject, emotional intelligence is the ability to understand and manage our own emotions as well as 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 recognize and manage one’s own emotions as well as recognize and influence the emotions of others. It is a concept that is becoming increasingly common in business discussions, though it is usually associated with leadership and teamwork. However, emotional intelligence is equally important in an organization’s success. Employees who are emotionally intelligent recognize the importance of their work and are devoted to it. This dedication results in productive outcomes for both employees and the organization as a whole.

Emotional intelligence is the ability to recognize and label one’s emotions, as well as to be self-aware of one’s emotions. It is the ability to control one’s emotions in order to avoid impulsive reactions. It also includes empathy for others in order to truly understand their situation. Furthermore, emotional intelligence is concerned with effective communication skills that aid in the maintenance of healthy social relationships. Some people are born with high levels of emotional intelligence. However, this does not preclude others from developing it. It only takes practice and a few simple strategies to improve our emotional intelligence. These, in turn, benefit not only our well-being but also our work performance and productivity.

Below are some strategies to improve emotional intelligence 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 with 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 areas of emotional intelligence that can be improved include self-improvement, self-awareness, emotional expression, relationship building, problem solving, and stress tolerance. Although most organizational departments are still in the early stages of developing emotional intelligence, emotional intelligence for work success is becoming a popular concept, and incorporating it into the workplace is yielding excellent results.

We make emotionally charged decisions every day. We believe plan A is superior to plan B, and we frequently make decisions based on our emotions rather than logic. We become more connected to one another when we understand the sources of these emotions, especially when working in groups. Emotional intelligence for work success boils down to understanding, being aware, expressing and regulating emotions, maintaining good relationships, and effectively solving problems under pressure.

IMPORTANCE OF EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE FOR SALES SUCCESS

How many times have you met someone who is academically talented but is unable to socialize or really click with workers? Their high IQ may help them to thrive in analytical roles that produce extremely important output for others, in contrast to someone who may not have exceptional skills and knowledge but possesses the ability to socialize network. In fact, it is a different and more recently identified type of intelligence in action: what some call Emotional Intelligence. Daniel Goleman, who has written some of the most popular work on the subject, suggests that emotional intelligence is the ability to understand and manage emotions – yours, and those of others. When we think of it in those terms, and consider the role of sales people, we begin to understand the important role that emotional intelligence (EQ) plays in sales. Thus, in this article we are going to discuss Emotional Intelligence for Sales Success.

Relationship between Sales and Emotional Intelligence

Does the strategy for improving sales results include journaling, meditation, and reflection? 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 a sales relationship. Being aware of our own emotions can contribute to improved self-confidence and as any experienced salesperson believes that confidence is key to sales success. The ability to regulate our own emotions helps improve perceptions of our trustworthiness and integrity, incredibly important attributes for a professional salesperson. Understanding our own emotions and those of others helps us display more empathy, helping us to ask wiser questions, suggest better solutions, and handle objections more effectively.

Sales success depends to a great degree on emotional intelligence. In fact, studies show it’s a much better predictor than IQ to determine an individual’s overall intelligence and success. Sales professionals are aware of and harness their emotions according to situations and can solve conflicts effectively.

Following are some attributes of individuals high on emotional intelligence:

• Not perfectionists
• High on curiosity
• Empathetic
• Aware of one’s strengths and weaknesses
• Self-motivated
• Focus is on the positive
• Create and maintain boundaries
• Difficult to offend
• Highly open minded
• Healthy social skills

Improving Emotional Intelligence for Sales Success

According to Colleen Stanley, the author of ‘Emotional Intelligence for Sales Success’ emotional intelligence skill training is essential in closing the knowing and doing gap. Many salespeople know what to do. However, in nerve – wracking situations they allow emotions to start running the sales meeting rather than using effective selling and influence skills. That’s when non-productive selling behaviors occur, sales are reduced, and emotions overpower productivity. Emotional intelligence is still in its infancy for many sales organizations which is why some are excited to be leading the charge. American Express, Avon, MetLife, Medtronic, 3M, Motorola, Honeywell, Johnson and Johnson just to name a few that are incorporating it into their management and leadership training.

Below are some strategies to improve Emotional Intelligence for Sales Success according to Colleen Stanley:

• 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. Itprovides them the insight to be disciplined in future interactions.
• Assertiveness while asking 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 sales departments, emotional intelligence for sales success is slowly becoming a popular concept nowadays and integrating it into the workplace is yielding excellent results.