You might have heard of emotional intelligence.
It's the ability to recognize, understand, and manage our emotions as well as the emotions of others.
But do you know HOW it applies to the workplace?
Emotional intelligence skills aren't just a “nice-to-have” — they're crucial for professional success. A 2022 study by TalentSmartEQ found that 90% of top performers have a high emotional quotient.
Let's dive deeper into this key ingredient to help you build positive work relationships and grow in your career.
Did you know?
Emotional quotient (EQ) is a term sometimes used interchangeably with emotional intelligence (EI). While both refer to the same capacity, EQ is the score that quantifies a person’s level of EI.
Signs of Emotional Intelligence Skills
Psychologist and author of Emotional Intelligence Daniel Goleman has transformed the way the world educates children, relates to family and friends, leads, and conducts business.
Self-awareness: The ability to recognize and understand your own emotions, thoughts, and behaviors.
Self-management: The ability to control or manage your impulsive feelings and behaviors.
Social awareness: The ability to perceive and understand the emotions, needs, and perspectives of others.
Relationship management: The ability to effectively build, nurture, and maintain positive relationships with others.
For a deeper dive on emotional intelligence skills, check out this video where Daniel Goleman discusses the 4 domains and 12 competencies of EI.
Did you know?
"Technical skills will only get you so far. If you’re an aspiring or current leader, you need to build your emotional intelligence to bring out the best in others and cultivate high-performing teams."
The "Self" Domains of Emotional Intelligence Skills
Self-Awareness
Self-awareness is like a moral compass and understanding of how you relate to your own success, challenges, strengths, and areas of development at work.
E.g., being able to reflect on a previous mistake as an opportunity for growth.
Strategies
Self-reflection journaling where you observe thoughts, triggers, etc., without judgment.
Seek feedback and insight from trusted friends, family, and colleagues.
Practice mindfulness through deep breathing or meditating.
Educate yourself by reading books about emotional intelligence and work on personal growth.
Self-Management
Self-management is developing the ability to maintain inner composure despite miscommunication, setbacks, challenges, or external factors outside your control.
E.g., being able to manage your emotions when things don't go as planned.
Strategies
Practice self-control by pausing instead of responding.
Develop resilience by stopping negative thought patterns and re-wiring or re-directing them.
Find alternatives to reactions that you want to change.
Develop stress-management techniques like exercise, cooking, reading, etc. — even if just for 10 minutes.
Quiz
A colleague asks for help on a task, but you're already juggling a heavy workload. What is the most emotionally intelligent response?
The "Other" Domains of EI
Social Awareness
Social awareness includes understanding body language and tone of voice of others. Showing genuine interest in colleagues goes a long way in building strong relationships.
E.g., checking in with your colleague about how they're doing, rather than jumping to conclusions.
Strategies
Be attentive and curious, and observe non-verbal cues.
Develop empathy by noticing changes in colleagues' behaviors and showing genuine interest in them.
Seek diverse perspectives from colleagues to show representation.
Relational Management
Relational management includes using strong communication skills, collaboration, and teamwork. These skills go a long way in working collaboratively with others.
E.g., taking on the responsibility of communicating timelines for a group project.
Strategies
Use active listeningand think about what was said before you respond.
Use effective communication and use casual check-ins. For example, "What is something that you did well today?"
Cultivate conflict resolution skills to minimize problems that occur at work.
Quiz
You miss a crucial deadline for a team project. How do you handle the situation with your manager and team?
Did you know?
"The ability to suspend judgment and allow yourself to return to a clear thinking state is called self-regulation. Some people have a much better ability to regulate (manage) their emotional state, while others can let a single negative experience spiral out of control and totally ruin the rest of their day."
The good news? Self-regulation skills can be developed!
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Additional Tips
Itching for more? Look into these popular themes in professional relationship development!
Confidence 💪
Be confident in yourself and craft a memorable presence. You might feel awkward at first, but it'll get easier!
Charisma 🌟
Charisma, or having a magnetic personality, is displayed through competence and warmth. See if you have high charisma skills by taking this quiz.
Reciprocity 🔁
Remember to centre a balance between give-and-take. Having successful work relationships involves an understanding of all the parties involved and what they bring to the table. Check out this article to learn more about the power of reciprocal relationships at work.
Take Action
Be a team player with your emotional intelligence skills!
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