It has never been more important to have a leadership team that understands how their emotions will impact their team members. In 2020, we have seen how important it is to have a team that can work together to weather any storm. To promote healing and recovery in the aftermath of the pandemic, it is essential that managers and supervisors develop their emotional intelligence and encourage their team members to do the same.
What is Emotional Intelligence?
Employees with strong emotional intelligence are typically better equipped to navigate the complex social landscape of the workplace. They tend to be more effective leaders, more successful at building relationships, and better able to handle difficult conversations. The term “emotional intelligence” was first used in the 1990s to describe the ability to identify and manage one’s own emotions and the emotions of others. Emotional intelligence has become a key skill in the modern workplace, as it helps individuals navigate the complex social landscape of the workplace. Individuals with strong emotional intelligence are typically more effective leaders, better at building relationships, and better able to handle difficult conversations.
An emotionally intelligent person is aware of their emotions. When they experience emotions like frustration, disappointment, anger, sadness, etc., they are able to identify them and deal with them effectively. They are also able to notice these emotions in others and help them deal with them. People can develop and strengthen their EQ with practice.
Consider the following principles of emotional intelligence to assess your current level. Where are your strengths and where might you need improvement?
- Self-awareness – the ability to recognize triggers and limitations in one’s own emotional landscape
- Self-regulation – the ability to manage emotions without outward and/or inappropriate displays of emotion that could have a negative effect on one’s self or others
- Motivation – the inner drive that comes from the sense of joy one experiences after an accomplishment
- Empathy – the ability to recognize, understand and experience the emotions of another person
- Social skills – the ability to negotiate and/or socialize with another person in a way that meets the needs of all involved
EQ vs. IQ
EQ, on the other hand, is more about how you perceive, understand, and react to emotions in yourself and others, and is said to be a better predictor of success in life. There are many key differences between EmotionalQuotient Intelligence Quotient . IQ allegedly refers to how “smart” an individual is, but it may be considered somewhat outdated in today’s fast-paced and dynamic world, as there are many ways to assess someone’s intelligence. EQ, on the other hand, is more about how you perceive, understand, and react to emotions in yourself and others, and is said to be a better predictor of success in life.
We all have different strengths and weaknesses when it comes to intelligence. Some of us are better at understanding and managing emotions, while others may be better at logical and mathematical thinking. Remember that no one type of intelligence is better than the other. Any form of intelligence can be learned and/or practiced, and emotional intelligence is no different.
The Risks of Not Using Emotional Intelligence in the Workplace
Now is a good time to work on your emotional intelligence skills so that they fit in better with your professional life. If you don’t lead your team with a strong focus on using your emotional intelligence, you may fall behind your peers.
Company culture has become a priority for hiring managers when recruiting and interviewing prospective employees. This is because research has shown that teams full of individuals with high emotional intelligence are more likely to create and maintain a positive and healthy company culture.
To attract talent with high emotional intelligence (EQ), companies are learning the importance of making sure they lead by example by being open and transparent with employees and new recruits. Overall, teams made up of individuals with high EQ work better together and are able to adjust to change and remain flexible in hard times. As the workplace continues to adapt to the pandemic into 2021, this will be crucial.
Here are some top reasons why organizations need to improve their EQ or risk being left behind:
- Human needs: Humans crave belonging and acceptance. The world is rapidly advancing, and the workforce is adapting. The need to belong is coming more into focus as technology makes it easier and easier to feel isolated.
- Work-life balance: These days, people tend to bring work home. However, they also bring more personal issues into work more than they did a few decades ago when there was a clear demarcation between work and home/family time. Technology makes it easier to blend the two.
- Improved employer-employee relations: Work is less transactional, as the “punch in, punch out” lifestyle is nearly a thing of the past. Employers who see their employees as people who just show up to provide labor risk high turnover.
- Younger workers demand change: As Generation Z enters the workforce, they are demanding that they bring their talents to empathetic work spaces. With the rise of the gig economy, they are more willing to hold out on sharing their skills.
How Emotional Intelligence Improves Remote Work
There a few special considerations to keep in mind when exploring emotional intelligence (EQ) in the context of remote work. The traumas and losses associated with the pandemic can affect the way we work, and many people are still struggling to juggle all areas of their lives after all these months.
According to a recent Slack survey, half of newly remote workers this year have felt that their sense of belonging has decreased. Isolation can cut employee motivation, so leading remote workers with EQ is crucial. Your employees’ productivity or creativity has likely taken hits this year, and in order to re-stoke that flame, you must empathize with them.
Here are a few tips to work with unique employee needs brought on by unexpected remote work conditions:
- Personalize and prioritize communication.
- Schedule regular one-on-one meetings via video chat.
- Use group video meetings or conference calls more frequently than you used to so that employees can share experiences and feelings.
- Find common ground with employees and team members.
- Acknowledge and celebrate all successes, big and small.
- Show empathy in the face of both first-hand or second-hand trauma. Remember, not all trauma looks the same. Trauma occurs when we aren’t ready for the emotions that come up with an event, so many of us are suffering all kinds of unique trauma responses, and this affects workplace productivity.
1. Use Assertive Communication Style
An assertive communication style is one characterized by expressions of respect for others’ opinions while simultaneously maintaining a firm position on one’s own rights and needs. This style of communication involves setting personal boundaries in such a way that others’ views are not allowed to override one’s own.
It allows you to assert yourself without causing any problems with others or creating tension within the team.
Tips to Help You Be an Assertive Communicator
- Have a good understanding of yourself, your inherent worth, and your value to the organization.
- Keep direct eye contact while speaking. It shows you’re strong and confident and not intimidated by their criticism.
- Stand with strength, yet a bit casually. Avoid standing rigid or slouching.
- Talk in a firm voice, but do not raise it.
- Keep your facial expressions neutral and convey your message with clarity.
2. Respond Instead of Reacting
You are reacting if you make a decision without thinking about the consequences. If you stop and think about what is happening before you act, you are responding.
Making decisions impulsively in a situation of conflict can lead to bigger problems in your career. Make a conscious choice to think of the resolution each time you are in such a situation.
Tips to Be Responsive Instead of Reactive
- It’s a skill that comes with practice, so train yourself to be responsive by confronting little things regularly.
- Always consider your overall goal before making any decision.
- Stay mindful of your thoughts and everything that’s going on around you.
- Balance your emotions with facts.
- Avoid taking instant actions.
- Consider the consequences in your head.
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