Emotional intelligence (EI) refers to the ability to understand, manage, and express one’s own emotions and understand, interpret, and respond to the emotions of others. Someone with high emotional intelligence may find navigating social interactions easier, building and maintaining positive relationships, and managing daily life stressors easier.
Emotional intelligence is vital in the workplace for self-awareness, empathy, leadership, and resilience. These soft skills are critical for success in work cultures defined by change and employees looking to management for support.
There are six key areas that define emotionally intelligent workplace behaviour. These represent skills and behaviours based on underlying abilities and experiences that are measurable and observable. These six key areas of intelligent leadership capture the skills and behaviours that manifest from emotional intelligence abilities.
Self-Awareness
Self-awareness is the cornerstone of emotional intelligence. It involves recognising and understanding our emotions, strengths, weaknesses, and their impact on our thoughts, behaviours, and interactions with others. Individuals with high self-awareness have a deep understanding of their values, beliefs, and motivations, allowing them to make more informed decisions and navigate challenging situations effectively.
Awareness of Others
In addition to being aware of our own emotions, emotional intelligence also means being attuned to the feelings of others. This awareness of others involves empathy, the ability to understand and share the feelings of others, as well as recognising non-verbal cues and understanding social dynamics. By developing awareness of others, workplaces can build stronger relationships and trust, making collaborating easier and more effective.
Authenticity
Authenticity is the alignment between our inner thoughts, feelings, values, and outward behaviours and expressions. In emotional intelligence, authenticity involves being genuine to oneself rather than conforming to external expectations or pressures. Authentic individuals are honest, transparent, and consistent in their interactions, which builds credibility, trust, and respect in the workplace.
Emotional Reasoning
Emotional reasoning refers to using emotions effectively in problem-solving and decision-making processes. It involves recognising the role emotions play in our thought processes and being able to evaluate situations rationally while still acknowledging and respecting emotions. Emotionally intelligent individuals can use their emotions as valuable sources of information, guiding their actions and responses.
Self-Management
Self-management regulates and controls our emotions, impulses, and behaviours. It involves self-control, resilience, and adaptability, allowing individuals to maintain composure, even in challenging circumstances. By effectively managing their emotions, individuals can stay focused, make sound decisions, and maintain positive relationships with others.
Positive Influence
Emotional intelligence isn’t just about managing oneself and understanding others; it’s also about inspiring and motivating others to perform at their best. Leaders with high emotional intelligence can create a positive work environment, empower their teams, and develop a workplace culture of collaboration and innovation. By demonstrating empathy, authenticity, and emotional reasoning, they inspire trust, loyalty, and commitment, driving performance and success in the workplace.
Emotional intelligence is crucial in creating a positive work environment. It helps with effective communication by enabling individuals to understand and manage their own emotions while empathetically considering the perspectives of others. This ability builds trust and transparency in the workplace, contributing to a culture of open dialogue and mutual respect. Additionally, emotional intelligence equips individuals with the skills to navigate conflicts constructively, finding solutions that satisfy all parties involved. It also helps employees manage stress and build resilience in response to workplace pressures. Emotional intelligence is pivotal in collaboration, confidence, and overall workplace satisfaction.
Luckily, emotional intelligence is a skill that can be taught. Becoming more self-aware is just the start of what can be an incredible journey of becoming more emotionally intelligent. If you’d like to explore this, we are holding a free information session on 6th March about our Lead, Empower & Thrive with EI program. This information session runs for 45 min, and the related program will be a series of 6 x 2-hour virtual instructor-led learning modules starting from the 3rd April, 2024.