Emotional Intelligence in the Workplace

Posted on 1/03/2021 by Briony Trotter

 What is it and why is it important? It is not just a buzz word, it is a social skill that can positively impact on the dynamics of team and create a healthy workplace.

Whilst the concept may appear ‘new’ to some in relation to its importance in the workplace, ‘Emotional Intelligence’ dates to 1990 when Peter Salovey and John D Mayer cited it as,

“a form of social intelligence that involves the ability to monitors ones and others’ feelings and emotions, to discriminate among them, and to use this information to guide one’s thinking and action”.

Not widely known for their initial research, many link the acronym ‘EQ’ to world-renowned behavioural scientist and journalist, Daniel Goleman and are familiar with his book Emotional Intelligence (1995). 

The combined research was a revolutionary, paradigm-shattering idea that prompted companies to consider soft skills and the importance and power of EQ in employees and the workforce.

“Goleman argued that it was not cognitive intelligence that guaranteed business success but emotional intelligence. He described emotionally intelligent people as those with four characteristics:

1.They were good at understanding their own emotions (self-awareness)
2.They were good at managing their emotions (self-management)
3.They were empathetic to the emotional drives of other people (social awareness)
4.They were good at handling other people’s emotions (social skills)”

Whilst many roles may involve and require technical ability and a specific skill set and experience, the absence of such soft skills, specifically EQ can be detrimental. With the increase in globalisation, the connectivity between countries and teams becoming more cross-cultural, we are seeing an increase in the complexity of interactions of emotions and how they are expressed.

Emotional intelligence in the workplaces comes down to understanding, expressing, and managing, good relationships and solving problems under pressure. To be effective as a leader, to enhance the wellbeing of your staff, it is paramount that you have a sense of self, that you understand how you operate on an emotional level. What distinguishes the high performing leaders could be said to be linked to their emotional intelligence and it is those skills which help to develop a more effective workplace.

To learn more about its power, be the organisation that embraces the nuances of human emotion in the workplace and transform your workplace, call Entrée today to discuss Training & Development in this space.

References:

1. https://www.emotionalintelligencecourse.com/history-of-eq/
2. https://www.emotionalintelligencecourse.com/history-of-eq/