The Importance of Emotional Intelligence in the Workplace

Emotional intelligence has a significant bearing on our professional lives. Hence, it is imperative that we understand what it signifies and its role and importance in the workplace. Every individual has a unique personality, emotional strength, different capabilities, and all these facets can have a significant impact in the way they function at the workplace.

Comprehending Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence or EQ as it is popularly known is an individual’s innate ability to understand and manage one’s own emotions along with the emotions of other individuals. In other words, EQ signifies emotional awareness. It is the ability to get a hold on one’s emotions and the ways to apply them to day to day tasks at the workplace. It has been observed that an individual with a high EQ is an ideal candidate to take up a leadership role.

Personality and Emotional Intelligence – Understanding the Difference

The personality of an individual encompasses the person’s emotions, thoughts, and certain behavioural patterns. An individual’s personality influences his or her preferences and tendencies to behave or react in a certain manner. However, it is significant to note that an individual’s personality cannot be used to determine his or her emotional intelligence or EQ. Emotional Intelligence is the ability of an individual to be aware of, expressing, and controlling one’s own emotions and to be able to handle interpersonal relationships with empathetically and in a judicious manner.

A Sneak Peak into how Emotional Intelligence Impacts Your Career

The day to day management decisions that an employer makes, regarding promoting, hiring, and even firing employees is ruled by an individual’s emotional intelligence. Even at the time of hiring an individual, hiring managers tend to look out for the applicant’s emotional intelligence level. Hence, obviously, those who project a higher degree of EQ have a much better chance of bagging the job offer.

Apart from the hiring process, employers also tend to analyse the emotional intelligence of their current employees from time to time in order to ascertain who fits the bill to scale up to a leadership position. Significant decisions such as pay raises and promotions also take into account an employee’s emotional intelligence level. There is no doubt to the fact that in order to bag a higher position in an organisation, one needs to have the right amount of experience, academic background, and of course certain certifications as well. However, there is no overlooking the fact that employers these days equally look out for an individual’s emotional intelligence while they are sifting and selecting candidates, especially for a managerial position. A candidate with great EQ is much more adept in developing teams which are more productive and can also keep the team members happy at work.

Direct Impact of Emotional Intelligence on Your Health

Behavioural experts and psychologists have opined that there is a close correlation between an individual’s EQ and his ability to take care of his health and manage stress effectively. An individual with greater EQ is aware of the reactions of stress and is able to manage stress much more effectively, thereby maintaining an overall great physical, mental, and emotional health.

Emotional Intelligence Impacts Your Attitude towards Life

• A sound emotional intelligence helps to ward off depression and mood swings. An individual with a high level of EQ is observed to have a happier and positive outlook towards life and displays an all-time positive attitude at the workplace.
• If an individual has a vivid understanding of his or her emotions, he or she is able to communicate feelings in a much more positive manner. Such an individual is also able to understand and relate to colleagues better, which obviously leads to better working relationships.
• If an individual has a high EQ, he or she is also able to discern other people’s emotions easily and is able to empathise with the other individual’s point of view. This is a highly significant characteristic to possess when a certain position requires an individual to resolve conflicts at the workplace.
• Negotiating skills of people with high EQ are better because they are able to comprehend the needs and desires of individuals instantly. They are able to understand and provide what is required at the earliest.
• Individuals with high emotional intelligence can keep the motivation level high not only for themselves but also for others.
• Emotional Intelligence improves self-confidence and reduces procrastination. It enables you to focus towards achieving a goal. Also, individuals with high EQ delays gratification and they strive to achieve long term goals much more effectively.
• People with high Emotional Intelligence understand people in a much better manner, and they are also able to comprehend what motivates them. They are also able to establish stronger bonds with colleagues at the workplace and generate an atmosphere of positivity.
• Individuals with a high level of EQ are great potential candidates for leadership positions in the workplace. A good leader is one who can recognise the needs of his people and individuals with high EQ are quite good at doing this.
• A balanced and aware leader can always develop stronger teams by utilising the emotional diversity of members for the greater benefit of the organisation.
• An emotionally intelligent organisation produces employees who are motivated, productive, and efficient and they are driven to achieve their goals while providing better results for the organisation as a whole.

Now that you are aware of the fact that having a high level of emotional intelligence plays a significant role in your professional life, especially if you are pining for a leadership position in your organisation. You must nurture your EQ in order to manage and master your emotions as well as the emotions of other individuals in and around you at the workplace.