Dr Bhavna Barmi and team
Intriguing things are happening in the workplace of the twenty-first century: We are increasingly automating activities and putting our trust in robots to perform tasks, and we are also becoming more aware of the value of emotions and, more especially, of emotional intelligence.
The ability to identify emotions in ourselves and others, comprehend their effects, and apply this knowledge to inform our ideas and behaviour is known as emotional intelligence. It is also known as Emotional quotient or EQ. Comparatively speaking, emotionally intelligent people are more likely to succeed since they typically get along with people better and are more sensitive and caring. And for that reason, it makes sense to understand more about emotional intelligence.
What is Emotional Intelligence?
Understanding, using, and controlling your feelings in order to lower stress, communicate successfully with people, empathize with them, and overcome obstacles are all examples of having emotional intelligence (EQ).
You might think the phrase “emotional intelligence” is an oxymoron, which is understandable. We frequently consider our intelligence and emotions to be two distinct concepts. But when combined, they become emotional intelligence, which the dictionary defines as “the capacity to be aware of, control, and express one’s emotions, and to handle interpersonal relationships prudently and empathetically,” making it essentially a different way to be clever.
Why is Emotional Intelligence Important
Emotional intelligence can assist you in building stronger relationships, achieving success at school and work, and achieving your career and personal goals. Also, it can help you connect with your feelings, act on your intentions, and make informed decisions regarding your personal goals.
There are seven elements to emotional intelligence:
Self-awareness
When we are self-conscious, we are aware of our abilities and limitations as well as how we respond to different circumstances and others. This knowledge can assist us in establishing limits and managing our interactions with others in a way that is true to who we are. Additionally, when we are aware of who we are, we can communicate more effectively since we are better able to comprehend others and what they might be seeking in a conversation. The ability to improve ourselves and our lives in ways that are relevant to us is a result of self-awareness.
Self-management
The process of taking control of one’s life and making choices that have an impact on oneself is known as self-management. It is about taking charge of one’s own health and being proactive. Setting objectives, acting to accomplish them, and tracking progress are all parts of self-management. It also entails being adaptable and flexible, changing plans as necessary to achieve objectives.
Self-regulation
Emotionally intelligent people have self-awareness, which allows them to control and restrain their emotions as needed.
Motivation
People with high levels of emotional intelligence also frequently have high levels of motivation, which makes them more tenacious and upbeat. Even in trying situations, they find ways to have fun, and they’re constantly trying to get better. They achieve greater success as a result in every aspect of their lives.
Empathy
Simply said, those who have empathy and compassion interact with others more effectively. They are able to develop connections based on mutual respect and understanding because they have the capacity to see things from other people’s points of view. Because they can more readily relate to other people’s emotions, those who have empathy and compassion are better at offering consolation and assistance. Finally, those who have empathy and compassion are more inclined to be altruistic and make extra efforts to assist others. People who have empathy and compassion are among the most valuable members of any community because of all of these characteristics.
Social Skills
Emotionally intelligent people have strong social skills that demonstrate they actually care about and respect others and get along with them.
Relationship Administration
Building and sustaining trusting connections with consumers, clients, partners, and other individuals who can assist the business in achieving its objectives is the process of relationship management. Increased sales, enhanced client loyalty, and higher levels of customer pleasure can all be the results of effective relationship management.
EQ and IQ: What’s the Difference?
How does emotional intelligence vary from mental intelligence if it is a sort of intelligence? largely based on how it is measured. The score obtained through standardised tests created to gauge intelligence is known as one’s intelligence quotient (IQ).
Your intellectual abilities, such as how well you absorb, understand, and apply information, are closely correlated with your IQ. Higher IQ individuals are better at thinking abstractly and connecting ideas in their minds.The two are significantly different in emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligenceis the ability to use emotions to improve our thinking and reasoning. People with high levels of emotional intelligence are able to control their emotions, use them as a tool for thinking, and comprehend the feelings of others.
Some claim that IQ counts more in the job than emotional intelligence, while others counter that IQ matters more. No matter which is more crucial, emotional intelligence is unquestionably necessary at work.
Importance of Emotional Intelligence
Although it used to seem that way, just because you enter an office building through a door does not mean that you must check your emotions there before beginning work. In actuality, feelings have always been there in the job, but they had to be restrained and people had to pretend they didn’t feel anything while they were working.
But these days, we are acknowledging the advantages of allowing emotions at work. And because of how the workplace has changed, emotional intelligence is more important than it formerly was. For one thing, we now work mostly in teams rather than alone, and clever businesses are learning that acknowledging emotions can result in healthier workplaces.
Additionally, teams led by people with higher emotional intelligence typically have happier workers who work harder and stay longer, lowering turnover costs. In a survey of 515 executives, emotional intelligence was a better predictor of success than experience or IQ, according to a SuperOffice article that provides examples of salespeople with higher emotional intelligence considerably outperforming other salespeople.
Employers want to make sure that the individuals they consider for positions will get along with the teams already in place. Because of this, over 71 percent of firms now place a higher value on emotional intelligence in employees than IQ. Today, success requires good people skills from even the brightest individuals. Having a high IQ is no longer sufficient.
