Humans are complex organisms with a range of emotions that can be challenging to read, therefore emotions aren’t always what they appear. For instance, a person who appears to be angry may actually be concealing a deep melancholy. Emotional intelligence is the capacity to recognize these feelings and comprehend the sources of them.
In this piece, we’ll define emotional intelligence and talk about its value in the workplace. We’ll look at the abilities required to develop a high degree of emotional intelligence, the advantages it has in the job, and dive into some real-world instances.
What is Emotional Intelligence in the Workplace?
The online Master of Arts in Leadership (MAL) program at Ottawa University includes the subject of Emotional Intelligence in the Workplace as a requirement. The course examines many tools and publications used to develop EI in the workplace as well as the part of EI that determines outstanding job performance.
The graduate leadership degree from OU is created to equip leaders with the skills they need to contribute to their companies right away after graduation. In the online MAL program at OU, students analyze both modern and traditional theories of leadership, investigate effective leadership behaviors in a variety of settings, and identify the strengths and areas for improvement in their leadership style.
Emotional intelligence or Intellectual intelligence: Which is More Important in the Workplace?
Research has shown that among all the good qualities that strong leaders bring to the workplace, emotional intelligence (EI) is more accurate at predicting overall success than our IQ. Emotional intelligence (EI) is the ability to identify and successfully manage our own and other people’s emotions.
How is emotional intelligence assessed?
While there is no standardized method for determining your EQ level, there are four methods you can go about doing so. Self-reporting, other-reporting, and ability testing are the first three techniques.
You respond to questions about yourself using the self-reporting approach, which uses a scale from 1 to 5. Similar questions are asked in other reporting, except your coworkers are asked to respond to them instead of you. Self-reporting is not the best method for EQ measurement because the results will be based more on your perception of yourself than on your actual skill level.
Your capacity to recognize and control emotions is directly tested by the questions that make up ability reports. This contrasts with the previous two questions, which were more opinion-based.
Many EQ tests are available online, but you should use them cautiously because not all are accurate predictors of your EQ.
The Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT) is the fourth and most widely used tool for assessing emotional intelligence. This approach consists of smaller subtests that assess the capacity to recognize, comprehend, and control emotions.
The 5 Elements of EI by Goleman
So how does leadership in the workplace benefit from emotional intelligence? Daniel Goleman, an American psychologist and the author of the ground-breaking book “Emotional Intelligence,” claims that EI includes five essential components that, properly controlled, enable leaders to develop to a higher level.
Self-Awareness
An essential component of emotional intelligence is the capacity to identify and comprehend one’s feelings. Being conscious of the impact of your actions, moods, and emotions on other people goes beyond simply being conscious of your feelings.
You must be able to keep track of your own emotions, recognize various emotional reactions, and then correctly name each feeling if you want to develop self-awareness. People who are self-aware understand the connections between their feelings and behaviors.
Self-Regulation
the capacity to control and manage one’s emotions, which is not to mean that one should put one’s feelings on lockdown and conceal their genuine nature. It simply entails delaying expression till the appropriate moment and setting. The key to self-regulation is knowing how to articulate your feelings.
Self-regulation experts typically have flexible personality and do well with change. Additionally, they excel in handling disputes and calming tense or challenging circumstances.
Motivation
Emotional intelligence also heavily relies on intrinsic motivation. Emotionally intelligent people are driven by factors other than material rewards like fame, money, recognition, and acclaim. Instead, they are passionate about achieving their internal demands and objectives.
They look for internal rewards, enjoy the flow that comes from being completely present throughout an activity, and chase peak experiences.
Empathy
Empathy, or the capacity to comprehend how others feel, is vitally essential to emotional intelligence. But it entails more than simply being able to identify other people’s emotional states. It also entails how you react to other individuals in light of this knowledge.
How do you react when you notice someone is unhappy, depressed, or disheartened? You may show them more consideration and kindness or try to uplift their spirits.
Social Skills
Another crucial component of emotional intelligence is interpersonal competence. Real emotional knowledge goes beyond simply taking into account your own and other people’s emotions. Additionally, you must be able to use this knowledge in your regular interactions and conversations.
Building ties and relationships with employees helps managers in professional contexts. Being able to establish a great rapport with managers and fellow employees benefits employees. Active listening, verbal and nonverbal communication abilities, leadership, and persuasiveness are all crucial social skills.
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Conclusion
Developing emotional intelligence starts with each person from the inside out in the workplace. It entails identifying different facets of your emotions and feelings as well as devoting time to developing self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skills. The online Master of Arts in Leadership program at Ottawa University provides you with the instruments you need to assess and evaluate your emotional intelligence.
Throughout the many phases of your professional development, you will also acquire techniques for raising your emotional intelligence.
