Did you automatically think how ‘smart’? or did you think about emotional intelligence?
There are lots of TED talks (15 Most Valuable Emotional Intelligence TED Talks on Youtube (positivepsychology.com)) and literature (Emotional Intelligence – Harvard Health or What Is Emotional Intelligence? (verywellmind.com) out there on emotional intelligence and many definitions, but essentially it encompasses the following skills:
- Knowing your emotions
- Managing your emotions
- Motivating yourself
- Recognising emotions in others (empathy)
- Handling relationships
A lack of emotional intelligence can have a negative impact on productivity, performance, resilience and absenteeism to name just a few. The benefits of emotional intelligence in the workplace include:
- Better team work
- Better workplace environment
- People feeling better able to adjust to change
- Greater self-awareness – being aware of how you feel and the impact that has on others, helps you make better leadership choices
- More openness to feedback
- Greater self-control – responding not reacting as well as not blaming others in difficult situations.
Emotional intelligence can be learned and developed. With that in mind, take time to think:
- How would you, and your team, rate you in terms of emotional intelligence?
- How well would you, and your team, say that you handle tricky situations and the emotions of others?
- How honest are you with yourself about your strengths and your vulnerabilities?
- In stressful situations, do you consciously respond or subconsciously react?
- Who do you consider as being emotionally intelligent? what do they do? how could you practice that?
As leaders, we can show our people that we are role modelling the changes that all of us want to see. Let’s be better and be the change – contact [email protected] if you would like help to do so.
For more articles, encouraging you to think and be the change – visit here.