Why is Emotional Intelligence Important?

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 recognise these feelings and comprehend the sources of them.

People with high emotional intelligence (EI) are more likely to be employed, promoted, and receive higher compensation, according to recent articles about advancing in the workplace. However, what is EI and why is it so crucial?

The definition of emotional intelligence and its significance in the job and other aspects of your life will be covered in this article. We'll talk about what emotional intelligence is, as well as how it can help you in your personal and professional life.

What is Emotional Intelligence?

The capacity to recognise, control, and comprehend one's own emotions as well as those of others is known as emotional intelligence. A high EQ aids in connection development, team stress reduction, conflict resolution, and job satisfaction. In the end, having a high EI means having the capacity to raise team output and employee retention. Because of this, employers prefer to hire and advance people for management positions who have a high "EQ" (emotional quotient), rather than IQ (intelligence quotient).

It takes more than a gut reaction to determine how we react to difficulties, communicate our feelings, and engage with others. Our responses are important tools we may use to improve our lives and the lives of others. Emotional intelligence, or "EI," is the term used to describe these abilities. In 1990, Peter Salovey and John D. Mayer first used the term "emotional intelligence."  However it was popularized by The psychologist and best-selling author Daniel Goleman, who defines emotional intelligence (EI) as the capacity to perceive, comprehend, and influence our own emotions as well as those of others.

What does it entail?

Goleman identified five elements as being essential to emotional intelligence.

• Self awareness

  Understanding how one's emotions, emotional triggers, strengths, weaknesses, motives, values, and goals affect one's thoughts and behaviour is known as self-awareness.
  Take the time to check in with yourself and look into possible causes if, for instance, you're feeling worried, irritated, uninspired, or deflated in your job. Labeling the emotion and understanding its origin puts you in a much better position to deal with the situation and take the necessary action, such as offering to take on additional work that might inspire you or coming up with constructive methods to handle a problematic coworker.

• Self Management

  Self-management, which builds on self-awareness, is the capacity to control one's emotions. Even people with high EQs occasionally encounter unpleasant moods, impulsive behaviours, and negative emotions like stress and rage. Self-management is the capacity to master these emotions rather than allowing them to master you.

  This might entail holding off on responding to tense or hostile situations. If you choose to wait to respond to that irate email or phone call, you will be able to do it deliberately and rationally as opposed to hastily. In addition to having a negative impact on those around you, bad emotions and impulsive behaviour can also be detrimental to your own welfare.

• Motivation

  Fundamentally, what drives us to behave is motivation. Checking in with our goals is what motivates us to keep moving forward in the face of challenges and disappointments.

  Low-motivated people are more prone to be fearful of taking risks, apprehensive, and quick to give up. Additionally, because they lack motivation, they might voice unfavourable sentiments on the objectives and responsibilities of the project, which could be detrimental to the morale of the team.

  On the other side, those who are driven by "success" and produce work they are pleased with are more likely to solicit feedback, keep track of their development, push themselves, and make an ongoing effort to enhance their abilities, knowledge, and production. It is simple to understand why highly motivated individuals are valuable to any team.

• Empathy

  Empathy is the capacity to empathise with others on an emotional level and to take into account their emotions, worries, and points of view. As it enables one to foresee the other's wants and reaction, it is a crucial ability to have while negotiating with internal and external stakeholders and customers.

  In today's workplace, emotionally astute and clever managers put together different teams whose special viewpoints and strengths they can capitalise on. Empathy is a crucial component of accepting and respecting diverse points of view in order to resolve issues and develop creative solutions.

• Relationship Management

  Relationship management is largely dependent on one's capacity to develop true relationships with, and respect from, coworkers. This has more to do with trusting and being trusted in a team than just the cliché of a trust fall during a team-building exercise.

  A manager with exceptional relationship management abilities can motivate, direct, and develop their team members, which has a significant impact on the effectiveness and output of the team. Despite the fact that emotional intelligence seems to come naturally to some people, if we work hard enough, we can improve our emotional intelligence.

Importance of emotional intelligence in the workplace

The ability to manage one's emotions is crucial in many areas of the workplace. Those who are unfamiliar with the phrase could question the relevance of EQ. But there is data to support a direct link between emotional intelligence and many facets of the workplace. Studies have demonstrated the connection between emotional intelligence and better job performance, professional success, and mental health.

It's important to note that for some jobs in the workplace, emotional intelligence may be even more important. Consider the field of human resources, where dealing with employee emotions and resolving conflicts are key tasks. Additionally, communicating with others, inspiring others, and delegating duties are all important aspects of management and leadership responsibilities that would benefit from higher EQ levels.

You can communicate successfully, sympathise with others, and be self-aware if you have a high level of emotional intelligence. Our settings at home and at work are influenced by how we react to ourselves and others. Living in this world entails connecting with a wide variety of individuals as well as dealing with ongoing change and shocks. How you react to the challenges of life depends on how emotionally intelligent you are. It's also a crucial element of empathy and comprehending the deeper motivations behind other people's behaviour.

When you are coping with challenging circumstances like conflict, change, and barriers, EI is extremely crucial. Being in tune with our emotions can assist us in remembering to practise compassion during these trying moments.

Additional advantages of emotional intelligence at work

• Positive interactions

You will probably communicate with coworkers, managers, stakeholders, and future customers while working. This opens up a lot of opportunities for emotional exchanges, and emotional intelligence can make the difference between these interactions being positive or negative.

• Creating connections

Positive interactions and emotional intelligence go hand in hand, creating more possibilities for lasting connections. Your chances of forging genuine connections can be significantly increased by having a better understanding of others and leaving interactions with a more upbeat mood. This is excellent for personal encounters, networking, and everyday interactions at work.

• Motivating others

You'll be able to inspire others if you have a firm grasp on your own emotions and know how to gauge and manage the emotions of others. You can encourage teammates to work harder and be their most productive selves. This is especially crucial for individuals aspiring to leadership roles because you will be in charge of and responsible for leading other staff members.

• Future Employment Opportunities

Employees who possess a high EQ are desired, especially given the correlation between EQ and job success. Naturally, businesses will look for candidates who will perform better, therefore being emotionally intelligent could potentially lead to new jobs and chances.

Interventions in career coaching that are typically referred to as social, interpersonal, or soft skills training might improve some aspects of EQ. The underlying premise is that whereas IQ is extremely difficult to change, EQ can be improved via deliberate effort and training. Our career coaches at Unlocked Potentials are qualified to support you in improving both your emotional intelligence and your productivity at work.