Len Grady: Emotional Intelligence at Work!: July 2011

"Emotional intelligence" can improve communication

Most of us know what constitutes appropriate workplace behaviour, but when things get heated and emotions run rampant, even the most polished business professional can lose his or her cool. "Emotional intelligence," or the ability to perceive, assess and manage the emotions, is a hot topic in today’s workplace that can help managers and employees alike successfully communicate, resolve conflict and improve workplace productivity.

"Emotional intelligence is the ability to recognize and positively manage emotions in oneself, in others and in groups," said Jackie Green, portfolio manager at the American Management Association. "What are the skills? They include self-awareness, self-regulation, self-motivation, social awareness and relationship management."

Research has shown that emotional intelligence can account for 85 percent or more of the success of effective leaders and individual contributors, according to Green. "In the workplace, emotions can affect attitudes, behaviour, relationships and performance positively or negatively," reported Green. She continued, "Developing emotional intelligence is the key to building relationships, getting along with people and overall effectiveness in the workplace."

"Creating an organizational culture that supports emotional intelligence is key," said Green. "Encouraging managers to create emotionally intelligent teams that are self-aware, self-regulating and self-motivating can lead to great success in any organization."

HR can benefit, too. Green has made it clear that employees and managers alike can benefit from the utilization of emotional intelligence. But she also claims that HR can benefit from its use as well. "HR can apply the principles of emotional intelligence to a variety of workplace situations," she said. Green listed the following examples, stating that emotional intelligence can assist HR in:

building trusting relationships;
creating an inspiring vision;
making and announcing tough decisions;
delegating difficult or unpleasant tasks and responsibilities;
influencing and inspiring others who are fearful, reluctant or resistant;
confronting difficult behavior and poor performance tactfully;
creating a culture that encourages openness and authenticity;
building unified teams out of fragmented, dysfunctional groups; and
promoting consensus and collaboration out of divisive conflict.

"Emotional intelligence is a flexible skill that can be learned, unlike IQ," said Green. "HR should encourage managers to give employees the opportunity to practice the skills of emotional intelligence, to understand their own emotions and behavioural tendencies, to manage how they react to different situations and people, and to learn how to read and respond to other people."

"Emotional intelligence can be both learned and developed," encouraged Green. For example, the American Management Association offers two seminars in emotional intelligence: "Developing Your Emotional Intelligence" and "Leading with Emotional Intelligence." Also, now that you are able to define "emotional intelligence," you may be well-served to simply sit down with your colleagues and discuss what you can to improve the emotional intelligence of your employees.

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