SkillRary

Emotional intelligence sometimes referred to as EQ ‘Emotional Quotient’, refers to a person's ability to recognize, understand, manage, and reason with emotions. It is a critical ability when it comes to interpersonal communication—and a hot topic not only in psychology but in the business world.

People are by nature emotional creatures, but only the emotionally intelligent can recognize emotions—both their own and that of others—and work with them to reach the best possible outcome for everyone. Within the chamber of emotional intelligence lies opportunities to succeed personally and professionally. Why is emotional intelligence such a valued workplace skill? According to one survey of hiring managers, almost 75% of respondents suggested that they valued an employee's EQ more than their IQ.

Emotional intelligence is widely recognized as a valuable skill that helps improve communication, management, problem-solving, and relationships within the workplace. It is also a skill that researchers believe can be improved with training and practice.

Emotionally intelligent people are far more likely to succeed at work. Consider Daniel Goleman’s five pillars of emotional intelligence and how valuable these characteristics are in a professional:

• Self-awareness – This is crucial in understanding one’s strengths and weaknesses, and it’s particularly useful when receiving feedback.
• Self-regulation – This is an important characteristic which makes people capable of expressing themselves both openly and tactfully. Without it, emotional outbursts are more likely.
• Motivation – Emotionally intelligent people need little extrinsic motivation because they take pride in accomplishing great things solely for the sake of personal fulfilment.
• Empathy – This is the ability to understand how another person feels and experiences the world, especially when that perspective is very different from one’s own.  People are far more likely to follow somebody who shows genuine empathy.
• People skills – This is important when making friends, gaining trust, and building rapport with coworkers. All the professional skills in the world are sometimes not enough when somebody lacks basic people skills.

Reading through those five pillars, it’s easy to conclude that a person with high emotional intelligence is the ideal coworker. But merely possessing a skill isn’t enough. It’s important to use emotional intelligence in the workplace to improve relationships and enhance performance.

People With High EQ generally:

• Make better decisions and solve problems
• Keep cool under pressure
• Resolve conflicts
• Have greater empathy
• Listen, reflect, and respond to constructive criticism

People With Low EQ generally:

• Play the role of the victim or avoid taking responsibility for errors
• Have passive or aggressive communication styles
• Refuse to work as a team 
• Are overly critical of others or dismiss others' opinions

While emotional skills may come naturally to some people, there are things that anyone can do to help improve their ability to understand and reason with emotions. This can be particularly helpful in the workplace, where relationships and business decisions often rely on interpersonal understanding, teamwork, and communication.

Factors such as upbringing and personality tend to play a large role in the development of emotional intelligence, but it is a skill that can be improved with effort and practice.

One of the first steps toward utilizing emotional intelligence skills in the workplace is to practice recognizing your own emotions. Self-awareness involves being aware of different aspects of yourself, including your emotions and feelings. It is one of the foundational components of emotional intelligence. To recognize your emotions and understand what is causing these feelings, you need to first be self-aware.

Pay attention to how you are feeling. How do these emotions influence how you respond? Do the things you are feeling have an impact on the decisions you make or how you interact with others? As you reflect on these questions, you may find that you become much more aware of your own emotions and the role that they play in your daily life.

Take stock of emotional strengths and weaknesses. How well do you communicate with others? Do you find yourself experiencing impatience, anger, or annoyance often? What are some ways you can deal with these feelings effectively? Recognizing weaknesses allows you to look for ways to deal with them.

Remember that emotions are fleeting. A co-worker might irritate you or your boss might give you a frustrating task to complete. Before you react, remember that these things are temporary. Making rash decisions based on intense emotions can be detrimental to your long-term goals and success.

To improve your self-regulation skills in the workplace:

• Find techniques to release workplace stress. Having hobbies outside of work is a great place to start. Physical exercise is also a healthy way to release stress.
• Keep your cool. Accept the fact that you cannot control everything. Look for helpful ways to respond that don't add fuel to the fire.
• Think before making decisions. Emotions can overwhelm you in the heat of the moment. You can make a calmer, more rational choice if you give yourself time to consider all of the possibilities.