Emotional intelligence, or EQ, is a vital skill to hold, especially for leaders, managers and project managers. By using emotional intelligence, you can work effectively to support your team and your organisation in the correct ways. You can become more effective within your role, and more effective for your wider organisation. You can manage your projects, working relationships and team members better, and maximise your opportunities within your career. In this article, we will look at what emotional intelligence is, and we will explore the benefits of this workplace skill, a skill that all managers, leaders and project managers should seek to develop. We will explore five important benefits of emotional intelligence in the workplace
What is Emotional Intelligence?
Emotional intelligence is the ability to understand, use and manage your emotions in positive ways. You can also read other people’s emotions better and successfully navigate social complexities within the workplace. Intelligence alone is not enough to be successful, you also need to be able to make the most of situations and manage effective workplace relationships. Emotional intelligence also enables you to relieve stress, empathize with others, communicate effectively, manage conflict, and overcome problems.
As a leader in a pressured workplace, stress of projects and the angst of your colleagues can sometimes reach uncomfortable levels. Emotional intelligence allows you to remain calm, handle stress correctly, and also manage your relationships with your colleagues, allowing you to handle the pressure of the workplace well.
Why is Emotional Intelligence Important?
Emotional intelligence is a very difficult skill to master. Some experts even suggest that it is a inborn ability, and cannot be taught. However, here at In Professional Development, we believe this skill can definitely be taught, and once you achieve this you will become much more effective within your role. This is why it such an important skill. In mastering it, you will greatly enhance your capabilities within your role. In this article, we will tell you how it will benefit you within your career.
Understanding Emotional Intelligence
The first step to emotional intelligence is understanding emotions. Firstly, you must be able to understand your own emotions, and what they mean. Instead of focusing on the emotions themselves, try to understand where they have stemmed from. For example, if you are feeling stressed, try to think why you are stressed. Do you have a deadline that you aren’t prepared for? In recognising this, you can target the root cause of the emotion. This is equally important for understanding the emotions of your colleagues. Does your manager seem irritated by you? This would at first suggest that they don’t like you or they are dissatisfied by your work, however the root cause may be personal problems, or that they are under pressure with their own work. By understanding this, you can handle the situation better.
The Benefits of Emotional Intelligence
It is important to grasp these concepts, as they will make you more effective within your role. You will understand your own emotions and the emotions of others more. You will be able to process these emotions better, and focus on your work more. Below we explore five important benefits of emotional intelligence in the workplace.
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Emotional intelligence builds better teamwork
People with higher emotional intelligence communicate better within their team. They are also more open to the ideas of their colleagues. If you hold good emotional intelligence, it allows you to recognize the efforts of your colleagues and their hard work. It also builds a better connection between the team members, by creating shared empathy. You understand your colleagues more in the roles that they do, and the problems that they face.
This will allow you to work with your team better. You will have an understanding of your teammates roles, and what is expected of them. This understanding will also help you get the most out of your role, by knowing exactly how you can help the wider team with your role. This will help you to prioritise your work to get the best results for the team.
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Emotional intelligence creates better self awareness
By becoming more self aware in your role, you can understand your own strengths and your own weaknesses more. This allows you to be realistic in setting your goals for development. It also ensures that you are more open to feedback, and instead of using it negatively, you use it as an opportunity to grow and to become more effective in your job.
We all require feedback, and our first reaction can be a defensive one. This is a natural reaction, as we sometimes feel we are under attack personally. However, this is not the case. The person offering the feedback is doing so to ensure you get the best out of your career, and that you improve in your role to make the most out of your opportunities. By having high emotional intelligence, your first reaction to constructive feedback will be to take it on board, and be grateful for the chance to improve.
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Emotional intelligence builds better working relationships
In developing high emotional intelligence, you are able to read the atmosphere within the team better. You are able to understand the pressures that team members are under, and you will be able to assist them. It also allows you to understand what your team members need, and what sort of work and behavior they like and dislike. This insight into their preferences and their needs is invaluable to building better working relationships with them. This level of emotional intelligence develops better and more valuable relationships with clients and colleagues.
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Emotional intelligence creates career longevity
Having high EQ allows you to build great working relationships, understand your role more, and understand how you can benefit your team and wider organisation the most. These 3 advantages are crucial in building a rewarding and lengthy career within an organisation. Emotional intelligence not only allows you to understand the needs of your colleagues more, but it will also help you see the needs of your organisation more.
By bringing new ideas to the table, researching market trends and emerging practices within your sector, you can create more value in the work you do and how much you benefit the wider organisation. This will lead to improved career longevity within an organisation, and it increases your chances of raises and promotions down the line.
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Emotional intelligence creates better social skills
Social skills are important in business. They help you create a good impression on your colleagues and clients. Social skills aren’t being the loudest person in the room, but being the most socially aware. Emotional intelligence allows you to have awareness of other people in the room. This benefits you in the workplace as it allows you to communicate with your colleagues, and to listen to them, making them feel welcome and engaged.
By improving your social skills through emotional intelligence, it will have a positive impact on your career. It will open more opportunities through socialising, and will also help to facilitate more networking opportunities which will help your career down the line.
Book a Course with Us
Emotional intelligence is a skill that builds better working relationships, creates value in your role, and gives you confidence to work with others, resolve issues, pioneer new ideas, and drive you and your organisation towards success.
We offer a variety of courses, such as coaching courses, in which you can learn about emotional intelligence and other vital skills to improve your own leadership skills. To find out more about our courses, visit our Courses page and click on the relevant course. Alternatively, or if you’d like more information before booking, email us at enquiries@inpd.co.uk, send us a message using the form on our Contact page or call us on 0161 826 3139. We look forward to hearing from you and advising you on the right course for you.
