Emotional intelligence is a necessary prerequisite for surviving anywhere, be it in school, college, or the workplace. However, when it comes to your career, emotional intelligence becomes more important. If you show yourself emotionally weak in a workplace, you certainly will not be considered for higher roles, especially one that requires leadership qualities. This is why we are going to cover everything in this blog, from signs of emotional intelligence in the workplace, how it can pull your career up, and how to improve if you are lacking this quality. But before getting any further, let us understand- What is emotional intelligence?

What Is Emotional Intelligence?

Emotional Intelligence is the capacity to understand, control and convey one’s emotions and to tackle relationships smartly and empathetically. This ability involves how you identify feelings and emotions, tackle them effectively and simultaneously understand the sentiments of other people.

Imagine yourself as a manager in the company handling a bunch of people. The moment someone commits a mistake, you become out of control and start shouting on every small matter. Do you think you will be approachable? Do people like to communicate with you? Absolutely No! Similarly, a student who doesn’t interact with his or her classmates or gets offended easily, will not progress in terms of performance, be it sports or studies.

Signs of High Emotional Intelligence & How it is a game changer in the workplace?

1. Self Analysis- An emotionally intelligent person is self aware i.e he or she knows his emotions, the reason behind what he is feeling, why he is feeling so and what is the correct course of action at that moment. Not every situation requires you to act whereas in another scenario it is mandatory to speak your mind.

Example- Imagine yourself sitting in a meeting where in spite of having a good contribution, your boss appreciated your colleague and ignored you. Indeed, you felt bad at that moment; however, instead of reacting impulsively, you analyse your emotions and decide to give the best response. If speaking up at the moment seems defensive, you wait and address it privately.

2. Better Social Skills- An emotionally intelligent person is more likely to have better communication skills because the person knows what to say so that it does not sound rude to another person. Instead of calling out a person incompetent, he or she will say that you might need to work harder, help the person in other ways like sending them a YouTube link on what they are lacking.

Example- Similarly, as a subordinate with a high E.Q., you will not take every feedback personally. You will understand that this is nothing personal. Feedback is only and only about work. After all, taking feedback and working on them will hone your skills and give you wholesome growth.

3. Self-Regulation- Staying calm under stressful situations, avoiding impulsive decisions and prioritizing self discipline are three pillars of self regulation. These people, because of their problem solving abilities and mental strength, are the top choice for roles like Team Lead, project manager, Chief Operating Officer etc.

Example- A project manager is facing a tight deadline, and a team member submits incomplete work. Rather than responding angrily, the manager inhales deeply, maintains composure, and offers helpful criticism. After that, they collaborate with the team member to develop a strategy for finishing the assignment on schedule.

4. Empathy- Last but not the least, empathy is the ability to understand what another person is feeling or going through. When your colleagues and subordinates feel heard better, they hesitate less and share more, be it the feedback, the problems they are facing or suggestions on how they can improve. This in turn helps in fostering team work, better work environment and increases productivity and performance.

Example- You observe that a new coworker finds it difficult to speak up during meetings and comes across as uncertain and anxious. You decide to check in discreetly instead of ignoring it, providing reassurance and offering advice on how to communicate effectively. By encouraging their participation, you foster a kind and encouraging atmosphere. They become more self-assured and actively involved throughout time. In addition to making people feel included, your empathy improves teamwork, exhibiting emotional intelligence, and fostering a healthy work environment.

Steps to Improve Your Emotional Intelligence

Developing emotional intelligence will surely take some effort, however you can definitely build if you want to. Here are some steps to take for improving your emotional intelligence:

1. Note down all the emotional reactions- In order to start the treatment, one should know what is the cause of the problem. Hence, you should start writing what is triggering you the most, when are you giving impulsive responses, and how you should react when someone says something which is hurtful for you.

2. Take a closer look at your body response- People often commit the mistake of not taking note of what their body is telling them. Does your heart start racing on any particular comment? Do you feel raised in moments like these? Learn to control such responses with breathing techniques or taking time out from your surroundings.

3. Develop willpower- People with high willpower give the right response most of the time. Such people are intelligent enough to control their tongue and speak thoughtfully when faced with difficult people.

4. Self Compassion- Be kind to yourself even if the world around you is not. Give yourself a pat on the back whenever you behave like an emotionally intelligent person. Not to forget, as per the experts, self compassionate people are more likely to be empathetic towards others.

5. Listening Skills- People who talk less and listen more are better in building trust and relationships. This is very natural because if you listen more, you understand the person more emotionally and react accordingly.

6. Increase your social interaction- Meet people. Do not hide away. Practice the traits of an emotionally intelligent person while interacting with others. Start taking harsh comments lightly, talk and understand the psyche of people, and practice compassion with yourself and others.

Conclusion

An emotionally intelligent person can see the positive in even a negative situation. This is the reason why an emotionally intelligent person is prioritized everywhere, be it work-related problems, health crises or family issues.

However, not all emotional problems can be handled on your own. This is the reason why we recommend psychological counselling when handling problems on your own becomes difficult. Remember, suffering in silence will not give you anything but bad mental health and wastage of your potential. Remember you can not succeed in a career only on the basis of skills. The way you behave with your colleagues, take criticism from your superiors, and handle subordinates decide how well you will do in your career.