Emotional Intelligence at work

In last week’s column and this week’s column, we’re looking at emotional intelligence and its impact on people in the workplace.

In the previous column we discussed what EQ (the Emotional Quotient) is; this week we’ll discuss ways to increase your EQ.

Simply put, EQ refers to one’s ability to perceive emotions, read interpersonal cues and tune-in to others’ needs and feelings in order to relate appropriately and get people to do what you want them to do. (For more, go online to tcextra.com and search for Career Corner under Opinion/viewpoint.)

The application of emotional intelligence is referred to as emotional competence, which is critical for career paths that involve working closely with people.

Let’s look at sales. It is human nature to buy a product from someone you like and trust. This notion is supported by research conducted in a national insurance company, where it was concluded that sales agents with greater emotional competencies sold significantly more policies.

In another study involving physicians, it was found that those with the best bedside manner, that is, who were liked by their patients, had the fewest malpractice lawsuits, even though they may have been at fault.

Those in management positions clearly benefit from having emotional competencies that enable them to lead effectively.

While emotional intelligence is typically developed during childhood, one can improve at any point in life.

As a start, try the following steps:

Become more introspective. Think about how you feel at any given moment and define your emotions.

Recognize when emotions are about to get the best of you and practice self-control. For example, you might take a deep breath to calm down — or walk away.

When interacting, focus on the person, not just the words or issue. Identify what the person is feeling and where he or she is coming from.

After an encounter with someone, think about how you came across. What was your impact on the person? How did you make him or her feel?

Identify a role model who exemplifies emotional competence. Observe the person carefully, noting specific behaviors that make him or her effective in relating to others.  Think about why you like being around that person.

Danella Schiffer, Ph.D., is an industrial/organizational psychologist who resides in Salisbury and works nationally, with organizations and individuals. She can be reached at danella.schiffer@att.net.

 

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