The term ‘Emotional Intelligence’ entered our management vocabulary in the late 90s and is now part of the vernacular in most workplaces. Despite this 20 year ‘history’, there is still much debate about what it is…and isn’t.
Emotional Intelligence (EI), also known as Emotional Quotient (EQ) is a person’s ability to understand and manage their own emotions. Having this understanding will help to better manage stress, communicate effectively, empathise with others and defuse conflict by having better social awareness. There are 5 key elements which help to define emotional intelligence:
- Self-awareness
- Self-regulation
- Motivation
- Empathy
- Social Skills
According to the Global Talent Trends 2020-21 Report by Mercer (2021), the Top 3 Critical Skills for Future Resilience are Adaptability, Collaboration and Inclusive / Empathetic Management. It will therefore be vital for managers to develop their own emotional intelligence to better manage their own decisions and actions. By having greater self-awareness, managers are better equipped to support their team and foster stronger relationships.
It is important to have relevant technical skills to perform your work role effectively , however as we become less physically connected it has become even more important to have strong interpersonal skills.
To learn more about Emotional Intelligence and how you can create a positive EQ/EI workplace, register for our Emotional Intelligence course which is part of our our Emerging Executive Development Series. This half day program will review the dominant theories and explore the agreed aspects of EI/EQ and how participants can enhance their competence in this critical business skill.
References
Janove, J 2020, ‘Leaders and Employees Need Soft Skills Now More than Ever’, SHRM, viewed 17 August 2021, <https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/hr-topics/employee-relations/humanity-into-hr/pages/covid-19-soft-skills-at-work.aspx>.
Mercer 2021, ‘2021 Global Talent Trends Study’, Mercer, viewed 17 August 2021, <https://www.mercer.com/our-thinking/career/global-talent-hr-trends.html#contactForm>.
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