How to Deploy Emotional Intelligence for Work Success

Dr.S.SUNDARARAJAN, Associate Professor, Department of MBA, SANKARA

The concept of emotional intelligence (EI) has been studied for decades. At the same time, employers still didn’t embrace EI in the workplace. Maybe it was because they believed that emotional intelligence myths like the idea that there actually isn’t such a thing. That has changed as research has found that emotional intelligence was the strongest predictor of workplace effectiveness. Additionally, modern companies anticipates that the demand for technological, social and emotional, and higher cognitive skills will rise by 2030. And as we begin to embark on a post-COVID world, EI is more relevant than ever. With that in mind, here’s how we can deploy emotional intelligence to improve both our personal and organizational work success.

An easy place to start would be setting aside time each day to calm our mind. If we’re in a leadership role, this could be encouraging our team to frequently take breaks throughout the day and to use their vacation days. Also, when we know that they are unplugging, don’t bombard them with work-related issues.

The willingness to acknowledge our emotions is especially painful ones. That when we talk about vulnerability, we’re usually referring to emotional vulnerability. When our best friend suggests that we should work on being more vulnerable in our relationship, they’re probably not talking about making ourselves more physically vulnerable. In short, vulnerability is all about emotions. In particular, difficult emotions like anxiety, frustration, and shame. The other part of the equation is acknowledging these negative emotions and knowing how to address them

Emotional vulnerability might be painful or uncomfortable. But, it’s also a valuable asset. It can help reduce anxiety, strengthen relationships, and improve self-awareness. To become more emotionally vulnerable, psychiatrist recommends:

• Labeling our emotions using plain language.
• Engage in emotion-focused journaling.
• Practice being assertive by clearly communicating our wants and needs.
• Consider therapy or counseling.

Focus on mental health and well-being

Not to disparage the damage that the pandemic has done, one silver lining has been that it’s highlighted the importance of mental health. Managers can use your calendar to put your mental health first by:

• Limiting social media and screen time.
• Stepping outside for at least 20-minutes per day.
• Meeting with a therapist online.
• Minimizing isolation – even if it’s a quick phone or video call.
• Spending free time on meaningful activities we enjoy.
• Making self-care a daily routine

On an organizational level, leaders can use tactics like;

• Changing the culture where everyone feels safe to open up about their feelings and struggles.
• Launching an employee wellness program.
• Focusing on early intervention/prevention, like advice on how our team members can cope with stress and anxiety.
• Enforcing working hours.
• Cultivating a healthy and positive work environment.
• Granting autonomy and flexible schedules.
• Helping employees solve their time management problems.

Sharing is caring

Finally, don’t greedily keep our knowledge about EI to ourselves. If we’re aware of any articles, books, publications, or Ted Talks on the topic, share these resources with others. We could also schedule seminars or workshops for our team to do together. Another suggestion would be to discuss and model, the core principles of EI during meetings and one-on-ones. And, encourage others to test their emotional intelligence and schedule EI checkups.