The Importance of Emotional Intelligence in the Workplace

• Kathryn Doan
• July 17, 2024
• Newsletter Article

Unlock Your Emotional Intelligence at Work! Discover the power of self-awareness, empathy, and effective communication in boosting productivity and satisfaction.

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Are you aware of your own surroundings, the people you work with and their mood at work?  Do you consider your own frame of mind and the impact it has on your productivity and others?  Having Emotional Intelligence starts with self awareness and your ability understanding your own disposition, but is it is also about being aware of that of others around you.

 

In the work place we spend a great deal of time with others and our own personality and state of mind often dictate employee engagement and satisfaction, based on the interactions with others.

 

In reality, our emotions will fluctuate on a spectrum; ranging from high to low.  Often people exhibit traits of having a relatively stable state, and others tend of swing widely on the spectrum.  Interpreting the meaning and reaction to others emotions is the essence of having emotional intelligence.

 

To understand the benefits of being emotional intelligent, starts by understanding yourself.  It is vital to understand that your reactions and interactions with others. An emotionally intelligent manager understand that communicating ways will be different for each employee, depending on the state of their own mind

 

When approaching situations with new people, ask open ended questions to learn of their engagement and reception of yourself; often this will require adapting to their style with a need to relate to their state of mind and have compassion, understanding, and be fully relatable.

 

Emotional intelligence isn’t something that people are naturally born with, but rather a developed skill to build engagement with peers.

 

How to build your emotional intelligence:

1.       Be self aware of your emotional state at work and how it affects others

2.       Be mindful of others and how they react to situations

3.       Understand that one’s emotional state is fluid, in that it changes

4.       Recognize that a one fits all approach to communication doesn’t always work