Emotional Intelligence in the Workplace

Emotions are inevitably linked to our everyday experiences, such as feeling stressed when work piles up or laughing with our colleagues in the office.

Emotional Intelligence is the ability to recognise and understand your own emotions and those of others, while also being able to manage your feelings and support others with their own. It can contribute to success within leadership and management, foster the relationship between you and your staff, and enhance your people skills.

Having high Emotional Intelligence means you recognise that instinctive responses can be inappropriate in the workplace and do nothing but escalate a challenging situation. Being self-aware and conscious of how your emotions can affect other people will help you to stay focused, and accounting for your actions will earn you the respect of your team.

Self-regulation involves knowing how to control and redirect your emotions and foresee the consequences of your actions. It can help ensure that your mood will not negatively affect others around you. Taking out stress, anger, or intense emotions on those you work with will never solve the problem.

If you feel yourself getting overwhelmed by the pressures of the day it’s a sign to take a step back, whether it’s going outside for five minutes to get some fresh air, or even just making a hot drink. Those couple of minutes away from your desk will be beneficial in the long run, allowing your mind to focus on something else and re-focus on what needs to be done.

As a manager, showing that you truly care about the well-being of the people you work with is a sign of good empathy. Simply talking to your staff every day and listening to their concerns can help you develop your awareness of your team’s emotions. Understanding the perspective and challenges of individual staff members will allow you to tailor support and connect with others.

Managing change, conflicts between staff, and difficult situations while controlling your emotions and acting rationally is essential. Emotional Intelligence should be implemented throughout your workday, whether connecting with a customer, working within a group, or leading a team. By practising Emotional Intelligence, you are allowing yourself to understand and manage your own emotions, while also helping others around you.

If you are interested in learning more, the Development Zone has a range of courses related to topics we have touched on in this article, including:

• Managing Negative Emotions
• Empathy in the Workplace
• Emotional Intelligence

If you are new to the Aviva Development Zone, we offer a 14-day free trial where you can try every feature and every course! Click here to find out more: https://mydevelopment.zone/