Recently I attended a New Jersey Business and Industry Association Women Leaders Forum. One of the breakout sessions was called “Is Emotional Intelligence a Leader’s Secret Weapon?” While nothing that was said there is new, it is a wonderful reminder that high emotional intelligence (EI) leads to more success in all things: parenting, friendship, volunteer relationships, work success, and personal fulfillment.
Why is that? There are four main reasons.
• People with higher EI have better self-awareness. They are more emotionally aware and have a more accurate assessment of their strengths and weaknesses. They are more confident.
• People with higher EI have better self-management skills. They are more adaptable, have better self-control, and are more likely to take initiative and be conscientious.
• People with higher EI are also more socially aware. They are more empathic, and more likely to have a service orientation. They also have better organizational awareness.
• And finally, people with higher EI have better social skills. They are better at building bonds, communicating and handling conflict. They are more likely to collaborate with others and are able to influence people and be leaders for change.
So how does this translate to the business world? Let’s start with what employers or managers with higher EI do.
• They communicate and welcome feedback from their employees so that issues are openly addressed and dealt with. Managers with low EI avoid dealing with problems.
• They thoughtfully complete performance appraisals and give actionable, constructive feedback.
• Employers with high EI welcome ideas for constructive change, and are willing to support good ideas. Those with low EI do the opposite; they miss opportunities for improvement.
Employees with high EI are more likely to be successful because they use their EI skills in dealing with their work environment.
• Employees with high EI manage their emotions and choose the circumstances in which they display them. They communicate well and listen equally well, leading to better collaboration. They do not use inappropriate techniques that lead to negative office politics.
• They handle appropriate feedback well and are open to personal and work change.
• High EI employees are more likely to socialize with their peers in appropriate ways, such as lunches, events, etc.
• High EI employees are reliable. They get their work done in a timely fashion without making a big deal of it.
• High EI employees are also more likely to accurately assess information needed to make good decisions.
Good EI skills are necessary for both men and women in business. But since women may still be evaluated differently in a business environment, it is especially important for women in the workforce to learn good EI skills. EI can be assessed and EI skills can be learned. Please contact me if you are interested in improving your Emotional Intelligence for professional or personal change. www.drlisonblock.com, 732-933-1333.