Emotional intelligence is the ability to be aware of, manage and control your emotions, and also its associated people skills, are crucial because people are an important part of any business.
While emotional intelligence includes the ability to use emotions to increase motivation and focus. It also includes the ability to detach from very powerful short-term emotions when needed to better focus on the tasks at hand.
Because of the powerful role emotions play when planning goals and communicating with subordinates. Managers must be especially mindful of the negative emotions that could arise in the workplace and negatively reflect on them.
The five common components of emotional intelligence
Connelly Hayward, a master trainer in emotional intelligence, explained what the five components of emotional intelligence are:
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- Self-awareness is the ability to recognize and understand your emotions and the effect those emotions have on you and others around you.
- Self-regulation is the ability to think before acting and suspend judgment about a situation, person or experience. With self-regulation, redirecting disruptive impulses is a must.
- Social awareness involves understanding the emotional state of those around you. In other words, it is the ability to sense the emotional temperature of a room. Social awareness also encompasses recognizing how your words and actions affect others.
- Social regulation is the ability to influence the emotions of others. It involves knowing when it’s appropriate to influence the emotional condition of others and when it’s appropriate not to do so.
- Motivation is the passion you have for work that goes beyond money, recognition or promotion.
Why should you care about emotional intelligence?
You might wonder why it is important in business and why you need it. As Hayward points out, leaders influence and guide people who come from varying backgrounds with different perspectives and temperaments. This requires a higher level of emotional intelligence.
A high EQ is needed for decision-making and stress management. A leader needs to know their emotional state, the emotions of others and they must be able to selectively utilize that information to make calculated, clear-headed decisions.
Hayward said managers equipped with a high EQ are able to effectively defuse tense situations. Also positively resolve problems while maintaining a clear head and calm disposition.
Leaders can boost their emotional intelligence by taking the time to learn about people and becoming more self-aware of their own emotions.