Emotional intelligence key to creating a high-performance working environment

Emotional intelligence is the foundation of strong interpersonal relationships and one of the most valuable qualities of employees, especially those in leadership positions. To remain competitive and effective, companies need leaders who can manage them effectively, and emotional intelligence is a crucial tool in this respect.

Managing emotions: an essential component of success

The professional environment is often volatile, with changing situations and multiple daily interactions. Not all of us have the same ability to manage relationships effectively, but with a little effort, we can develop our emotional skills to create strong professional relationships. In this way, we develop emotional intelligence to collaborate more effectively and easily with colleagues.

From a psychological perspective, emotional intelligence (EQ) is defined as the ability to understand, use and manage one's emotions to reduce stress, communicate effectively, empathize with others and successfully overcome stressful situations. Emotional intelligence includes four main attributes:

Self-monitoring: Controlling compulsive behaviors, managing emotions, taking initiative, keeping promises and adapting to change.
Self-awareness: Recognizing one's emotions and how they influence cognitive processes and behavior.
Social awareness: Empathy, understanding other people's emotions, decoding emotional cues, comfort in social contexts and recognizing power dynamics.
Relationship management: Ability to develop and maintain relationships, clear communication, inspiring others, teamwork and effective conflict management.

Although we are taught to evaluate people by their intellectual intelligence (IQ), emotional intelligence harmoniously complements an employee's profile. For example, an employee may excel intellectually and academically, but not be able to adapt and interact effectively in social contexts or manage their emotions. This is why some experts believe that emotional intelligence is the key to success, as other skills can be learned and developed later.

The importance of emotional intelligence in career success

A study from UC Berkeley shows that emotional intelligence is four times more important than IQ in predicting career success. 901TPTP3T of the top performers scored high on the emotional intelligence measure. In addition, 671TPTP3T of the recruiters participating in the study consider emotional intelligence to be the most important attribute in a candidate, while only 331TPTP3T rely primarily on competencies.

Emotional intelligence also influences employee retention. A Gallup study reveals that employees with managers with high emotional intelligence are four times less likely to quit. 69% of top-performing managers are well developed in terms of emotional intelligence, and 70% of employees rate the work climate in terms of managers' emotional capabilities. According to The Institute for Health and Human Potential, 701TPTP3T of lost customers and 751TPTP3T of diverted career trajectories are due to problems with the emotional intelligence of those involved.

Improving emotional intelligence

To increase emotional intelligence, it is recommended:

Focusing on emotions: Emotions guide our behaviors and thoughts. Employees who focus on emotions can improve their emotional intelligence.
Curiosity: Openness to learning new things and understanding colleagues' perspectives improves listening skills and professional relationships.
Lack of value judgment: Colleagues open up more easily if they don't feel judged. A leader with high emotional intelligence leaves preconceptions aside.
Validating emotions: In a professional environment, validating emotions helps overcome tense obstacles.
Organizational practices focused on emotional intelligence: Developing practices to support employees' psycho-emotional well-being.
Organizational culture based on compassion: Leaders who are empathetic and value-oriented become role models for others.
Dedicated trainings: Training sessions on emotional intelligence and stress management can improve employee performance.
Positive attitude: Limiting negative judgments boosts optimism and reduces stress.
Collaboration: Emotional intelligence develops best in collaborative contexts.
Proactive, not reactive: Analyzing problems as a whole helps to find better solutions.
Open to feedback: Feedback is essential for personal and professional development.

Emotional intelligence is a flexible bond which, the more it is trained, the more effective it is in professional relationships. This attribute is essential for both employees and leaders, contributing to company performance and improving relationships at all organizational levels. Although developing emotional intelligence requires sustained effort, the long-term benefits are significant.