Importance of emotional intelligence

Posted by Winnie Melda on November 19th, 2018

 Introduction

There has been much emphasis on the importance of emotional intelligence in the workplace and particularly in leadership positions. Although Intelligence Quotient is regularly equated with success, research demonstrates that being able to successfully deal with people and the environment is an important element of intelligence.  The workplace is no longer emotion-free as certain aspects of emotional intelligence predict performance and significantly contributes to personal and professional success. Thus, emotional intelligence is considered as one of the missing parts in the success equation. With this in mind, I conducted an exercise aimed at rating my emotional intelligence level. The exercise which involved filling out a questionnaire aimed at determining my score on the components of emotional intelligence: self-awareness, self-management, relationship management and social awareness. I scored a total score of 85 points. Essentially, a total score of 80 or more reflects a high level of emotional intelligence.  A range of 50-80 shows that an individual has a good platform of emotional intelligence from which leadership capabilities can be developed. A score below 50 indicates that the individual is below average in emotional intelligence. However, emotional intelligence can be learned with practice. This paper discusses the four components of emotional intelligence in relation to my score.

Discussion

Self awareness

The ability to understand, interpret and respond to the emotions of others is as essential as the ability to express and control our emotions.  I scored 21 points on this component of emotional intelligence. Self awareness is how accurately one can assess their emotions. Self-awareness also involves recognizing how own emotions can impact thoughts and behavior. One of my strengths is the ability to associate different internal, external cues with different emotions.  I easily step out of myself with the focused observation of how I feel and react in different situations. Most people are busy with the daily activities that they rarely take a step back and think about how they respond to situations.  Another source of self-awareness involves recognizing how other people respond. Understanding other people’s responses is often challenging as individuals may react differently to similar situations. Additionally, it may be uncomfortable to ask others for feedback. To increase self-awareness, it may be important to build time for reflection.  Also, routinely collecting specific, honest feedback from other people may help in capturing valuable ideas on how one should react to different situations. As a leader, collecting negative feedback as much as positive feedback can improve self-awareness. The ability to effectively manage emotions is a critical part of emotional intelligence.

Self-management

According to the rating, I scored 22 points on this component.  I have the ability to control behaviors and impulsive feelings. In different situations, I manage emotions in a healthy way by having a non-reactive analytical approach to my feelings. I also take initiative, adapt to changing circumstances and follow through on commitments. A key factor in self-management is whether one reacts or responds to a situation.  When a person reacts, they do what comes naturally.  When a person responds, they act against what is natural, hence the difficulty. Self-management necessitates engaging the rational part of the brain and selecting the best response. Self-management helps in problem-solving as it influences my response to different situations. 

Social awareness

I have the ability to observe and understand the concerns, needs and emotions of other people. I easily pick up on emotional cues and recognize the power dynamics when dealing with a group of people. The first step to understanding emotions involves perceiving them accurately. This often involves understanding cues such as facial expressions and body language. The emotions can then be used to promote thinking and response. The importance of perceiving emotions is that an individual can pay attention and help prioritize what to pay attention and react to.   Emotions can carry a range of meanings. If an individual expresses angry emotions, it helps to interpret what the reaction might mean or the cause of their anger. For example, if an employee expresses anger, it might mean that he is dissatisfied with his work; or it could be having challenges working, or could be having trouble with his family.

Relationship management

            On this component, I scored 21 points. The score shows my ability to develop and maintain good relationships, work well in a team, inspire and influence others, communicate clearly and manage conflict. Often, having good social skills and being competent in relating to the emotions of others are connected.  Serving as an inspiring leader, developing others and being a catalyst for change, managing conflict, collaborating with a high-performing team are part of relationship management.  A leader who demonstrates this characteristic of relationship management is often perceive as likable and is able to work well with different groups, in the face of conflict and stress. Relationship management is finesse in dealing with others.  Given that I can effectively engage in intimate conversations with others, initiate successful conflict resolutions, make others feel good and provide emotional support to others, I am definitely high on this characteristic.

 Sherry Roberts is the author of this paper. A senior editor at MeldaResearch.Com in research paper writing help 24 hours if you need a similar paper you can place your order for essay writing services.