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People are not blank slates. We all have opinions, values, expectations and biases. We process everything we see, hear and read through our own filters. We bring every emotion we have to the office, the assembly line or the board room. Emotions tell us what to focus on and serve as warnings and invitations to act. Therefore, the goal is not to avoid, deny or suppress feelings, but to deal with them to help improve our performance. What we need to leave at home are our uncontrolled, destructive emotions that thwart productivity and results. This is not about being "nice." It's about business results. Proponents of Emotional Intelligence (EI or EQ) have various definitions but common themes: the ability to understand and manage one's emotions; to motivate oneself; to empathize with others; and to manage relationships effectively. We use EI to guide our thinking and actions, as well as to enhance results. The business case for EI is well documented by organizations, including the U.S. Air Force and Fortune 500 firms. Emotionally intelligent workplaces have higher degrees of success in productivity, revenues, sales, employee recruitment and retention, customer satisfaction and loyalty. A 2000 Gallup study of 2 million employees found that an employee's relationship with her immediate supervisor will determine how productive she is and how long she stays with a company. An effective supervisor understands when employees are feeling discouraged or dissatisfied and can intervene before productivity is impacted. Studies show that a person's emotional intelligence has an 80 percent to 85 percent influence on success in the workplace, while his or her IQ has, at best, a 25 percent influence. This is not to suggest that highly intelligent people are not necessary in the workplace. But technical skills alone are not sufficient to develop leaders able to foster innovation and produce results. Unlike IQ, which remains relatively stagnant throughout life, EQ skills can be developed through experience. Daniel Goleman, author of Emotional Intelligence, says, "People get better and better in these capabilities as they grow more adept at handling their own emotions and impulses, at motivating themselves, and at honing their empathy and social adroitness. There is an old-fashioned word for this growth in emotional intelligence: maturity." The foundation of emotional intelligence is developing awareness of your feelings and behaviors and using that information to guide your action. For example, your company is approached about merging. The due diligence process suggests everything is favorable. Yet your gut instinct says something is amiss. Rather than ignore your intuition, use it to motivate yourself to gather more information on the principals in the company. Or maybe your stomach knots as you prepare for a presentation. Your anxiety may stem from your sense that you are not well prepared. The emotionally intelligent response is to dig into the details and rehearse your presentation until the knots are replaced by a sense of welcome anticipation and confidence. Leave the drama at home, but bring your emotions to work and use them to facilitate teamwork, innovation, productivity and profit. Lynette M. Loomis is vice president of
marketing for the Rochester Women's Network, and a business and
marketing consultant. Reach her at www.yourbestlifecoaching.com. |
