Emotional Intelligence

Concept of Emotional Intelligence Emotional Intelligence at Work

Emotional Intelligence
Different aspects of emotions, motives, and personality that help determine interpersonal effectiveness and leadership skill come under the comprehensive label of EI EI refers to the ability to
Understand ones feelings, empathize and regulate ones emotions to enhance ones quality of life

Generally concerned with the ability to connect with people and understand their emotions
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Emotional Intelligence
Emotional Intelligence is a term that was brought out to a wide audience by Daniel Goleman It was he who first applied the concept to business (1998 HBR Article: What makes a leader?) He conducted a research at nearly 200 large global companies and found that qualities traditionally associated with leadership need to be complemented with a high degree of EI
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Emotional Intelligence
Personal styles of superb leaders vary, but the most effective leaders are alike in one crucial way: they have a high degree of EI IQ and technical skills matter mainly as threshold capabilities i.e. at the entry level Without EI, a person wont make a great leader
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Evaluating EI
Most companies have employed trained psychologists to develop competency models This aids them in identifying, training and promoting likely stars in the leadership firmament Goleman studied such models across companies and tried to determine which personal capabilities drove outstanding performance He grouped these capabilities into
Purely technical skills (accounting, business planning) Cognitive ability (analytical reasoning) Competencies demonstrating EI (ability to work with others, leading change)
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Evaluating EI
Golemans data analysis gave the following results:
Intellect was a driver of performance Cognitive skills like big-picture thinking and long-term vision were particularly important EI proved to be twice as important as the others for jobs at all levels EI played an increasingly important role at the highest levels of the company where differences in technical skills are of negligible importance

Other researchers also confirmed that EI not only distinguishes outstanding leaders but can also be linked to strong performance People can, if they take the right approach, develop their EI
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Components of EI 1. Self-Awareness
Self awareness means having a deep understanding of ones emotions, strengths, weaknesses, needs and drives People with strong self awareness are neither overly critical nor unrealistically hopeful They are honest with themselves and with others They recognise how their feelings affect them, other people and their job performance They know where they are headed to and why E.g. turning down a job offer
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Components of EI 1. Self-Awareness (contd..)

Someone who lacks self awareness makes decisions that bring on inner turmoil by treading on buried values Recognising self awareness:
Shows itself as candour (openness and honesty) and an ability to assess oneself realistically People with high self awareness speak accurately and openly about their emotions and the impact they have on their work Self knowledge shows itself in the hiring process: highly self aware candidates would be frank in admitting to failure and often will tell their tales with a smile They may even have a self deprecating sense of humour 8

Components of EI 1. Self-Awareness (contd..)

Recognising self awareness:
Can be identified during performance reviews Self aware people know and are comfortable talking about their limitations and strengths They often demonstrate a thirst for constructive criticism People with low self awareness would interpret an improvement suggestion as a threat or a sign of failure Self aware people can be recognised by their self confidence: they know their capabilities and at the same time know when to ask for help 9

Components of EI 1. Self-Awareness (contd..)

Recognising self awareness:
The risks highly self aware people take on the job are calculated They wont ask for a challenge that they know they cant handle alone Theyll play to their strengths

Golemans research found that senior executives dont give self awareness the credit it deserves when they look for potential leaders Often candour is mistaken for wimpiness (lack of strength or confidence) They fail to give due respect to employees who openly acknowledge their shortcomings But generally, employees admire and respect candour Leaders need to make judgements that require candid assessment of capabilities- their own and of others as well as of their own organizations and those of the competitors Self aware people are best suited do this

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Components of EI 2. Self-Regulation
Biological impulses drive our emotions We cannot do away with them but we can do much to manage them Self regulation is like an ongoing inner conversation and it frees us from being the prisoners of our feelings People engaged in such a conversation feel bad moods and emotional impulses just as everybody else does But they find ways to control them and even to channel them in useful ways Self regulation matters much to leaders People who are reasonable (who are in control of their feelings and impulses) can create an environment of trust and fairness This helps in reducing politics and infighting and 11 increasing productivity

Components of EI 2. Self-Regulation
Self regulation has a trickle down effect: when boss is known for her calm approach, subordinates do not want to be known as hotheads Fewer bad moods at the top mean fewer throughout the organization Self regulation is important for competitive reasons As ambiguity and change characterise todays business situation, people who have mastered their emotions are able to roll with the changes They do not panic, but move forward with changes and new initiatives. Sometimes they even lead the way Self regulation enhances integrity which is a personal virtue and an organizational strength
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Components of EI 2. Self-Regulation
Many bad things that happen in companies are a function of impulsive behaviour. E.g. Exaggerate profits, abuse power for selfish ends An opportunity to do so presents itself and people with low self regulation give into it People with higher self regulation challenge such impulses Signs of emotional self regulation: propensity for reflection and thoughtfulness, comfort with ambiguity and change, integrity- an ability to say no to impulsive urges
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Components of EI 2. Self-Regulation
Like self awareness, self regulation often does not get its due Responses of people who can master their emotions are taken as a lack of passion On the other end, people with fiery temperaments are thought of as classic leaders- their outbursts are considered hallmarks of charisma and power Impulsiveness works against them when such people move to the top In Golemans research, extreme displays of negative emotion have never emerged as a driver of good leadership
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Components of EI 3. Motivation
This is one trait that virtually all leaders have They are driven to achieve beyond expectations-their own and everyone elses Achieve is the keyword External factors like big salary or status motivate many people; but those with leadership potential are motivated by a deeply embedded desire to achieve for the sake of achievement Such people have a passion for work itself: seek out creative challenges, love to learn and take great pride in a job well done They display an unflagging energy to do things better; may seem restless with status quo They are eager to explore new approaches to their work 15

Components of EI 3. Motivation
People who are driven to achieve are forever raising the performance bar and they like to keep score They might ask to be stretched by their superiors An employee with self awareness will definitely know her limits, but she wont set objectives that seem to easy to fulfill They also want to keep track of the progress: their own, the teams and the companys They remain optimistic even when the score is against them In such a case, self regulation combines with achievement motivation to overcome the frustration and depression that come after a setback or a failure
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Components of EI 3. Motivation
People exhibiting high levels of achievement motivation also exhibit commitment to the organization When people love their jobs for the work itself, they feel committed to the organization that makes the work possible They are likely to stay on even when others offer better money When a person with high achievement motivation raises his performance bar and keeps score, he tends to do the same for the entire organization Optimism and organizational commitment are fundamental to leadership
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Components of EI 4. Empathy
Empathy is the most easily recognised dimension of EI We have all felt the empathy of a sensitive teacher or friend; we have been struck by its absence in an unfeeling boss or coach In business, we rarely hear people praised or rewarded for their empathy Amid the tough realities of the marketplace, the word empathy seems unbusinesslike and out of place Empathy doesnt exactly stand for adopting other peoples emotions as ones own and trying to please everybody That would make action impossible
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Components of EI 4. Empathy
Empathy means thoughtfully considering employees feelings-along with other factors-in the process of making intelligent decisions Empathy is very important as a component of leadership because:
The increasing use of teams The rapid pace of globalisation The growing need to retain talent

Reaching a consensus within a team is difficult due to alliances that form within the team and their clashing agendas The leader should sense and understand the viewpoints of everyone in the team 19

Components of EI 4. Empathy
Globalisation has lead to the requirement for a lot of cross cultural dialogue This could give rise to miscues and misunderstandings Empathy is an antidote; people who have it can hear the message beneath the word being spoken They also have a deep understanding of both the existence and the importance of cultural and ethnic differences Leaders always need empathy to develop and retain good people as the stakes are higher today When people leave, they take a lot of the companys job with them
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Components of EI 4. Empathy
Here, coaching and mentoring play a role by not just helping in better performance, but also in increased job satisfaction and decreased turnover Outstanding coaches and mentors get inside the heads of the people they are helping: they know when to push for better performance and when to hold back Leaders with empathy use their employees knowledge to improve their companies in subtle but important ways
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Components of EI 5. Social Skill

The first two components of EI are self management skills; the last two- empathy and social skill concern a persons ability to manage relationships with others Social skill is not just a matter of friendliness; it is friendliness with a purpose: moving people in the direction you desire Socially skilled people tend to have a wide circle of acquaintances They have a knack of finding common ground with people of all kinds- a knack for building rapport
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Components of EI 5. Social Skill

Such people work according to the assumption that nothing important gets done alone So they have a network in place when the time for action comes Social skill is the culmination of the other dimensions of EI
People manage relationships well when they can understand and control their own emotions and can empathise with the feelings of others People who are driven to achieve tend to be optimistic even in the face of of setbacks; the glow of such upbeat people is cast upon conversations and other social encounters

People with good social skill are popular, and for good reason
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Components of EI 5. Social Skill

Socially skilled people do not think it makes sense to limit the scope of their relationships They build bonds widely because they know that in these fluid times, they may need help someday from people they are just getting to know today

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Social Skill as a key leadership quality

When compared to the other components of EI, social skills is considered a key leadership capability People know that leaders need to manage relationships effectively Social skill makes possible the task of getting work done through other people A leader who cannot communicate his empathy may well not have it at all Leaders motivation will be useless if he cannot communicate his passion to the organization Social skill allows leaders to put their EI to work
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Importance of EI
IQ and technical ability are very important in leadership; but the recipe would not be complete without EI Earlier the components of EI were thought of as nice to have in a business leader But now, for the sake of performance, EI has become a need to have EI can be learned: not easy; takes time and commitment Benefits of having a well developed EI both for the individual and the organization make it worth the effort
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Can EI be learned?
For years the debate as to whether leaders are born or made has been going on The case with EI is no different Scientific inquiry strongly suggests that there is a genetic component to EI Psychological and developmental research indicates that nurture plays a role as well; hence EI can be learned
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Can EI be learned?
EI increases with age: what we call maturity in simple terms Even with maturity, some people still need training to enhance their EI EI is born largely in the neurotransmitters of the brains limbic system which governs feelings, impulses and drives Limbic system learns best through motivation, extended practice and feedback Another part of the brain- the neocortex grasps concepts and logics. It governs analytical and technical ability When leadership qualities are tried to be taught through training, most programmes target the neocortex and the exercise goes wrong
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Can EI be learned?
To improve EI organizations must refocus their training to include the limbic system This requires something more than conventional training programmes; it also requires an individualised approach Suppose an executive is thought to be low on empathy; interrupts people without listening to what they say To fix the problem the executive needs to be motivated to change and then she needs practice and feedback from others A coach/colleague could be appointed to let her know when she has been noticed failing to listen

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Can EI be learned?
The executive could also be directed to observe certain executives who listen well and mimic their behaviour With persistence and practice such a process can lead to lasting results A seminar or a how-to manual wouldnt help in improving EI Building ones EI cannot and will not happen without sincere desire and concerted effort
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EI at Work
In 1995, when Goleman published Emotional Intelligence, he aimed the book at the educational community and it received good response It also received unexpected and overwhelming response from the business world He followed his first book with more books and articles He argues that not only are EI organizations most effective and able to compete in the turbulent times ahead, but also are the most satisfying and desirable places to work
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EI at Work
Goleman has cautioned that EI is not a magic bullet At the individual level, elements of emotional intelligence can be identified, assessed, and upgraded At the group level, it means fine-tuning the interpersonal dynamics that make the group smarter At the organizational level it means revising the value hierarchy to make EI a priority- in the concrete terms of hiring, training and development, performance evaluation and promotions
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EI at Work
More research and theory (beyond Golemans work) are required specifically on EI at the workplace One research has suggested that EI is a better predictor of life success than IQ IQ gets you hired but EQ gets you promoted Surveys indicate that many HR managers believe this statement to be true There is also evidence that the value of EI may even hold for highly technical jobs like scientists and engineers
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EI at Work
Todays organizations are starting to implement various EI approaches EI tests are used during employee selection Some firms develop inhouse EI strategies Some other firms use EI counseling/training approach to help their employees deal with change, emotionally charged work situations and professional goals EI training is given to resolve emotional issues and complaints
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Conclusion
There is hardly any doubt about the importance and applicability of EI in the workplace There is definitely more need for theory development, valid measures, and empirical research in the area

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 THANK YOU!!

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