Emotional Intelligence at

work

Suchitra Pal, PhD.

1
What is Emotion?

 Happiness, fear, anger, affection, shame, disgust,

surprise, lust, sadness, elation and love have in
common?
 These are emotions which directly affect our day
today life.

2
What is EQ?

 Emotional Intelligence is what gives a person

a competitive edge.
 Even in certain renowned business
establishments, where everyone is trained to
be smart, the most valued and productive
managers are those who have strong traits of
emotional Intelligence and not necessarily
those with the highest IQ.

3
What is EQ? Cont.

 Being endowed with great intellectual abilities

you may become a brilliant fiscal analyst or a
legal scholar, but a highly developed
emotional Intelligence is what will make you a
candidate for CEO or a brilliant trial Lawyer.
 Emotional traits are factors that are most
likely to ensure success in your marriage or
work life.

4
What is EQ? Cont.

 The lack of Emotional Intelligence explains

why people who despite having a high IQ,
have seen utter failures and disastrous in
their personal and professional life.
 An analysis of the traits of persons high on IQ
but low on EQ yields the stereotype of a
person who is critical, condescending,
inhibited, and uncomfortable with others.

5
What is EQ? Cont.

 Persons high with EQ are poised, outgoing,

committed to other people and worthy
causes, sympathetic and caring, with a rich
and fulfilling emotional life; they are
comfortable with themselves, others and the
social universe they inhabit.
 It is often said that a high IQ may assure you
a top position, but it may not make you a top
person.

6
What is EQ? Cont.

 Today, the rules of the workplace are rapidly

changing; a new yardstick is being used to
judge people.
 This is not merely how smart you are or what
your academic qualification are or what your
expertise is, but also by how well you are
able to handle yourself and others.

7
What is EQ? Cont.

 This yardstick is increasingly applied in

selecting who will be hired and who will not,
who will be dismissed and who will be
retained, who will be ignored and who will be
promoted.

8
What is EQ? Cont.

 At the time when there are no guarantees of

job security, when the very concept of the
‘job’ is being rapidly replaced by ‘portable
skills’, EQ is considered as the prime factor
which makes and keeps people employable.

9
What is EQ? Cont.

 These qualities have been referred to for

decades by various names from ‘smartness’,
and ‘personality’ to ‘soft skills’ and
‘competence’.
 It is only now that there is a precise
understanding of these human abilities and a
new name given to them is emotional
Intelligence.

10
Example of EQ?

 A person had the lowest grade point average

in school, say a senior army officer, But when
he joined the army he was graded number
one by my superiors.
 It is all about how you handled yourself, got
along with people, worked in teams,
motivated others, inspired leadership, etc.
And I found this is be true at the workplace.

11
Emotional Competence

 Emotional Competence is a learned capabilities

that leads to outstanding performance at work.
 Your emotional Intelligence is what determines
your potential for learning practical skills which
are based on five elements of self awareness,
motivation, self-regulation, empathy and
adeptness in relationship.

12
Emotional Competence, Cont.

 For instance providing good customer service

is an emotional competence based on
empathy.
 Similarly, trustworthiness is a competence
based on self regulation, or handling
impulses and emotions well. However,
merely being high on customer service and
trust worthiness are competencies which can
lead to outstanding performance at work.

13
Emotional Competence, Cont.

 Social and personal competencies are vital

for a healthy and productive life.
 Self awareness, optimism and empathy
enhance satisfaction and productivity not only
at work but in area of life as well.

14
What is EQ?

Self Awareness The ability to recognize and understand your mood,

emotions and drives, as well as their effect on others.
Self regulation The ability to control or redirect disruptive impulses and
moods.
-the propensity to suspend judgement-to think before
acting
Motivation A passion to work for reasons that go beyond money and
status
Empathy The ability to understand the emotional makeup of other
people
-Skill in treating people according to their emotional
reaction
Social Skill Proficiency in managing relationship and building
networks
-An ability to find common ground and build rapport
15
A group of Five Skills
EI Skills Hallmark Example
Self -Self Confidence A manger Knows tight deadlines
Awareness -Realistic Self assessment bring out the worst in him. So he
-Self-deprecating sense of plans his time to get work done
Humor well in advance
-Thirst for constructive criticism
Self regulation -Trustworthiness When a team not able to complete
-integrity the work in time, its leader resists
-Comfort with ambiguity and the urge to scream. Instead he
change consider possible reasons for the
failure.
Motivation -A passion for the work itself and A portfoloi manager at an
for new challenges investment company sees her fund
-Unflagging energy to improve - tumble for three consecutive
Optimism in the face of failure quarters. Instead of blaming
external circumstances, she
decided to learn from the
experiences.

16
A group of Five Skills
EI Skills Hallmarks Examples
Empathy -Expertise in attracting and - An American consultant and his
retaining talent team pitch a project to a potential
- Ability to develop others client in Japan. His team
- Sensitivity to cross cultural interprets the client's silence as
differences disapproval, and prepare to
leave. But the Japanese
company able to understand this
and given them the chance to
handle the project.
Social Skills -Effectiveness in leading change A manager wants to change the
-Persuasiveness appraisal system of a company and
-Extensive networking mange to convince all departments.
-Expertise in building and leading
teams

17
Can EQ be developed?

 EQ can be developed by upgrading your

emotional skills. However, it is commonly
believed that children and grandchildren
inherit certain emotional characteristics from
their parents.
 This widespread belief that EQ is entirely
inherited is false. EQ is not fixed at birth. It is
something you have learnt (or not learnt).

18
Can EQ be developed?

 For ages people have debated if leaders are born or

made. So too goes the debate about EQ.
 Are people born with certain level of empathy? Or do
they acquire empathy as a result of life experiences?
The answer is both.
 Scientific inquiry strongly suggests that there is a genetic
component to EQ. Psychological and developmental
research indicates that nurture plays a role as well. How
much of each perhaps never be known, but research
and practice clearly demonstrate that It can be learned.

19
Can EQ be developed?

 One thing is certain: EQ increase with age . There is a

old fashioned word for the phenomenon is called
maturity.
 EI largely born in the neurotransmitters of the brain’s
limbic system, which governs feelings, impulses and
drives.
 The research indicates that the limbic system learns best
through Motivation, extended practice and feedback.

20