Ways Emotional Intelligence Training Can Help You Succeed at Work

Improving your emotional intelligence is an excellent way to set yourself up for future workplace success.

Not only will you be able to communicate better and be more confident, but you’ll also become a better team player and more desired employee.

MANCOSA offers Emotional Intelligence training that’ll teach you how to build emotional capabilities, strengthen assertive behavioural skills, and build self-esteem.

But what exactly is EQ? How will it benefit you in the workplace? And how can you improve your emotional quotient?

This article will discuss emotional intelligence, why it’s essential in the workplace, and give you practical tips to improve your EQ so you can thrive in the workplace.

What is EQ?

Emotional intelligence, or an emotional quotient (EQ), refers to a person’s ability to sense emotion in themselves and others.

It helps you communicate effectively, empathise with others, adapt your feelings, and handle social and emotional situations well. Your EQ can be improved through training and the right mindset.

Four attributes can typically define EQ.

Self-management: You’re able to manage your own emotions properly, control your impulses, adapt to challenging situations, and follow through on your commitments.

Self-awareness: You know your strengths and weaknesses and have the self-confidence to express your feelings.

Social awareness: You can understand others’ emotional cues, needs, and concerns. Social awareness also means you feel socially comfortable and can identify power dynamics within a group of people.

Relationship management: You know how to build and manage relationships with others. You can inspire and motivate people, communicate clearly, and work well in a team setting.

EQ differs from intellectual intelligence or intellectual quotient (IQ).

IQ refers to the use of your intellectual ability, including your ability to:

Use your logic to solve problems.
Learn and adapt to change.
Plan and strategise.
Learn new facts and information.
Learn and use language.

Both EQ and IQ are equally important in the workplace. Just as you need intellectual abilities to learn to perform specific complex tasks, you also need emotional intelligence to communicate with co-workers and work in a team.

The importance & benefits of a high EQ in the workplace

It’s common for many workplaces to give their employees personality tests, to determine what roles they might be best suited for.

While personality doesn’t measure EQ, the end goal of these tests is to provide companies with insights into which responsibilities and tasks the employee can handle. For example, they may be a good fit for a sales position because of their ability to read people’s emotions.

Here are some top advantages of having a high EQ in the workplace:

Better teamwork

Employees can work better in a team setting with higher emotional intelligence. People with high EQs tend to listen to others’ ideas and are comfortable giving their own.

They’re also less likely to take complete control of a situation, instead thinking of their team members and how they feel. Furthermore, they’re more likely to trust their team members and respect their thoughts.

Improved communications

People with a high EQ are great at communicating.

Communication in the workplace is vital. Without it, chaos and confusion happen — ultimately leading to lower productivity and efficiency.

Those who are good at communication are often put in leadership roles.

Discover why the need for high-impact leadership courses is growing.

Higher levels of motivation

A positive work atmosphere with constant motivation creates a far more enjoyable environment. This leads to happier employees and positive company cultures.

Since a positive company culture is one of the biggest determinants of a successful business, this makes people with high EQs even more desirable to employers.

More compassion

People with high EQs are also more empathetic and compassionate. This makes them the ideal employees to work with co-workers and customers alike.

This is especially true for businesses working with people’s finances, health, and livelihoods since customers sometimes receive bad news.

For instance, compassion can be shown to an employee going through a difficult personal time.

How to develop and improve your emotional intelligence

As you can see, EQ is critical to employers. Emotional intelligence training could help you stand out in your workplace and be seen as a leader. There are numerous ways you can improve your EQ.

Identify and manage your triggers and emotions: You can train yourself to react better in difficult situations. By knowing what makes you angry, upset, or irritated, you can control your emotions and respond appropriately.

Develop empathy and understanding: You can teach yourself to be more compassionate towards people’s lives and circumstances. An excellent way to do this is to put yourself in their shoes. How would you feel in a similar situation? How would you react?

Learn good ways to manage stress and difficult situations: The workplace often has stressful situations where projects must be completed on time. You can learn to manage your stress levels by taking time to rest, meditating, getting enough sleep, etc.

Practice self-reflection: It’s important to look inwards to discover your emotional weaknesses and shortcomings. Be honest with yourself about areas where you need to improve. For example, if you struggle to share your ideas with team members, practice your self confidence techniques.

While it is possible to improve your EQ by yourself, it’s a lot easier to do so when you take emotional intelligence courses from a highly-respected business college. It’ll give you the tools to develop emotional intelligence and help you understand different personalities, how to set boundaries, and more.

Online learning is an excellent way to study and improve your workplace skills.