Want more positive relationships at work? Use your emotional intelligence skills 🤝

You might have heard of emotional intelligence.

It's the ability to recognize, understand, and manage our emotions as well as the emotions of others.

But do you know HOW it applies to the workplace?

Emotional intelligence skills aren't just a “nice-to-have” — they're crucial for professional success. A 2022 study by TalentSmartEQ found that 90% of top performers have a high emotional quotient.

Let's dive deeper into this key ingredient to help you build positive work relationships and grow in your career.

Psychologist and author of Emotional Intelligence Daniel Goleman has transformed the way the world educates children, relates to family and friends, leads, and conducts business. He identified four core components of EI:

1. Self-awareness: The ability to recognize and understand your own emotions, thoughts, and behaviors.

2. Self-management: The ability to control or manage your impulsive feelings and behaviors.

3. Social awareness: The ability to perceive and understand the emotions, needs, and perspectives of others.

4. Relationship management: The ability to effectively build, nurture, and maintain positive relationships with others.

For a deeper dive on emotional intelligence skills, check out this video where Daniel Goleman discusses the 4 domains and 12 competencies of EI.

Self-Awareness

Self-awareness is like a moral compass and understanding of how you relate to your own success, challenges, strengths, and areas of development at work.

E.g., being able to reflect on a previous mistake as an opportunity for growth.

Strategies

• Self-reflection journaling where you observe thoughts, triggers, etc., without judgment.

• Seek feedback and insight from trusted friends, family, and colleagues.

• Practice mindfulness through deep breathing or meditating.

• Educate yourself by reading books about emotional intelligence and work on personal growth.

Self-Management

Self-management is developing the ability to maintain inner composure despite miscommunication, setbacks, challenges, or external factors outside your control.

E.g., being able to manage your emotions when things don't go as planned.

Strategies

• Practice self-control by pausing instead of responding.

• Develop resilience by stopping negative thought patterns and re-wiring or re-directing them.

• Find alternatives to reactions that you want to change.

• Develop stress-management techniques like exercise, cooking, reading, etc. — even if just for 10 minutes.

Social Awareness

Social awareness includes understanding body language and tone of voice of others. Showing genuine interest in colleagues goes a long way in building strong relationships.

E.g., checking in with your colleague about how they're doing, rather than jumping to conclusions.

Strategies

• Be attentive and curious, and observe non-verbal cues.

• Develop empathy by noticing changes in colleagues' behaviors and showing genuine interest in them.

• Seek diverse perspectives from colleagues to show representation.

Relational Management

Relational management includes using strong communication skills, collaboration, and teamwork. These skills go a long way in working collaboratively with others.

E.g., taking on the responsibility of communicating timelines for a group project.

Strategies

• Use active listeningand think about what was said before you respond.

• Use effective communication and use casual check-ins. For example, "What is something that you did well today?"

• Cultivate conflict resolution skills to minimize problems that occur at work.

Itching for more? Look into these popular themes in professional relationship development!

Confidence 💪

Be confident in yourself and craft a memorable presence. You might feel awkward at first, but it'll get easier! Check out these 9 tips to improve your confidence at work.

Charisma 🌟

Charisma, or having a magnetic personality, is displayed through competence and warmth. See if you have high charisma skills by taking this quiz.

Reciprocity 🔁

Remember to centre a balance between give-and-take. Having successful work relationships involves an understanding of all the parties involved and what they bring to the table. Check out this article to learn more about the power of reciprocal relationships at work.

Be a team player with your emotional intelligence skills!