Emotional intelligence is a framework that continues to take the current workplace with a storm. Also referred to as EQ, the concept is a description of how an individual is able to identify, comprehend, manage and reason with emotions. This is a crucial ability whose importance is seen in the aspect of interpersonal communication. Although coined by psychologists in the 1990s, the use of this term has spread abruptly into other fields like business, education, and others ( Caruso et al., 2014) . In fact, it can be applied in any area where there is the possibility of interaction between many individuals. Several pieces of literature have been dedicated to emotional intelligence and its importance in the business world. This paper will dwell on one written by Guy Millar entitled “Walking the Walk.”
According to Millar (2012), most companies often have catchy phrases when asked about their values and what they intend to do to make their customers and workers satisfied. However, these words do not hold ground as most consumers feel wasted and dissatisfied by the way the business is conducted. In other words, the leaders in the organization lack emotional intelligence or do not understand how important relationships are in the way the business is conducted. The leadership of the companies which fulfill their values takes into consideration that the cause of success or failure is the people and not the words. The actions of the organization always outweigh the effect the statements have on the appreciation of the company. Millar (2012) suggests that a company whose reputation can salvage itself by carrying out two steps, supporting the brand both internally and externally and applying everything required to inspire and motivate improved performance.
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In both of these approaches, there is a central aspect of emotional intelligence, self-awareness, and accountability. To begin with, emotional intelligence is the ability to deal with the demand of life in a competent manner. It defines how a person works with his or her emotions and how well he or she influences others to work on theirs. This concept is a behavioral one which is based on the way a person understands themselves. In the workplace, it is imperative to understand the feelings of others and acknowledge that human actions come from emotions. Through emotional intelligence, it is possible to manage relationships, form creative groups, and motivate oneself and others (Millar, 2012). In the current workplace, there is vast diversity as people from different backgrounds come together to work on a given goal of the organization. In order to relate to these people, a leader must have emotional intelligence and help in motivating the employees.
According to Goleman (2006), emotional intelligence takes the form of five elements. First, there is the component of self-awareness. In this case, it is the ability to comprehend one’s moods and emotions and realize how they affect others. The second component is self-regulation which stands for the ability to think before acting, hence managing one’s moods and impulses. The other component is empathy, which stands for the ability to acknowledge the motivations of others. The recognition of such helps in building successful teams and leading them effectively. The fourth element is intrinsic motivation. A person should act to pursue goals for personal reasons, instead of doing so because of some kind of reward or recognition. Finally, social skills include the ability to form and manage relationships with other and form successful networks.
With these elements stated, it is clear that emotional intelligence is largely concerned with the relationships with others. It is being aware of how other people feel. Thus, one way of increasing the EQ is to pay attention to one’s feelings and how it impacts the rest of the workplace. This is being self-aware. When one is aware of their mental state, is possible to create a sense of accountability. According to Millar (2012), accountability is one of the most empowering yet also one of the most challenging. It is the ability to comprehend the cause-and-effect of a situation and knowing the part the individual plays in it. It is taking responsibility for the situations, which makes a person have the power to change the world and solve the problems. An example of such action can be seen in the way the CEO of General Motors, Mary Barra, handled the ignition switch crisis which saw many people lose their lives. Barra acknowledged the problem, which the previous leaders did not, and assumed the accountability for all the mistakes ( Newcomb, 2017) . This made it easier for her to solve the problems facing GM and build it to an automobile giant. Her apology to the entire victims and their families was an emotional intelligence in its own rights.
Another way of manifesting the power of emotional intelligence is by harnessing the principles of transformational communication (Millar, 2012). This concept is key in helping individuals work through misunderstandings and difficult situations. It helps the several departments of an organization to function seamlessly without difficulties. This creates a culture of cohesiveness within the organization and the slim chances of conflicts. This concept can be attributed to the way Apple Inc (DuBrin, 2015). was established. The communication in this company was open as everybody would air their views. It was evident in times of Steve Jobs and now with Tim Cook. The company has a culture where communication is encouraged as the leadership knows it is a way of solving the interpersonal problems. This is also a show of emotional intelligence.
The values of a company drive the employees to either succeed or fail with it. The values of organizations tell more about its culture and what it believes is important in the workplace and for customers. They show how the management wants the workers to feel and conduct themselves. Employees are part of the brand as they influence how the customers experience the organization. Thus, encouraging them through emotional intelligence is a way of driving and living the values of the company. An example of a company with excellent values is Google LLC. This is one organization with a culture that is centered around the creativity of the workers (Graen & Grace, 2015). It creates an environment where the employees feel comfortable and have fun, and also feel they have the freedom to share ideas.
References
Millar, G. (2012). Walking the Walk. Training Journal.
Caruso, D. R., Fleming, K., & Spector, E. D. (2014). Emotional intelligence and leadership. In Conceptions of Leadership (pp. 93-110). Palgrave Macmillan, New York.
Crossan, M., Seijts, G., & Gandz, J. (2015). Developing leadership character . Routledge.
Newcomb, C. (2017). Women in Leadership: A Comparative Case Study on Successful Leadership. DuBrin, A. J. (2015). Leadership: Research findings, practice, and skills . Nelson Education.
Goleman, D. (2006). Emotional intelligence . Bantam.
