Ever sat in an interview and the interviewers questioned you on how you handled criticism, disputes, and complaints? Did they ask you to walk with them down memory lane when you had a conflict with your former employer or supervisor?
In such situations, the commonly asked question is, “What do you do when under pressure?” Employees often give responses such as, “I stay calm or I avoid pressure,” to show they can work optimally in a powder keg situation.
However, contrary to the perception, such questions are aimed at gauging how one is aware of their own emotions and those of others, how one can recognise and regulate behaviour and manage their emotions to adapt to different environments.
Simply, interviewers seek to gauge the interviewee’s emotional intelligence.
In today’s high-pressure workplaces employees have had to take on an extra workload, especially after the last few years of cost-cutting. Having an emotionally intelligent workforce minimises chances of conflict, and ultimately ensures that productivity is maintained, if not enhanced.
At the crux of emotionally intelligent employees is self-awareness. They are alive to their moods, emotions, personalities, strengths, weaknesses, and reactions to the whole spectrum of triggers.
They can perceive, interpret, demonstrate, control, and use emotions to communicate with and relate to others effectively and constructively.
Emotional intelligence helps career people to use their emotions to achieve desired results through meaningful connections and collaborations.
Irene Mugambi, a coach affiliated with US-based GiANT International shares that emotional intelligence can be gauged through individual assessment as well as how one is leading those around them.
“Triggers are your kryptonite and it is not enough to be aware of them but also how to mitigate them,” she explains.
For instance, she points out that laid-back people who are emotionally aware of themselves may slack at their duties and not get worried but this might not be the case with others.
With emotional intelligence tests being readily available on the internet, one can understand their personalities and work on how to better themselves and their relationships with colleagues.
However, while emotional intelligence is key, overuse or inappropriate application can deliver inconsistent outcomes with Ms Mugambi cautioning that not appreciating every person’s unique personality can be detrimental.
“Ability to respect others despite differences in opinions is a safeguard from going overboard or doing too little,” she cautions.
An emotionally intelligent leader approaches every interaction with a measure of curiosity, a desire to learn, and to actively listen.
Vicky Karuga, the Managing Director for Profiles International shares that since handling people is not as predictable as working out a math problem, employers should ensure that their employees are intrinsically motivated to deliver good results.
“Emotional intelligence acts as the oil that equips you with what you need to be truly present in these ever-changing circumstances,” she adds.
An organisation that encourages its staff to take emotional intelligence assessments stands to gain as employees first become self-aware of themselves and then of others.
With mental health being among the biggest challenges in today’s workplaces, having emotionally intelligent workers also goes a long way toward promoting overall well-being.
Cultures that generally train for, or equip their employees in the area of emotional intelligence also reap quite a lot of documented benefits.
“In such cultures, iteration of business ideas and innovation and business agility is higher. Employees are more engaged because as we know, people follow or engage because of their leaders. This is a big indicator of productivity,” she shares.
Can emotional intelligence be learned?
Ms Mugambi says that since emotional intelligence is an ‘ability’, there is room for development. “Everyone can interact and become more aware of it,” she adds.
So where do we draw the line between being emotionally intelligent and vulnerable?
Though emotional intelligence employers dare to experience their emotions that leave them a bit more vulnerable in light of the skill, empathy is a key factor when it comes to connecting with employees.
This stems from allowing oneself to connect from vulnerability. However, this does not mean (over) sharing what you have been through rather opening up to experiencing emotions that will allow you to connect to the other person authentically and truly.
“It means connecting with someone from a point within you that understands what they could be going through,” Ms Karuga says.
Be it as it may, vulnerability also calls for taking difficult stances, when need be, holding someone accountable or calling out inappropriate behaviour at work as well as having difficult conversations with employees.
Psychiatrist Carl Jung shared, ‘Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes’ a clarion call to be emotional intelligent by understanding ourselves so as to be able to know what we need to do first to ourselves then like a mirror reflecting to others.
