While they are constantly opposed, emotions and performance are not as antinomic as they seem… Knowing how to manage one’s emotions and understand those of others are key advantages in life as well as in the professional context. This is emotional intelligence, a good soft skill to develop in the company.

 

 

 

Definition

Whether positive or negative, emotions are at the heart of human life. They allow us to become aware of the world around us and to act accordingly. Emotional intelligence is therefore defined as the ability of an individual to understand, manage and regulate their own emotions. It is also the capacity to take into consideration and to welcome the emotions of others during social interactions. This form of intelligence is measured by the emotional quotient, and is different from rational intelligence, which is calculated by the intelligence quotient. In the professional context, emotional intelligence translates into a certain number of human qualities that are essential for performance: active listening, empathy, self-knowledge and stress management.

 

How does emotional intelligence influence the way we work?

Emotional intelligence was theorized by the American psychologist Goleman in 1995, and adapted to the context of working life in 1998. His approach is based on 5 pillars:

● Self-awareness and the ability to understand one’s emotions. These skills are based in particular on self-assurance and realistic self-assessment.

● Self-control: reliability, integrity and openness to change being key to good emotional control.

● Internal motivation, conditioned in particular by the search for evolution, the desire for accomplishment and optimism in the face of failure.

● Empathy, an aptitude that is developed through intercultural sensitivity, the desire to be of service and the exploitation of diversity.

● Social skills, including leadership, persuasiveness, communication skills, and the ability to lead change.

 

Insofar as emotional intelligence influences our ability to make decisions, our relationships with our colleagues, our understanding of our clients’ needs, it consequently influences the way we work. Numerous researchers in psychology have demonstrated that the ability to identify and regulate one’s emotions has a major positive impact on the success, health, performance and well-being of individuals. As a result, an emotionally intelligent person tends to better manage his or her workload and relationship to work. Having more ease in preserving his mental health in the professional environment, this individual has less risk of falling into burn-out. A factor of individual excellence and collective performance, the development of emotional intelligence influences the way we work and contributes to the professional success of an individual and a company.

 

The added value of emotional intelligence in interim management

Emotional intelligence is a key management skill and a prerequisite for successful team management. This is particularly true in interim management. This position requires several skills: being able to animate, federate and motivate teams effectively, with a solid sense of leadership. Emotional intelligence is a managerial quality that is essential for managing delicate situations, such as crisis management, conflicts, stress, etc. It is also what allows a manager to show humility, resilience, self-confidence and to be attentive to the needs of his collaborators. Finally, this soft skill is very useful for boosting team cohesion, commitment and collective motivation. The interim manager with a developed emotional intelligence will be able to create harmonious, balanced and respectful relationships within his company. This will directly promote the well-being, quality of life at work and productivity of employees. For managers, reasoning from their emotions is both a driver of personal development and efficiency in decision making.

 

 

4 golden rules to develop your emotional intelligence

Having defined and demonstrated the importance of emotional intelligence in the professional sphere, it is time to learn how to develop this major skill. It is not in anyone’s interest to deny their own emotions at work, nor to ignore those of others, except to lose understanding. Here are the 4 dimensions of emotional intelligence on which we must work to develop this skill.

  • openness: to be able to accept others without judging or rejecting them. Also enables one to give better advice.
  • listening: To be attentive without trying to interpret or find arguments
  • self-assertion: to know one’s own value, to be able to say no, to express one’s opinion, to express one’s needs and to set limits… In a firm and consistent way, always with tact and diplomacy.
  • responsibility: admitting mistakes, acknowledging errors and apologizing.

 

So many assets that a person with a developed emotional intelligence will possess.