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Emotional Intelligence

Definition of Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence refers to a person’s ability to recognize, understand, manage, and reason using intentionally selected thoughts, strategies, and emotions. It is a critical ability in the workplace affecting understanding used in making decisions, solving problems, listening, and reflecting before responding to constructive criticism and communicating effectively with others. It is an active exercise in cognition and affect, comparing cognitive processes and emotions to interact and influence the way people think and make behavioral choices. These and other related competencies are a key predictor of success, and play a critical role in the workplace. Emotional intelligence influences how employees interact with their colleagues, develop and exhibit leadership abilities, and manage stress and conflict to positively affect overall job performance. At every juncture in the workplace along the career journey, a high level of emotional intelligence is critical to an employee’s progress and success.

Assistant/Associate: Has basic levels of self-awareness, self-regulation and self-management. Is trustworthy and conscientious. Has the ability to sense workplace culture and demonstrates emotional discipline to learn how to adapt, fit in, and contribute to the work energy and culture. Is aware of one’s own personality traits, strengths, and weaknesses, and how to adapt and apply. Demonstrates the ability to understand and manage challenges or frustrations and has the patience and skill to cheerfully work through them.

Senior Associate/Professional/Supervisor: Possesses and exhibits change management skills to embrace positive change and become an energetic and innovative force for the future. Great at setting personal and team goals and balancing progressive workloads to ensure assignment and project completion. Develops and fosters collaboration and teamwork skills and thrives working in a team setting. Has a strong understanding and recognition of others’ approaches and idiosyncrasies and knows how to navigate and adapt in each interpersonal situation. Becomes known for abilities to build rapport with others, thereby adding value to every initiative and relationship. Is sought after and in high demand due to an innovative and capable approach to business. Has developed a strong value system and diverse emotional skills package. Effective communication up and down organizational lines includes acknowledging and respecting the feelings of others even when there is disagreement and avoiding making comments or statements that are judgmental, belittling, rejecting, or undermining.

Senior Professional/Manager/Principal/Director: Possesses a wide range of relationship, leadership, and interpersonal skills. Influence, persuasion, and negotiation now become important tactical skills in affecting desired outcomes in a sometimes change-adverse, yet progressive environment. Reading and navigating the organizational political landscape contributes to successful relationship strategies affecting workable timelines. Has others’ developmental interests at heart and is secure enough in one’s own leadership to begin to focus on unselfishly mentoring and developing them, knowing when to delegate responsibilities to others with guidance and influence. Leveraging key relationships to help others succeed and move their initiatives along is a necessary skill. Tact and diplomacy are critical in conversations and interactions with others at all levels. Conflict is now managed skillfully and collaboration and cooperation happen in its place.

How to Develop Emotional Intelligence

University Courses

  • Cornell University Online – Psychology of Leadership Certification
  • University Of Utah Online – Leading with Ethics and Emotional Intelligence. Executive Program
  • Harvard University https://emotionalintelligencesociety.org

Training / Other Courses

  • Emotional Intelligence 2.0 Assessment and on-line Training
  • Corporate Training Materials.com: Emotional Intelligence
  • Encore Consulting Group: Emotional Intelligence, The Missing Ingredient
  • LinkedIn Learning: Leading with Emotional Intelligence
  • Courseware.com: Emotional Intelligence
  • Udemy: Leading with Emotional Intelligence

Professional Associations / Certifications

  • TalentSmart Inc. Mastering Emotional Intelligence Level 1 Certification (PHR, SPHR, CCE credit)
  • TalentSmart Inc. Mastering Emotional Intelligence Level 2 Certification (PHR, SPHR, CCE credit)
  • Emotional Intelligence Appraisal--ME 360º
  • Emotional Intelligence Appraisal – Multi-Rater & 360º
  • Emotional Intelligence 2.0 Read, Assess, On-line Learning Program
  • Unlocking EQ: Sixseconds Emotional Intelligence Network Certification

Books / Publications

  • Emotional Intelligence 2.0 – Travis Bradberry & Jean Greaves
  • Strengths Finder 2.0 – Tom Rath
  • The EQ Leader, by Steven J. Stein, PHD
  • Working With Emotional Intelligence, by Daniel Goleman
  • Emotional Intelligence Focus – HBR EQ Series, by Daniel Goleman

Experiences

  • Take a Myers-Briggs-type personality test to receive insights into dominant behaviors for your personality type. Select two or three other co-workers to do the same. Then collaborate on findings and learn together toward improvement strategies with what you learned.
  • Take the Thomas Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument (TKI) to learn your conflict management tendencies, identify potential challenges, and set goals for how you can improve. Select a trusted group of co-workers to participate to identify conflict management challenges within a teams and learn constructive ways to handle those challenges.
  • Participate in a Gallup-Strengthsfinder 2.0-type assessment to enhance self-awareness and highlight your most natural strengths and most pronounced weaknesses. Select two or three other co-workers to do the same. Collaborate and learn together how to link key strengths to positive and constructive emotional behaviors
  • For 30 days, take time each day to reflect on your behaviors for the day. Keep a log on how you perceive yourself versus how you are perceived by others. Record what you learned by observing your behavior changes over time.
  • Ask a supervisor or trusted co-worker to identify core values of the organization where you work. Identify your personal core values and compare and contrast. Blend the two as much as possible and evaluate if you are living in accord with them.
  • Keep an emotional intelligence journal. Record a personal narrative of your interactions, emotional thoughts, and feelings and objectify them each day. Jot down what you learn.
  • Contact Megan Goodman (megan_goodman@byu.edu) and subscribe to her “Monday Morning Message” that includes weekly Emotional Intelligence insights, tips and learning. Focus on those principles each week.
  • Make it a point to observe others you work with. We are all more alike than we are different. Watch for and learn to identify EQ cues. In observing other people, we can often learn a great deal about our own behaviors.
  • Choose a good EQ-centered book to read. Select two or three co-workers to join you. Meet weekly to discuss assigned chapters. Learn and progress together.
  • Take an EQ Assessment that uses 360 degree feedback. Engage the help of your supervisor and up to eight trusted peers to provide you with EQ performance feedback.

How to Demonstrate Emotional Intelligence

DO: Describe what you did in completing / achieving your development plan

  • Describe your mutually agreed upon assignment or other chosen but related activity and why you chose it.
  • Share other activities or opportunities that surfaced while engaged in your chosen approach and how they captured your attention in support of your chosen direction.
  • Share experiential EQ discoveries using before and after comparisons describing what you learned and how it has changed your approach to life and business.

ASSESS: Share, if applicable, any assessments that were taken / provided related to your activities

  • Describe formal assessments you chose and participated in along with their results. Why did you choose them? What were the take aways? How did they affect change in your behaviors and/or approach?
  • If no formal assessment is available, be prepared to explain your own assessment of your journey in this area and any results coming from you efforts.
  • Report feedback from others you interact with that authenticates claimed positive change or progress.

LEARN: Explain what you felt that you were able to learn during your journey / experiences

  • Discuss your developmental learning experience. Specifically include new knowledge acquired, changes in outlooks resulting from the learning, and any ah-ha experiences that have permanently altered your approach going forward.
  • Articulate learned principles, practice, and new awareness incorporated as a result of new learning.

APPLY: Give specifics examples where you have / plan to make direct application to your work

  • Explain revelatory experiences you encountered or other practical EQ knowledge you have incorporated into your work that has changed your approach to your current responsibilities or that you expect to help you as you move forward.
  • Share how your new approaches to your work is impacting specific work and relationship outcomes.

REFLECT: Review / consider things you would have done differently had you had this experience earlier

  • Think back on your work and/or life approach before your recent learning and progress in your current selected journey. Identify any EQ weaknesses that held you back from progressing.
  • Share specific experiences where past outcomes could have been different if you knew then what you know now. Project possible future experience examples where you may be able to predict positive outcomes directly related to your recent learning.