Emotional intelligence? What is that? And why do I need to manage it?
Per Wikipedia, Emotional intelligence (EI) is the ability to identify, assess, and control the emotions of oneself, of others, and of groups. Why does this matter to you? In the workplace, if you don't know how to control your emotions, you can plainly, be fired! If you are offensive in tone, language, and expression concerning negative emotions, you could be creating a hostile work environment and definitely be seen as rude and unprofessional. Now do things anger us at work? Yes! Do you have the right to express how we feel? Maybe, maybe not. It depends on the organization's take on emotional intelligence.
Bosses, coworkers, clients, partners, suppliers etc. all can put us in a bad space but if you know how to be in tune with your emotions and channel them properly, you will save your self a lot of heartache and keep your job. It is about being smart and not a hot head. It is about understanding yourself well enough to act accordingly to the unwritten rules of the workplace, any and every workplace. If you are great at this, you can assist others who are not and save them the embarrassment and/or permanent dismal they will face from lashing out to others at work because their feelings are hurt or if they are being ignored or treated poorly. Yes, it is natural for us to want to express how we feel and put people in their place so they no longer treats us inappropriately but at what cost? How do you explain you were fired because you couldn't keep your cool?
Being more emotionally intelligent and you will prosper at work. So managing your emotional intelligence is paramount to your consistent financial survival or it can force you to quickly start your own business even if you never thought you wanted to do this. :-)
I know we are to keep our "cool" in the workplace at all times, but if someone does offend you or speaks to in an offensive tone or just down right rude. Why can't we tell them how they made us feel in a calm and professional manner? I mean I know we are to follow "protocol" and we are to be "politically correct" in the workplace, but doesn't mean you cannot express how someone made you feel when they did you wrong. I am firm believer of "it's not what you say, but how you say it!" Just because you are in the workplace, shouldn't give anyone no matter what position they hold, to speak to you any kind of way or treat you in any kind of way. I believe businesses would be great if we all follow the golden in life - do unto others as you would have them do unto you. This rule can apply in your professional life as well as in your personal one.
ReplyDeleteWe are all human and we all get emotional at times but I agree that it is very important to manage your emotions when on the job, just in case your boss may be testing you to see how well you handle emotional situations. Being emotionally intelligent should be important to all employees. Employees should be able to say how they feel, but they should also know how to do so calmly to get their point across and not to stir up more issues. On the other hand, there are times where we have to just "suck it up" and let go of how we feel about the situation. Some may feel defeated if they do, but actually they are being the "bigger person." Not being emotionally intelligent is not worth losing your job; there are ways to avoid this, but one has to be able to let things go rather than hold on.
ReplyDeleteWhile it is true that we all get emotional, unless I am trying to get into a position that calls for a test, who are you to test me? What if I wanted to test my management, unannounced, would they be cool with that? Sometimes the suck it up attitude gives management all the reason they need to continue the nonsense. Why can't they be the bigger person and just not cause the situation. After all, they are the ones' that are held to the higher standard.
DeleteI understand that we all are humans and there is times where we get emotional about someone not treating you professionally or the way they should be and I completely understand. I work with people who are rude and they don't know what their doing. It's very frustrating and soemtimes I want to take all my anger out on them. Even when I take it up to management and they speak to him and everything. He still does the same thing over and over. It gets to the point where you really want to shot him but in my case I learned to bare it and just dont give attention to him. He is the one acting like fool, so let him be one.
ReplyDeleteIt took some time to learn this, but over the years I have learnt to balance my emotions by learning who I am and what is important to me and life. When I encounter situations at work or with anyone wherever I may be or facing, I ask myself one question: 'Do I have to live with this issue?' If the answer is 'no' then I smile and leave well enough alone. I look at if I don't have to bring it home and live with the situation, let it be. We all reap what we sow whether we like it or not. It is not an easy task either way. If my answer is 'yes, then I would have to face it professionally, calmly and respectfully. I would give the person the benefit of the doubt . . . just maybe . . . just maybe they are unaware that their behavior is inappropriate and unacceptable.
ReplyDeleteIt is extremely important to have a high level of emotional intelligence, because your boss or co-worker might be dealing with some real deep rooted personal issues that might not even be work related. As an intelligent species we all have emotions. Dealing with our own emotions is sometimes easier said than done, but disrespect should not be tolerated on any level. If your boss is always an emotional wreck and you can not help the situation; I suggest you talk to his boss. The interaction you have with other co-workers could affect them and there work as well as yours if something is bothering you or making you unhappy. If someone is acting a fool or showing out at work like they do not have any sense does not mean you should to. Respect yourself and control your emotions on the job at all times.
ReplyDeleteWhen you come to the workplace you have to be as professionally as possible. If your in a sad or angry mood you need to check yourself. Pretty much take a deep breath, say a prayer and then walk in the door. If you need to vent do it in the break room or wait until you go on break. Never go off on a customer or your finished. Always try your best to keep your emotions to yourself and kept inside until the end of your shift or when your not around any customers.
ReplyDeleteIf you job requires to work a customer service job, you are to have a good personality with a positive attitude. You cannot come to work with a bad attitude because something is wrong at home. Your job has nothing to do with that and you need to leave that problem at home. If a customer comes in with a bad attitude, you are suppose to greet the customer with a smile and help them the best way you can; don't have their negativity rub off on you nor their energy pass through you. Just Smile, help them, then send them on their way.
ReplyDeleteIt is said that women cannot be or shouldn't be leaders simply because they are so emotional. This is true 50% of the time, it all depends on the individual. Some women can hide their emotions when in a leader role, just to prove society wrong while others do it because they have simply put their feelings in a proverbial box and hid it lol just to climb that cooperate ladder.In my opinion it is never in good taste for men or women to show emotion in the workplace. Just take it in stride and jeep it moving what doesn't kill you can only make you stronger.
ReplyDeleteI have been here and done this. Actually I give back what I receive. If you talk to me correctly, I will respond correctly. You come with an attitude, you get attitude. I have been careful to make sure I have a witness in my favor or I ignore the stupidity. I have supervisors that like my attitude and never have a problem with me and I have those that hate it. They all love my work estestic thou, I do my job well. Just won't tolerate the B.S. I do know of some that can't control the anger and are totally wrong. Yes, they should be dealt with, because it foster's a really bad environment.
ReplyDeleteit is very important to always keep your cool and be professional in every situation. yeah we may want to bite his/her head off but with one wrong move you can flush everything down the drain. get thru the day and at the end of the day if a situation is still bugging you approach the correct person and speak to them calmly about the situation so that it can get handled appropriately. that job is what is supporting you and your family. there are many people out there that dream to have the opportunity to have even a chance to get a job in places such as McDonalds and deal with any situation that comes their way, just as long as they are able to put something on their table. take advantage of the great opportunity you have that others would give everything to have.
ReplyDelete(EI) Emotional intelligence. Is a long fancy word that simply means, "Keep Calm and Carry on." Sometimes, it can be easier said than done. The everyday stresses that we handle on a regular daily activite life setting can be a whole lot different in the way we have to handle it in the workplace atmosphere or with our coworkers. So, have I lost my cool before on the job? Well, lets put it like this, the airline/airport industry is not easy-at ALL. Delays/cancellations/planes divert/passengers missing connections. And That is just on a regular ole' Monday! The Philadelphia and JFK airport alone is something to shake your head over with all the constant delays! Working in jus these two airports alone I was educated (not by choice) on a whole different terminology list of profanity! But, I learned something really quick from a GM at a previous workplace who had developed quite the poker face having attended many mediation conferences. He explained to me, "You dont have to attend every argument you're invited to." He said, "Explaining instructions are hard enough when people are already upset, but they would have been much more effective had I not clearly lost my cool an kept at least a smile. Although I do think there is a time and place to display passion at work, it must be controlled. Remember, "Keep calm and.............." you NEVER know who is watching, My GM was, and he was not impressed.
ReplyDeleteIn the workplace it is hard to control your emotional intelligence. Controlling your self when you have been miss treated or some one called you out your name is very hard. I know that I have anger issues that I need to work on. Someone could look at me the wrong way and I feel some type of way. In the workplace and especially if you are in customer service department, you really would need to control your emotions. You have a lot of personalities that you deal with in the workplace. I believe that it is not Ok to loose your cool at work because some one yanked your chain (As my mom would say). You have to learn how to let it go and move on. Some times also you do forget where you are and black out when your upset. There are solutions to this type of problems. You can talk to the person, or talk to your manager about the situation. You can't just go on about your day mad and grumpy, because keeping that look on your face is not a good look.
ReplyDeleteDealing with emotions can be a very touchy thing when in the workplace. Especially if someone is able to communicate well, and get along with others with no problem. This ability can also become a demise in the aspect of getting too involved with other people where you feel the need to want to know everything possible; which therefore can be lead to telling other peoples business when not wanted. Emotions come and go when it comes to peoples lives. You never know what may be going on outside of work that may carry over in to work. Which is not great to do, but it happens and can affect work performance. We all are different and handle certain situations differently, so being able to control our emotions is very important.
ReplyDeleteEveryone is entitle to their own opinions but it is how you deal with it that will make the difference. Emotional intelligence should not only be applied in the work place but life itself. Being emotional sometimes blinds us into think that only our opinions matters and takes away from our intelligence to think what is really happening and what is the next step to take. To be emotional intelligent is to have a balance between the two but most importantly to have an open mind that you could be wrong.
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