Rise Above Ruthlessness For Success

Well-known business leaders are often portrayed to be hard-nosed individuals who only have time for reason and logic when it comes to their professional lives.

This may inspire fledgling managers to take a purely rational - rather than unemotional - approach in their workplaces. Although this may appear to get employees far in the firms they work for, experts have put a large emphasis on handling/managing emotions in business settings. Qualifications make up the larger part of CVs, and jobs require you to have the correct skills, so employers know you're capable of meeting the requirements of your job description or have the ability to learn the ropes.

These kinds of tests measure your experience and intelligence. Emotional intelligence is different from your qualifications because it refers to how well you know your feelings, how you respond to them and the emotions of other people. Specialists in this field go so far as to suggest that emotional intelligence is a greater predictor of success in the workplace than general intelligence.

Why emotional intelligence is valued

For the majority of workers, each day involves a whole series of interactions. From making small talk with colleagues to leading meetings and making connections for new business. In order for companies to thrive, the staff behind many of these interactions need to make sure that they can communicate well with other people.

You may have been asked at an interview how you dealt with some difficult situations in previous job roles, and it's very likely these kinds of questions are designed to get an insight into your emotional intelligence. Although it's becoming more recognised, it's still a vague concept in many ways, meaning you could go to interviews unprepared for these kinds of questions, or be unaware which of your personal qualities to use in the workplace. According to experts, being emotionally intelligent, means you're first able to recognise your own emotions, so you can work with them rather than against them.

For example, an emotionally intelligent person will be able to hold on to their anger/temper in a tough workplace by identifying their feelings, accepting them and moving on in a way that does not cause further discord. As well as considering your own reactions, you're also able to detect how others feel and use this information when communicating with them. Managers who are unable to do this, may end up being feared or leading a team of people who do not feel they have an amenable connection to their bosses.

Test yourself

Over recent years there has been a lot of research about emotional intelligence and the characteristics it has been linked with. Workers who are open and agreeable tend to adjust well in social situations and form successful workplace bonds even when they are under pressure. Although this may sound like you need to be born emotionally intelligent, this is not strictly true and there are courses available to assist you in developing this part of your personality.

There are a variety of tests online that look into the different elements of emotional intelligence, which could give you a guide as to your current skills in this area. In fact, employers are increasingly likely to include these questionnaires in interviews so they can gauge this for themselves.

Boosting general and emotional intelligence

At the heart of emotional intelligence is understanding. You need to have a thorough understanding of yourself and others in order to identify responses and work out solutions. For this reason, group work often forms a big part in increasing emotional intelligence.

Individuals are placed in theoretical situations in order to see another perspective and problem solve - which could help them in real life scenarios. This approach combined with management of emotions can help managers become more emotionally intelligent. In addition they are free to apply their skills to their workers so groups as a whole may benefit.