If we think of workplace sitcoms like The Office, Silicon Valley or The I.T. Crowd as exaggerated reflections of reality, then it would seem that emotional intelligence in the managerial class is in pretty short supply. Likewise, if you were to canvass your friends and colleagues, each would probably have at least one harrowing story of a boss who couldn’t read the room or make smart choices when it came to managing their employees’ feelings. And, in terms of business, that is basically what emotional intelligence—or EI—is: managing your feelings and those of your employees to create a healthier workplace and a stronger company.
The term was popularized in American psychologist Daniel Goleman’s popular 1995 book Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ. Goleman says EI is composed of five elements—empathy, social skills, self-awareness, self-regulation, and internal motivation—which we will explore shortly. Historically, EI was considered a ‘soft’ skill in the business world, one that padded out a résumé of technical (i.e., ‘hard’) skills. But the slow (and still ongoing) realization within business circles that acknowledging an employee’s feelings and concerns makes them a better and more loyal worker means EI is now part of modern management practices, despite some pushback from traditionalists.
What Are the Elements of EI?
Goleman famously identified these five elements of emotional intelligence:
Empathy: Can you put yourself in the shoes of your employees and clients? Hallmarks of empathy include strong cultural awareness and expertise in building and retaining clients.
Social skills: Do you find it easy to find common ground with others? Are you persuasive? Social skills like these are strong indicators of EI.
Self-awareness: This is basically ‘know thyself’. Can you recognize your own moods, emotions, and motivations? Do you see how they impact others? And can you laugh at yourself? These are key signs of self-awareness.
Self-regulation: Thinking before you act is easier said than done. Self-regulation is all about controlling your impulses and actions.
Internal motivation: Employees high in EI are not motivated by reward alone. Instead, they remain dedicated to their goals due to a natural drive that Goleman terms ‘internal motivation’.
The Benefits of EI
It’s safe to say that being emotionally intelligent has no significant downside when it comes to business, although it does have its doubters.
Avoiding impulsive decisions, managing stress more effectively, resolving conflicts by negotiating solutions, providing better customer service, and motivating employees more effectively are just a few of the benefits of being aware of (and sensitive to) the feelings of employees, clients, and yourself. That is not to say that EI is endorsed in all C-suites. No doubt, some Glengarry Glen Ross management types think it has little value in the brutal world of business.
To them, we say that emotional intelligence is an important skill set, one that makes you superior to artificial intelligence and, therefore, future-proofs your job.
Remember, there is no LLM that is ever going to surpass a human when it comes to building team trust and loyalty, no matter what Sam Altman promises.
Can EI Be Learned?
Obviously, not every boss is emotionally intelligent, including, perhaps, you. But that doesn’t mean you cannot learn EI. And there are hundreds of vendors worldwide offering management-level courses in this increasingly coveted soft skill.
You can also find Ivy League versions of the same, like Harvard’s ‘Emotional Intelligence in Leadership’ course, which promises to “[e]xpand your leadership capacity and create an environment that fosters emotional intelligence.”
Fortunately, there is research to suggest that EI can be learned—at least to a degree—by those who do not possess it naturally. A 2019 meta-analysis published in the Human Resource Management Review found that EI training generally had “a moderate and positive” impact on its students.
That positive result is a good thing given that more and more companies are offering it to their employees—and that decisions surrounding promotions and pay raises are often impacted by how emotionally intelligent your bosses think you are.
Understanding our own emotions and those of your employees has not traditionally been valued in business. Indeed, a lack of emotion was thought to better drive profit.
Fortunately, it’s become obvious that a truly successful company is not built by ignoring its employees’ humanity.
Plus, in a time when artificial intelligence is being foisted on us (I’m looking at you, Google Gemini), maybe it makes more sense to invest in emotional intelligence. That, at least, feels right to me.
Sean Plummer | Contributing Writer
