Building Business Acumen Through Emotional Intelligence

In today’s workforce, the concept of emotional intelligence has become increasingly important for both companies and individuals alike. Emotional intelligence, while different from a person’s IQ, can have a profound impact on how one interacts with others, especially in the workplace. But, how exactly can one begin to practice emotional intelligence in the workplace?

According to Strategic Leadership Resources LLC, the four main factors that go into emotional intelligence include self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management. In order to become more emotionally intelligent, it is important to practice and improve each one consistently.

Self Awareness
A person who practices self-awareness is someone who understands their own emotions on a greater level. Those who are self-aware not only think through how they respond to other people, but it also gives them a greater awareness of how people respond to them. Having strong self-awareness can allow a person to better respond to the different people that they may interact with throughout the day. Business professionals should understand their own emotions, as well as their strengths and weaknesses in order to continue improving.

Self Management
The second factor of emotional intelligence is self-management, which is considered a great skill across nearly every industry. Self-management skills refer to a person’s ability to control their emotions when responding to different social or professional situations. People who have strong self-management skills can adapt to different situations without letting their emotions get the best of them.

Social Awareness
A person who shows strong social awareness will be empathetic with others and understand how to adjust their communication based on a person’s emotions. A person who shows empathy typically make other people feel comfortable and understood. This is an important factor for leaders, as their ability to understand their employees can help shape positive, healthy company culture.

Relationship Management
A person with strong relationship management skills will be able to maintain strong, lasting relationships with others. Their ability to maintain relationships makes these individuals great team members and leaders. Relationship management is a vital part of emotional intelligence, as it allows people to build meaningful bonds.

When put all together, a person who with emotional intelligence will be able to understand their self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management skills while continuously looking for ways to improve them. Leaders in today’s business world should always strive to improve their skills with emotional intelligence.

Originally posted on AishaBabangida.com.ng.