Emotional Intelligence

 MBA - MANAGERIAL COMMUNICATION (MC)

EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

INTRODUCTION

Man is a bundle of emotions, just as, with all his education and training, he remains a bundle of weaknesses. In a way, our whole life is a struggle to triumph over emotions and weaknesses. How many times we are advised against being carried away by emotions! How often do we point out to somebody that he is getting emotional! In speaking we are advised to make an emotional appeal but not to get emotional!

NEGATIVE AND POSITIVE EMOTIONS

There are two types of emotions negative and positive. Anger, hatred, jealousy and such others are negative emotions. They play havoc with our life and cruelly destroy all our relationships. In fact, anger has come to be regarded as the worst enemy of mankind. If not tackled in time it can burn up a man's personality and destroy an organization.

Love, happiness, joy, caring and sharing are, on the other hand, the positive emotions that everybody seeks in order to make a success of his life. These are the emotions that a successful executive looks for and inculcates in his colleagues and employees. He has to be proactive in this direction. In fact, organizations are going all out to train their executives for this purpose. It need not be said that our effort should be to minimise our negative emotions and maximise our positive emotions. In other words, there is a necessity to rationalise and develop a kind of intelligence to monitor our emotions. This is what is known as Emotional Intelligence (EI).

WHAT IS EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE (EI)?

In the words of Mayer and Salovey, "Emotional Intelligence (EI) is a type of social intelligence that involves the ability to monitor one's own and others emotions, to discriminate among them, and to use the information to guide one's thinking and actions."

The core words in this statement are: "... monitor one's own and others' emotions..." It means that Emotional Intelligence (EI), is both inter and intrapersonal intelligence. We have not only to read others' emotions but also observe and analyse our own. This approach to emotions entails the following:

--Self-awareness: observing ourselves and recognizing a feeling.

--Managing emotions finding ways to handle fears, anger, sadness.

--Motivating oneself: directing emotions towards a goal.

--Empathy: putting ourselves in the position of others.

--Handling relationships: social competence and skills.

RELEVANCE OF EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

In this connection, Daniel Goleman has said, "Emotional intelligence, the skills that help people harmonise, should become increasingly valued as a workplace asset in the years to come. Social scientists are increasingly uncovering the relationship of Emotional Intelligence (EI) to other phenomena, viz, leadership, group performance, individual performance, inter-personal exchange, managing change, conducting performance evaluations, self-analysis, employer-employee relationship and so on.

Here it is also worthwhile to note that Emotional Intelligence emerges broadly in the following four ways:

(a) Appraisal and expression of emotion

(b) Emotional direction of thinking.

(c) Observing and analysing emotions

(d) Helping emotional and intellectual growth.

All this shows that thinking, feeling, appraisal and organization are inextricably interlinked. No organization can be run successfully without ensuring the emotional health of the employees dispassionate self-appraisal, weeding out discordant elements and working towards overall harmony.

IMPORTANCE OF EMOTIONS

Given below are a few important reasons why our emotions are so important to us.

(a) Our survival: 

Emotions are necessary for our survival. In the process of evolution, we have come to acquire a sophisticated internal guidance system that makes us alert to our needs- whether we need company when we feel lonely, or we require safety when we are afraid or we like to be accepted when we feel rejected.

(b) Our desire to communicate: 

Our emotions help us in communicating with others. Whatever we feel we like to communicate to others, verbally or nonverbally. Whether we speak out or not our facial expressions, gestures etc., express our emotions. Emotions and their expression - these are the hard realities of life.

(c) Decision making: 

Our emotions are a valuable source of information that helps us arrive at important decisions. They give us choices to decide and open up paths to take.

(d) Protection of physical and mental health: 

Our emotions make us alert at once if we feel uncomfortable with somebody's behaviour. This helps us set boundaries around us and find a comfortable niche for ourselves. Emotions act as a kind of armour against painful situations.

(e) Unifying force: 

Our emotions are perhaps the greatest unifying force. They unite with the other members of our species. Darwin has written that the emotions of empathy, cooperation, compassion, forgiveness have the power to unite as a species while forces may divide us.

The child in everybody's heart

Psychologists have asserted that deep in the core of everybody's heart is a small child that craves fondling and pampering. That is why it is of paramount importance for us to be essentially kind and compassionate to others. It is essentially this kind of approach that lies at the bottom of the philosophy of successful organizations that appreciate, reward, nurture and promote their employees. Infosys is one such example. Year after year, its mentor Narayan Murthy has been getting awards and accolades for being the Best Employer.

CONFLICT RESOLUTION

Emotions lie at the bottom of all conflicts. There is no organization that does not face situations of conflict and confrontation, be it the employer vs employees, or employees vs employees. It is always wise to diffuse the situation at the earliest. The first and the last resort in such a state is Emotional Intelligence (EI).

Given below is the step by step conflict resolution formula:

Let the conflicting parties be face to face and indirect communication.

They must be told to listen to each other patiently.

They must be told that they have equal status and so must respect each other.

No party is superior or more powerful.

They must participate in the deliberations voluntarily, not by force.

The feelings and emotions of all are equally important.

They must follow the dictum, "First understand, then be understood."

The ultimate aim is a win-win solution.

Conclusion

Emotional Intelligence (EI) is a comparatively new area of study. But wise people, and that includes people in business, have always been conscious of it. They have always known that the importance of emotions in life cannot be overemphasized. All interpersonal relationships depend upon respecting each other's emotions. Equally important is the awareness and analysis of one's own emotions.

Works Cited-

Sinha, K. K. (2000). Business Communication. India: Na.