Source: E-mail dt. 4 February 2015
Innovation Practices in HR –
Emotional Intelligence
D.Senthil kumar
Research
Scholar, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, Tamilnadu, India.
and
Karuppasamy Ramanathan
Research Guide
and Director, Dept. of Management Studies,
Nehru
Institute of Technology, Coimbatore, Tamilnadu,
India.
Abstract:
Recently
in HRM, Emotional Intelligence (EQ) has become a popular topic of debate
suggesting that EQ competencies should be given more weightage than IQ
competencies while recruiting a worker as such various job related factors are
thought to be correlated with it and therefore, it is necessary to study EQ
& its four components. The purpose of this research study is to explore the
EQ level of the working professionals in Gujarat and to understand the
relations of variables such as age & gender on EQ. The methodology adopted
involves descriptive field study using a structured questionnaire as the
research instrument with statistical analysis to arrive at the results. The
results reveal that age (variable) can predict the EQ level and that EQ is independent
of gender. It is also noted that EQ level of professionals is good but there’s
a lack of awareness regarding EQ skills and its importance.
Key Words: Emotional
intelligence, Developing key skill
Introduction:
Emotional intelligence can be defined
as the ability to monitor one's own and other people's emotions, to
discriminate between different emotions and label them appropriately and to use
emotional information to guide thinking and behavior. It was Peter
Mayor and Salovey who introduced this concept in 1990
but it was Daniel Goleman who’s known as the guru of
Emotional intelligence because he is the one who made this concept very popular
and made people aware of the importance of this concept. Daniel Goleman’s five components of Emotional Intelligence namely,
Self-Awareness, Self-Regulation, Internal Motivation, Empathy and Social Skills
later on got clubbed into four components discussed below.
i.
Self-Awareness
In
short, it refers to KNOW YOURSELF. It is the ability of having a clear understanding
of one’s emotions, strengths, weaknesses, drives and capabilities. When we are
self-aware, we know what are our strengths and weaknesses, what emotions we are
passing through and how we feel about it. So we do not compare ourselves with
others as such we value ourselves which develops our self-confidence and
self-esteem.
ii.
Self-Management
In short, it refers to MANAGE
YOURSELF. It is the ability to use the knowledge of Self-Awareness in order to
manage your emotions in a way that yields positive results. It includes
believing not only that the best will happen to you but whatever happen is for
the best and then you’ll be a highly self-esteemed and self-confident person as
a great saying goes like this, “Confidence never comes when we have all the
answers. It actually comes when we are prepared for all the questions.” So you
should prepare a mental picture considering all the possibilities of an event
that might happen so that you hope for the best but also be mentally prepared
for the best. It also includes visualization of success and managing stress
level.
iii. Social Awareness
In short, it refers to KNOW OTHERS. It is the
ability to read the facial expressions, body movements and other non-verbal
signals of others in order to understand their emotions. It also includes the
ability to putting yourself in others’ shoes and the tendency to observe the
body language of characters in TV serials or movies as well as identifying
oneself with those characters because if you’ll know others then only you’ll be
able to manage your relationships which is the last and the most crucial component
of Emotional Intelligence.
iv. Relationship Management
In
short, it refers to MANAGE ONE SELF & OTHERS. It is the ability to use the
knowledge of all the previous skills namely Self-Awareness, Self-Management and
Social Awareness in order to manage your emotions towards others. It is the
most crucial component of Emotional Intelligence as such it includes skills
like managing conflicts, influencing others, team building etc.
Efforts of emotional intelligence:
· Performance at work. Emotional intelligence can help you
navigate the social complexities of the workplace, lead and motivate others,
and excel in your career. In fact, when it comes to gauging job candidates,
many companies now view emotional intelligence as being as important as
technical ability and require EQ testing before hiring.
· Physical health. If you’re unable to manage your stress
levels, it can lead to serious health problems. Uncontrolled stress can raise
blood pressure, suppress the immune system, increase the risk of heart attack
and stroke, contribute to infertility, and speed up the aging process. The
first step to improving emotional intelligence is to learn how to relieve
stress.
· Mental health. Uncontrolled stress can also impact your
mental health, making you vulnerable to anxiety and depression. If you are
unable to understand and manage your emotions, you’ll also be open to mood
swings, while an inability to form strong relationships can leave you feeling
lonely and isolated.
· Relationships. By understanding your emotions and how
to control them, you’re better able to express how you feel and understand how
others are feeling. This allows you to communicate more effectively and forge
stronger relationships, both at work and in your personal life.
Developing
key skill:
Emotional
intelligence (EQ) is built by reducing stress, remaining focused, and staying
connected to yourself and others. You can do this by learning key skills. The
first two skills are essential for controlling and managing overwhelming stress
and the last three skills greatly improve communication. Each skill builds on
the lessons learned in practicing the earlier skills and includes:
· The ability to quickly reduce stress in the
moment in a variety of settings
· The ability to recognize your emotions and keep
them from overwhelming you
· The ability to connect emotionally with others
by using nonverbal communication
· The ability to use humor and play to stay
connected in challenging situations
· The ability to resolve conflicts positively
and with confidence
Stress busting:
The first key skill of emotional
intelligence is the ability to quickly calm yourself down when you’re feeling
overwhelmed. Being able to manage stress in the moment is the key to
resilience. This emotional intelligence skill helps you stay balanced,
focused, and in control–no matter what challenges you face.
Connect to our emotions:
The second key skill of emotional
intelligence is having a moment-to-moment awareness of your emotions and how
they influence your thoughts and actions. Emotional awareness is the key to
understanding yourself and others. Many people are disconnected from their
emotions–especially strong core emotions such as anger, sadness, fear, and joy.
But although we can distort, deny, or numb our feelings, we can’t eliminate them.
They’re still there, whether we’re aware of them or not. Unfortunately, without
emotional awareness, we are unable to fully understand our own motivations and
needs, or to communicate effectively with others.
Non-verbal communication:
Being a good communicator requires
more than just verbal skills. Oftentimes, what we say is less important than
how we say it or the other nonverbal signals we send out. In order to hold the
attention of others and build connection and trust, we need to be aware of and
in control of our nonverbal cues. We also need to be able to accurately read
and respond to the nonverbal cues that other people send us. Nonverbal
communication is the third skill of emotional intelligence. This wordless form
of communication is emotionally driven. It asks the questions: ―Are you
listening? and ―Do you understand and care?‖ Answers to
these questions are expressed in the way we listen, look, move, and react. Our
nonverbal messages will produce a sense of interest, trust, excitement, and
desire for connection–or they will generate fear, confusion, distrust, and
disinterest.
Use humor and play to deal with challenges:
Humor, laughter, and play are natural
antidotes to life’s difficulties. They lighten our burdens and help us keep
things in perspective. A good hearty laugh reduces stress, elevates mood, and
brings our nervous system back into balance.
Resolve conflict positively:
Conflict and disagreements are
inevitable in relationships. Two people can’t possibly have the same needs,
opinions, and expectations at all times. However, that needn’t be a bad thing!
Resolving conflict in healthy, constructive ways can strengthen trust between
people. When conflict isn’t perceived as threatening or punishing, it fosters
freedom, creativity, and safety in relationships. The ability to manage
conflicts in a positive, trust-building way is the fifth key skill of emotional
intelligence. Successfully resolving differences is supported by the previous
four skills of emotional intelligence. Once you know how to manage stress, stay
emotionally present and aware, communicate nonverbally, and use humor and play,
you’ll be better equipped to handle emotionally charged situations and catch
and defuse many issues before they escalate.
Conclusion:
Emotional intelligence helps to build
up the stronger relationship, succeed at goal. Emotional intelligence is so
important and boosts EQ by mastering five core skills. High emotional
intelligences recognize an emotional state and the emotional states of others
and engage with the people in a way that draws them. So by understanding
emotions help to understand the other in better way.
References
1. Mathews Zeidner and Roberts (2002), “What is
Emotional Intellignece, New York, Basic Books.
2. R. J. Stronberg (2005), Hand Book of Human Inelligence, New York, Cambridge University Press
3. Mayer, J.D., and Salovery, P., (2004),
“Emotional Intelligence meets traditional standards for intelligence”.