Emotional Intelligence for Better Performance
Dr. N. Srividya B. Tech, MBA, M. Phil, Ph. D
Senior Lecturer, Department of Management Studies, Dr. MGR University, Maduravoyal,
Chennai
Academic Profile:
B. Tech in Civil Engineering from Koneru Lakshmaiah College of Engineering, Vijayawada
under Nagarjuna University and completed MBA from Vellore Engineering College currently
Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore with Personnel Management Specialization from
Madras University. Both the degrees are completed in distinction. Later M. Phil is completed in
entrepreneurship under Madurai Kamaraj University and immediately registered for Ph. D under
Vinayaka Missions, Deemed University for the same theme entrepreneurship. The Ph. D topic is
The Outsourcing Strategies of Entrepreneurs in HR Consultancy Services.
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Emotional Intelligence for Better Performance
Abstract
Emotional Intelligence is gaining much importance in the current competitive corporate world.
Gone are the days, when people used to think that the emotions are nothing to do with the work
place and people should be emotionless as far as possible at least at the work place. Now-a-days
it is emphasized that the emotional intelligence and the emotional competence is the essential
thing for any managerial personnel to prosper and grow in his career. In fact it is globally and
universally accepted that the emotional intelligence is required for all the human beings
irrespective of their job and role. And it is also observed and admitted that from the birth itself,
human beings has the emotional intelligence to some extent. Even the small babies have the
talent of recognizing and responding to their mother’s happiness or angry and other feelings and
emotions.
This paper deals with the emotional intelligence and its usefulness in the training and learning
process in an organization and thereby it leads to better performance at the work place.
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Emotional Intelligence for Better Performance
Emotional intelligence is the gaining much importance in the current corporate world and its
importance is much understood for the better performance and the mangerial effectiveness at
work.
Emotional intelligence is the ability to perceive emotions, to access and generate emotions so as
to assist thought, to understand emotions and emotional knowledge, and to reflectively regulate
emotions so as to promote emotional and intellectual growth. It includes understand one’s
emoitons, regulating them, show them and to use them for the better performance.
There are several components in the emotional intelligence and many tests are also conducted to
know the emotional competence of the person. As Stephen Covey mentioned, 90 percent of the
life is managed by the emotions and the reactions that occur consequently. The emotional
competence can be easily comprehended by Emotional Quotient (EQ).
The emotional intelligence is an assortment of non cognitive skills, capabilities, and
competencies that influence a person’s ability to succeed in coping with environmnetal demands
and pressures. According the Stephen P. Robbins various components namely
1. Self awareness
2. Self management
3. Self Motivation
4. Empathy
5. Social Skills
Emotional Intelligence is mostly comprehended by the emotinal quotient (EQ). Another se of
components in emotional quotient is
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Self Regard
Emotional Self-awareness
Intrapersonal EQ Assertiveness
Independence
Self - Actualization
Empathy
Interpersonal EQ Social Responsibility
Interpersonal Relationship
Emotional Stress Tolerance
Stress Management EQ
Quotient
Impulse Control
Reality Testing
Adaptability EQ Flexibility
Problem Solving
Optimism
General Mood EQ
Happiness
The meaning for some of the terms above is as follows
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• Emotional self-awareness (the ability to recognize and understand one’s feelings and
emotions);
• self-actualization (the ability to tap potential capacities and skills in order to improve
oneself);
• empathy (the ability to be attentive to, understand, and appreciate the feelings of others);
• interpersonal relationships (the ability to establish and maintain mutually satisfying
relationships);
• flexibility (the ability to adjust one’s emotions, thoughts, and behaviors to changing
situations and conditions);
• problem solving (the ability to identify and define problems as well as to generate
potentially effective solutions);
• impulse control (to the ability to resist or delay emotional behaviors);
There are several facets for the emotional quotient and its traits and facets. It can be
depicted as follows.
Facets Traits
Adaptability Flexible and willing to adapt to new conditions.
Assertiveness Forthright, frank, and willing to stand up for their rights.
Emotion Perception (self and others) Clear about their own and other people’s feelings.
Emotion expression Capable of communicating their feelings to others.
Emotion Management (Others) Capable of influencing other people’s feelings.
Emotion Regulation Capable of controlling their emotions.
Impulsiveness (Low) Reflective and less likely to give in to their urges.
Relationships Capable of having fulfilling personal relationships.
Self- Esteem Successful and self-confident.
Self Motivation Driven and unlikely to give up in the face of adversity.
Social Awareness Accomplished networkers with excellent social skills.
Stress Management Capable of withstanding pressure and regulating stress.
Trait Empathy Capable of taking someone else’s perspective
Trait Happiness Cheerful and satisfied with their lives
Trait Optimism Confident and likely to look on the bright side of the life
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A starting point for a dictionary of EI terms, the first three entries consisting of the following:
Term Current Approach Related to:
Trait Approach Traits related to adaptation Models of personality and
and coping (e.g.,assertiveness) dispositional traits.
Competency Approach Acquired skills and Leadership competency
competencies models.
underlying effective
leadership (e.g.,influence)
Emotional Intelligence Intellectual abilities using Models of general, or
emotional information (e.g., standard, intelligence.
emotion identification)
This emotional intelligence is about self and others as well. With the self, it can be called as
personal competence and social competence in the case of others. It is depicted as follows.
Self Other
Personal Competence Social competence
Recognition Self-Awareness Social Awareness
-Emotional self-awareness -Empathy
-Accurate self-assessment -Service orientation
- Self-confidence -Organizational
awareness
Regulation Self-Management Relationship Management
·Self-control ·Developing others
·Trustworthiness ·Influence
·Conscientiousness ·Communication
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·Adaptability ·Conflict management
·Achievement drive ·Leadership
· Initiative ·Change catalyst
·Building bonds
· Teamwork & collaboration
This emotional intelligence is not only for the theory purpose. It is fully and 100 percent
practical and it can be implemented in our daily life and at the work place too. Depending on the
level of emotional intelligence and the emotional quotient value, various leadership styles
emerge. It is depicted as below.
Leadership Impact On Objective When
EI Competencies
Style Climate Appropriate
In a crisis, to
Drive to achieve;
kick-start a
initiative, Strongly Immediate
Coercive turnaround, or
emotional self- negative compliance
with problem
control
employees.
When change
Self-confidence; Mobilize others requires a new
Most strongly
Authoritative empathy; change to follow a vision, or when a
positive
catalyst vision. clear direction is
needed.
Affiliative Empathy, building Highly positive Create harmony To heal rifts in a
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team or to
bonds; conflict
motivate during
management
stressful times.
To build buy-in
Build
Collaboration; or consensus, or
commitment
Democratic team leadership; Highly positive to get valuable
through
communication input from
participation.
employees.
To get quick
Conscientiousness; results from a
Perform tasks to
Pacesetting drive to achieve; Highly negative highly motivated
a high standard.
initiative and competent
team.
To help an
Developing others; employee
empathy; Build strengths improve
Coaching Highly positive
emotional self- for the future. performance or
awareness develop long-
term strengths.
The emotional intelligence is highly helpful in getting the better performance in an organization.
Conclusion
Emotional intelligence is a great tool for the better performance in the organization and as well
for the managerial effectiveness. This emotional intelligence is needed for every human being
for his smooth running of his life apart for his career development. This can be effectively used
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in training programmes also and it can be learned as well. It has several components covering
various facets of life. Everyone need not be strong in all the aspects. But if he is strong in one
aspect also, he would surely succeed and prosper in life.
References
Organisational Behaviour, Stephen P Robbins, 11e, Prentice Hall Publications
Organisational Behaviour, Fred Luthans, Tata Mc Graw Hill Publications
Emotional Intelligence, Daniel Goleman
http://www.eiconsortium.org/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emotional_intelligence
http://eqi.org/
http://www.unh.edu/emotional_intelligence/
http://www.funderstanding.com/eq.cfm
http://www.businessballs.com/eq.htm
http://www.emotionaliq.com/
