EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE APPLIED TO BUSINESS: A PERFECT DUO

 

''Emotional intelligence refers to the capability of a person to manage and control his or her emotions and possess the ability to control the emotions of others as well. In other words, they can influence the emotions of other people also.'' The Economic Times

We all know the notion of IQ (Intelligence Quotient), which allows the evaluation of someone's intellectual capacities. However, for some time now, the concept of EQ (Emotional Quotient) seems to be becoming more and more useful in daily life in general, and in business in particular. While IQ is innate, EQ can be developed throughout one's life, thus emotional intelligence, which includes self-control, empathy, self-awareness, motivation, as well as social skills, is involved. 

Self-control is very important for success in business. 

For example, when an employee is able to prevent himself from doing things that could be detrimental to the well-being of the company, such as refraining from bad-mouthing a customer who is in the wrong, it adds value to the company in terms of communication and reputation. 

This being said, a company that favors emotional intelligence over intellectual intelligence, although the latter is also important, can gain in management capacity which will certainly play a role in the development of the company.

As far as empathy is concerned, it is the ability to put oneself in the place of the other person in order to understand them. This is very useful in business. Whether it is an employee, a manager or even a CEO, if they show empathy, it would not only help them understand their potential customers but also to meet their expectations.

For example, Amazon's fulfillment centers have been criticized for their harsh working conditions. Bezos responded by saying that "callous management practices do not describe the Amazon I know or the caring Amazonians I work with every day. But if you know of any stories like those reported, I want you to escalate to HR. You can also email me directly at jeff@amazon.com. Even if it's rare or isolated, our tolerance for any such lack of empathy needs to be zero." This is how a leader manages a company, by understanding not only his customers but also his employees in order to meet their expectations as much as possible. The best interests of the company are at stake.

As far as self-awareness is concerned, it is rather the ability to be aware of one's environment, of what one is experiencing, more precisely to be aware of one's strengths and weaknesses. This is necessary for a person working in a company in order to develop it well. Let's see it as a SWOT analysis, but this time, of a person. 

Similarly, motivation, which is what allows you to give action to something, to have a great interest in a project, a product or even your person, is very useful in business. For example, when you are motivated to carry out activities or make a relevant analysis, this can lead to influencing other members of the company.  Thus, the company gains in capacity. 

Finally, social skills consist in communicating your point of view to others. They allow you to relate to others, which makes the relationship more comfortable.

Emotional intelligence is therefore essential for the proper development of a company. Neglecting it would be a mistake that could prove fatal for the latter. Companies have everything to gain by taking it into account when recruiting their staff.

Ulrich Gnonlonfoun

Webography:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesnycouncil/2018/11/13/emotional-intelligence-in-business-and-leadership/ 

https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/definition/emotional-intelligence

https://www.inc.com/john-boitnott/3-ceos-who-are-using-emotional-intelligence-to-expand-their-business.html