Three Top Strategies to Apply Emotional Intelligence at Work
Marcel Schwantes
Igniting leadership with practical care to boost retention, productivity, and profits. Deep ideas for people and business impact.
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Originally published on Nov. 13, 2024.
In the last article of my Implementer Series, I shared research that pointed to what organizations should focus on to create a great work culture that leads to high performance:?
According to extensive research by O.C. Tanner Institute, all these factors significantly enhance the employee experience. For this article, we’re going to drill down on that second bullet: a culture of emotional intelligence.?
Bringing Emotional Intelligence to Work
For years, emotional intelligence (EQ) was mostly seen as a skill for charismatic leaders or people in certain demanding professions. But not anymore! Studies show that these interpersonal skills are incredibly useful across industries, where they can quickly boost trust, spark innovation, and even improve the bottom line. Organizations that build emotional intelligence at every level aren’t just creating a friendlier work environment - they’re outperforming their competition by a lot. This is a big deal. In my work with global executive and management clients, I advise them that understanding and managing emotions should become a skill they’re expected to develop!
According to the World Economic Forum, EQ traits are among the top skills companies want right now. So, a question you may be asking is: Are some people just born with emotional intelligence, or can it be learned?
Let me end the suspense. Turns out, just like empathy (which is a component of EQ), people can build their EQ muscles with practice. And when they do, it makes a huge difference. I have seen how high EQ behaviors create trust, encourage innovation, and foster a supportive and caring workplace.
Speaking of trust, according to research, when people show high EQ, it signals integrity (yes, there’s a strong link), which helps build trust. The integrity piece is important here because if employees see their leaders as having high EQ, they’re 44 times more likely to believe the organization has integrity, too. This puts a lot of responsibility on leaders to model EQ, as their behavior often sets the tone for the whole organization.
Before I transition to my recommendations for shifting to a culture of emotional intelligence and applying the principles immediately, I have one last thing to share.?
When an organization has high EQ (employees and leaders alike), it usually makes for better employee engagement and a positive work experience. This also means the leaders of those employees are thriving! But if leaders lack EQ, it can cancel out - or even reverse - that positive impact. That’s why it’s so important for companies to help leaders build their EQ skills. As you see in the table below from the research, things really improve when both leaders and the organization show strong EQ.
3 Recommendations to Immediately Apply EQ at Work
To make emotional intelligence work, leaders and managers need to start thinking “big picture” and help create policies, resources, coaching, and support systems that encourage, reinforce, and reward EQ across teams. Once leaders are on board with EQ at an organization-wide level, they can focus on using it to connect effectively with individuals and groups.
Let's move to implementation. Here’s my three-point strategy to bake EQ practices into your organization, with help from the research. Get it here with your free subscription.
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About Marcel Schwantes
Marcel Schwantes is an executive coach, speaker and author, attracting millions to his thought leadership. Marcel has been recognized as one of the Top 101 Global Employee Engagement & Experience Influencers, along with Josh Bersin, Amy Edmondson, and Adam Grant. Join here for exclusive (and free) 'how to' leadership articles, coaching videos, tools, strategies, and more.
Director -Crescent edge-Training,Advising,Consulting
1 个月great article would love to share two great human qualities 1 observing 2 active listening this helps greatly in building a rapport and a cordial relationship at workplace ,business and in personal relations too
OK Bo?tjan Dolin?ek
Helping purposeful CEOs and Executives turn misaligned teams into cohesive ones that collaborate and deliver results | Measurable improvements in 90 days
2 个月Thank you for such a comprehensive and insightful piece! The connection between emotional intelligence and trust really stood out — especially how leaders with high EQ can signal integrity and boost organizational trust. In my experience coaching leaders, EQ can improve collaboration and decision-making, but I often notice hurdles in getting leadership fully on board. In your experience, what’s the biggest challenge organizations face when building a culture of EQ? I’d love to hear what strategies you’ve found most effective in overcoming these challenges.
B2B CEO Coach | 4x CEO | Strategic Planner | Mastermind Facilitator | Leadership Expert | Team Builder | Performance Optimizer | Problem Solver | Entrepreneur | Founder | Thought Leader
2 个月Emotional intelligence isn't just for leaders, it's for everyone. When organizations focus on developing EQ, trust, innovation, and a positive work environment thrive. Leaders play a big role, as their behavior sets the tone. Building EQ at all levels helps teams engage, collaborate, and succeed.