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Emotional       Intelligence

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Emotionally Intelligent Organizations!
Radhika Sahgal, Instructional Designer

Emotional Intelligence is the ability to monitor and regulate one's own and other's feelings, and to use feelings to guide thought and action. An "Emotionally Intelligent Organization" seems to be a label companies aspire for. However, it is important to recognize that EI is not a magic wand that will sweep away all management issues overnight. It is a tool that can make all the difference when used in the right manner, in the right place and for the right reason!

Emotional Intelligence is not a passing fad adopted by management gurus to create hype. Actually it has been around for a long time except that now it has a scientific backing, lending it greater credibility. It is more a need of the hour - especially with the problems triggered by the new age accessibility of the world at the click of a mouse. We must realise that if we let technology overwhelm our lives we would soon head for a world devoid of humane qualities!

Daniel Goleman, the man responsible for popularising EI, has identified certain skills that one can either possess or acquire to deal with everyday issues effectively. These skills include-Self-Awareness, Self-Management, Social Awareness and Social Skills. Unlike IQ which stagnates after a certain age, EQ develops throughout life. This characteristic of EI is attracting people from various fields, in the hope of enhancing their people handling skills.

With a growing awareness and acceptance of emotional intelligence as an alternative to IQ, organizations readily send their executives for EI training. The general belief is that being exposed to training in EI skills will help managers manage their people better, and teams to set and achieve higher goals. This trickle down effect does not happen in isolation. The organization as a whole has to incorporate hard changes in its basic functioning to facilitate change. Thus, the role of the organization does not end by just sending its employees for a training program.

An employee working in a highly bureaucratic organization, where there is hardly any transparency, will not just find it hard, but impossible to incorporate the fundamentals of EI. An endeavour to train him on EI Skills, which expose him to the significance of open communication will only further his level of frustration. The culture existing within the organization must allow for the kind of space and openness, which form the foundation to practice EI skills.

For organizations to become EI savvy, the first step is to be aware of their internal culture-what implicit and explicit processes have been established. This would give an insight into what changes can be made in the organization to function in a more emotionally intelligent way! Switching to landscape or open offices, and eliminating physical boundaries created by cubicles does not necessarily remove the invisible barriers created by the egoistical nature of hierarchical designations. For an honest attempt to incorporate EI, starting from the Vision/Mission Statement, to all existing systems and practices, all need to be relooked, with an EI perspective. This, as we all understand, cannot be achieved overnight.

In India, Emotional Intelligence is still at its nascent stages. The fact that companies are willing to send their executives for training workshops that sensitise them to the concepts of EI is an encouraging trend. Attempts by the pioneers - Daniel Goleman and his team are being made in the USA to develop and train organizations into becoming emotionally intelligent, and I am sure India is not far behind.

As any CEO or HR manager realises, the most important resource for the company is the human resource. And with the overwhelming flow of technology, the most important human aspect-the emotions, seem to be slowly getting frayed. This is leading to a slow deterioration in interpersonal relationships amongst employees. Thus, the role of the organization becomes even more vital in encouraging healthy, meaningful interactions amongst employees. We have witnessed the industrial, the green and the technological revolutions. It is now time for a different kind of revolution!!

Graphic done by Sophiya