With the pace of technology increasing, building a strong and effective company culture becomes more critical. Rapidly shifting markets and increasingly diverse workforces can cause organizations to struggle to find a strong base from which to operate. As an expert in emotional intelligence, I believe the ability to understand our emotions and successfully navigate the wide range of emotions of others is crucial to developing good working relationships among individuals.
I recently spoke with Zach Blumenfeld and Nick Lombardino, cofounders of CultureCon, a certified B Corp, which seeks to promote positive workplace culture change. Blumenfeld told me that emotional intelligence is something that his organization embraces. “At CultureCon, we emphasize that leaders who develop emotional intelligence create environments where trust thrives and diverse perspectives are embraced,” says Blumenfeld.
Studies have shown that emotional intelligence has a significant impact upon employee engagement, collaboration, and building effective teams. When we have these elements working together, performance and productivity increase. Not only does it make organizations more competitive and successful, but reduces turnover and increases employee satisfaction and well-being.
This leads to sustainable growth, more innovation, and a workplace that becomes known as a great place to work. “[There is a] growing recognition that self-awareness doesn’t just benefit individuals—it benefits the entire organization,” says Lombardino.
Investing in emotional intelligence is one of the most effective ways that an organization can build individuals into a cohesive and engaged workforce. Here is why emotional intelligence is so important for building strong and resilient cultures:
It builds self-awareness
The roots of emotional intelligence come from increasing self-awareness. This helps people understand their emotions, values, strengths, and weaknesses. Understanding how we come across to others and better awareness of where others are coming from will greatly increase our ability to work effectively with them. Better self-awareness increases our ability to positively welcome change, work on areas of self-improvement and personal growth.
It increases communication skills
When we boost our awareness of self and others, our ability to be understood (and understand others) increases. This results in more effective, clear communication, as well as less misunderstanding and defensiveness. Less time spent in conflict and confusion results in less friction, greater productivity, and more effective collaboration.
It leads to quicker, more effective decision-making
Our emotions affect all levels of our decision-making. When we become aware of the role that our emotions play, we become better at navigating our way through them.
While we can’t eliminate all misunderstanding or defensiveness at work, emotional intelligence gives us tools for not only recognizing what is happening, but helps us ensure that everyone can feel heard and respected. Understanding our values, as well as respecting those of others by ensuring they feel heard, help us reduce the negative effects of decisions.
This is especially important when we make a decision that isn’t popular but has to be made in the best overall interest of the organization. When people feel they have been heard, they find it easier to move on and are less likely to harbor resentment toward those making the decision they don’t agree with.
It improves empathy
Recognizing what others may be feeling helps us offer support and comfort to them. This creates a feeling of safety, that if missing, could cause people to leave their workplace. Feeling safe and like our colleagues and leaders have our backs results in increased motivation, additional discretionary effort, and a workplace that people look forward to coming to every day.
