This is part of the Layers of Performance framework: Click Here to read the introduction.
Regardless on what role, organisation or industry you are in, the common goal of every professional in the workplace is the same: high performance. At the center of high performance is good decision-making.
In the workforce today, businesses are now structured in a way that almost everyone has some level of decision-making ability. Whether the decisions are big or small, they have a direct impact on how successful, efficient and effective individuals are on the job.
As a result, it is becoming more and more important for employees to improve their decision-making abilities. This may seem as simple as learning from our mistakes, but it really starts at a much deeper level. Making better decisions starts with understanding your own emotional intelligence (EI).
Emotional intelligence is at the core of the Layers of Performance framework. This is what might be called a “foundational” competency. The reason for placing it at the core of the model is simple: emotional intelligence has the most dramatic influence on all the other layers. Since emotions (from a biological sense) precede cognition, our emotions have an enormous impact on our ability to effectively apply our other talents.
In the business world, we prefer to behave in logical, intelligent ways, so why do we still bring our emotions to work? The truth is that whether we choose to be or not, all humans are indeed creatures of emotion. We have neurologically-based, split-second, unavoidable emotional reactions to things around us every moment of the day, from the way our heart races at the sound of someone suddenly yelling nearby to the flash of panic we feel when a car nearly hits us in traffic. We can’t opt out of feelings anymore than we can opt out of breathing.
Emotions are involved in every human interaction and are a powerful factor in the equation when individuals, teams, managers and organisations as a whole work together. Employees’ EQ has everything to do with the quality of decisions they make and on the results a business achieves.
When someone has the ability to understand and effectively apply the power and acumen of emotions, they wield great power. The merits of having well developed emotional intelligence have been widely reported on in academic and business literature. With claims it is the most influential factor on success and personal fulfilment, it is certainly worth taking the time to explore in more detail.