Emotional Intelligence in a Digital Environment

Importance of Emotional Intelligence in a Digital Environment


Emotional intelligence isn’t a new idea. Nearly 100 years ago, Edward Thorndike discussed three main types of intelligence, which included social intelligence focused on a person’s ability to interact with others. In 1990, Peter Salovey and John D. Mayer came up with the term emotional intelligence, which included an individual’s ability to understand and manage their emotions as well as their social skills.
 
However, it wasn’t until 1995 that the term became mainstream when Daniel Goleman published his book entitled Emotional Intelligence: Why it can matter more than IQ. In the decades since, the idea went from a fad to an everyday term that is now a fundamental consideration in many companies’ hiring practices. 
 
What is emotional intelligence (EQ)?
EQ is simply an individual’s ability to be aware of and control one’s emotions while also being able to understand another person’s emotions. While the definition is simple, the components that make up this ability are a bit more complex.
According to Goleman, there are five key characteristics of EQ:
 
1. Self-awareness — The ability to understand one’s strengths and weaknesses
2. Self-regulation — The ability to monitor and control one’s emotional state
3. Motivation — The ability to provide self-motivation to accomplish goals
4. Empathy — The ability to understand another person’s feelings and/or emotional state
5. Social skills — The ability to successfully interact and get along with others
 
EQ in the digital age
The importance of EQ may seem difficult to understand as the world continues to become increasingly digital, with more people working remotely and on virtual teams. Not to mention the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) taking over many aspects of people’s jobs and our increasing tendency to use social media to interact with friends, family, and colleagues.
 
However, these are the very same reasons that EQ has become more important than ever. The rules of human engagement have changed, and individuals are impacted by cultural and business expectations across the world through the globalization of today’s workplace. We also increasingly work in team environments instead of in the isolated, individual environments common in the past.
 
Why your EQ matters
High EQ will allow individuals to thrive in today’s workplace while preparing them for future success. AI can take over many tasks, but only humans can deal with the moral and ethical implications of AI applications. Leaders with a high EQ are able to understand their employees’ needs and motivations, which leads to higher employee retention rates and saves companies time and money while keeping critical intelligence, experience, and learning in-house.
 
It’s no longer just about being able to perform the job you want. The real question is, Can you collaborate, lead, and be led by others effectively in today’s fast-paced and ever-changing business environment? Individuals with high EQs are more adaptable to change, more resilient, more optimistic, and more capable of letting everyone’s strengths shine for the benefit of the entire organization.
 
Learning more about your individual EQ can help you improve and add to your personal and professional toolbox, which will further enable your success. At ProTech, we have a depth of experience assisting individuals, teams, and organizations to understand, improve, and take advantage of the many benefits of encouraging employees to develop their EQs.
 
Our Emotional Intelligence training programs include:
 
Emotional Intelligence (EQ) & Workplace Effectiveness 
Conflict Resolution in the Workplace 
Influencing Others - Managing Expectations and Outcomes for IT Professionals 
Masterful Leadership & Motivation for IT Professionals
Leadership Development Workshop
 
A person’s EQ is often the result of the impact of family, friends, and role models during the developmental years. As adult business owners and leaders, we need to take control of our personal and professional development — including our EQ — to develop the people skills that will give us the necessary advantage to help our organizations grow and thrive in today’s competitive landscape.  
 
Did you know that 99% of our courses can be taken virtually anywhere from the comfort of your own home or office? ProTech has been offering Live instructor-led virtual training for almost two of our three decades in business. We support several of the top virtual learning platforms as well as remote labs that allow students the full Live Instruction/Hands-On experience from any location.
 
Discover how your EQ impacts your organization’s success. Contact us today to learn more about our Emotional Intelligence training, and much more!
Published September 10, 2019