Emotional Intelligence: An Important Part of Corporate Training

Emotional Intelligence: An Important Part of Corporate Training
Maj Avinash Belwal (Retd)
Certified Corporate Trainer and Facilitator by Protouch l Cross Functional Leadership I Trainer & Facilitator I Mentor I Learning & Development

Emotional intelligence is a soft skill training and works like a life skill.

When our Emotions and intelligence are placed together, it constitutes emotional intelligence. But the question is, why is emotional intelligence so much important in the workplace? Well, the answer is quite simple, we are human beings, not robots, and emotions are in our nature, we can’t deny the fact. That’s why managing those emotions with our intelligence is really crucial when it comes to doing our work effectively. We cannot do all our work with emotions. It is rightly said by Eric Jensen, “There is no separation of mind and emotions; emotions, thinking, and learning is all linked.” So, managing these in the corporate workplace plays a vital role. Let’s understand how emotional intelligence is affecting corporate business with a small example.

Emotional Intelligence

Successful Case Study of Emotional Intelligence Training

We have all heard of Starbucks! I’m very sure you must have, and chances are very high you have had a coffee there too. Why would a person pay around 400/- rupees for just a coffee? Are the taste and brew really different from some of the other famous names in the industry? It is because, not just they are serving wonderful varieties of coffee, but they also offer a touch to heart customer service, loaded with the environment and the ambiance, they created at their workplace. Time and again I’ve seen many professional meetings being scheduled at Starbucks instead of many other places, which would have been more professional locations but because of their high quality of customer service and the professional aura they have created at the café they have been able to attract the best in the business meetings at their workplace. It has been possible because they know how to handle and deal with people, emotionally and intelligently. I asked one of their employees how do you sell that much costly coffee and he replied with a smile that we are selling our customer services sir, not coffee, people love our services, and that’s why they keep on coming back here!

Employees at Starbucks have been undertaking training sessions on emotional intelligence which has helped them to react intelligently when it comes to handling customers. This is why it is made mandatory in organizations to conduct effective emotional intelligence training. Collaboration, decision-making, conflict management, and motivation are all skills that organizations need to enhance their workforce to build resilience at all levels. These are all crucial facets of emotional intelligence.

Important Part of Emotional Intelligence

Who knows! What kind of customer comes in, who knows what kind of co-workers they have to work with, who knows what different situations they have to handle, presence of mind are the thing that they are focusing on! Now let us take an example, a frustrated customer enters the cafe, and just a small mistake by the workers could make his brain explode with anger. Or imagine a situation where the waiter loses his temper and fights back. Boom! Starbucks’ image is spoiled. But what if the waiter handles the situation with the care that he learned in his training? That’s how they handle small things in their training sessions on Emotional Intelligence. That is exactly how a corporate workplace is expected to deliver, which signifies their work with intelligence. The same goes in with any workplace, maintaining a relationship with the employees is not at all easy because everyone is in it for a part of their own benefit. This is one of the prime reasons that so-called “office politics” is practiced. If one could manage the emotions at the workplace intelligently many of the personal traits of the employees could be managed and their creativity churned towards the productivity of the business. Emotional intelligence is a soft skill training and works like a life skill.

Emotional intelligence is an extremely important quality to harness in the present times. With the advent of technology and AI, the emotional quotient in the workplace is losing its relevance. The corporates and other businesses are inclined so much toward data and analytics that we the forgetting the very essence of the emotional challenges that an individual may be facing. COVID-19 has posed another challenge that has been invited with the Work from Home culture. Whenever we see our employees, we see them delivering and all decked up. The challenge for managers and leaders has become even steeper in these testing times. The need of the hour is to create a bond and create corporate citizenship in the business so that the performance of the employee is detached from his emotions. He feels secure and at home and the creativity within him is reflected in his intelligence. It is then we can respond that we have conquered Emotional Intelligence. This is where soft skills training comes in really handy. By teaching employees good relationship building, teamwork, communication, and problem-solving skills, the organization can perform better!

    soft skills      

Strong Corporate Training for Stronger Results

Individuals who are emotionally strong can handle any adversity be it any corporate, small business, or maybe start-up. Because ultimately the focus is on the productivity and the creativity of the individual. If we are able to provide a level playfield to all the employees focusing on the need, I see no reason, why the working environment cannot create better managers or leaders at every level. To efficiently conquer the art of emotional intelligence in the workplace, successful corporate training plays a crucial role.

A person’s emotional intelligence plays a huge role in their success as a professional and as an organization. Among people who excel in various industries, the World Economic Forum found that 90% have high levels of emotional intelligence as well. The ability to adapt and engage, no matter what challenges are faced, begins with emotional intelligence. Developing leadership competencies in today’s rapidly changing world allows organizational leaders to be more proactive rather than reactive while demonstrating empathy and care for their people. Hence, as a part of the corporate training process, ensure that you have given adequate emotional intelligence training to your employees. 

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