118 | COSERE Why is emotional intelligence important in the workplace? Emotional intelligence significantly impacts one’s career trajectory. The workplace functions as a social ecosystem where diverse personalities, skills, abilities, and emotions intersect. Individuals with high emotional intelligence (EQ) excel in team environments, demonstrating care not only for their success but also for the success of their colleagues, leading to enhanced productivity. Conversely, low EQ can have detrimental effects, potentially resulting in bullying, harassment, and demotivation among staff. Individuals with low emotional intelligence may exhibit traits such as arrogance, aggression, and instability, posing risks to any workplace environment. Consequently, emotional intelligence plays a pivotal role in candidate selection processes, although it is challenging to quantify. While psychometric tests exist to measure emotional intelligence, it is often more effectively assessed through observation in real-life scenarios. Hence, interviews aimed at evaluating emotional intelligence are commonly conducted during candidate assessments. Effective leadership entails guiding individuals with diverse perspectives, temperaments, and backgrounds. Thus, a leader with high emotional intelligence is essential for fostering team cohesion, adeptly diffusing tense situations, managing stress, and making sound decisions. Such a leader is attuned to both their emotional state and that of their employees, utilising this awareness selectively to achieve desired outcomes Emotion Management Techniques There are specific types of thoughts known to impede our ability to manage emotions effectively, often referred to as thinking errors. Among these, examples include ‘negative glasses’ and ‘blackand-white’ or ‘all-or-nothing’ thinking. When individuals view the world through negative glasses, they tend to disregard positive events and focus solely on the negative aspects. This tendency may stem from various factors such as early experiences or adverse events. For instance, if someone perceives themselves as having an unlucky or bad day, they are likely to overlook compliments or feelings of satisfaction from accomplishments. Consequently, these thoughts can significantly influence their predominant emotion for the day. Recognising such patterns in our thinking is crucial. We can assess when these thoughts arise and objectively evaluate whether we are engaging in ‘positive neglect’ or ‘minimisation,’ or if we are generalising a few negative events to encompass everything else. To challenge these thoughts effectively, it’s beneficial to adopt a critical perspective. This might involve keeping track of positive events, embracing
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