Explain the meaning of emotional competence. Describe the strategies to develop emotional
competence.
The term
Emotional intelligence, or EQ, was popularised (not invented) by Daniel Goleman
(1995) in his bestseller Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More than
IQ. It refers to the capacity to recognise and direct our own emotions and the
emotions of others close to us. It is often believed to be more pivotal than IQ for
career success and the achievement of goals. With the effusion of the EQ
phenomenon, much thinking and research has been conducted around the concept
and resulted in multiple, separable models of EQ
Characteristics of Emotional Intelligence
Emotional intelligence as told by Daniel Goleman has five main elements. These
elements help in understanding what emotional intelligence is. The important elements
are:
• Self-awareness: Self-awareness refers to understanding one’s own
emotions, and to not let the feelings out of control. The people who are
self-aware are confident, strong to accept their weakness and trust their
intuition. They are willing to do work to improve themselves.
• Self-regulation: Self-regulation means keeping one’s self in check. This
kind of people control their impulses, keep their emotions intact and think
of the pros and cons before they act. Self-regulatory people are thoughtful,
comfortable with change, have integrity and have the ability to say no.
• Motivation: High emotional intelligence requires motivation. People who
are highly motivated have willingness to change their results if it helps in
long-term success. These people are highly motivated, productive, don’t
shy away from challenges and are very effective.
• Empathy: Empathy means identifying and understanding the other person’s
thoughts, needs and feelings. Thus, empathetic people manage relationships
excellently, are good listeners and relate well with others. They do not
stereotype and do not judge too quickly. They are very open and honest.
• Social skills: People with good social skills are easy to talk to and are
very likeable. These people are good team players. These people help
others in their work, in their development rather than their own success.
They can communicate easily and can solve disputes.
strategies to develop emotional competence.
Empathy: Sensing others’ feelings and perspective, and taking an active
interest in their concerns. People with this competence:
• Are attentive, take note of emotional cues and listen well.
• Show sensitivity to understand others’ perspectives without undue
judgement.
• Offer help on the basis of understanding other people’s needs and feelings.
Service Orientation: Anticipating, recognizing, and meeting clients’ needs.
People with this competence:
• Understand others’ needs, specifically, clients’ needs and match them
to services or products.
• Seek ways to increase staff and clients’ satisfaction and loyalty.
• Offer appropriate help or assistance.
• Understand other’s perspectives to act like a trusted adviser
Development Orientation: Sensing what others need to develop, and
bolster their abilities. People with this competence:
• Acknowledge and reward people’s strengths, accomplishments, and
development.
• Offer critical and constructive feedback.
• Provide timely coaching or mentorship, offer assignments that challenge
and grow a person’s skills
Leveraging Diversity: cultivating opportunities through diverse people.
People with this competence:
• Respect and relate to people from varied backgrounds.
• Understand diverse worldviews
• Sensitive to group differences
• Perceive diversity as opportunity rather than a liability.
• Creating an environment where diverse people can thrive.
• Challenge biases and intolerance
Political Awareness: reading a group’s emotional currents and power
relationships. People with this competence:
• Accurately identify key power relationships.
• Detect crucial social networks.
• Comprehend the forces that shape views and actions of clients,
stakeholders and/or competitors.
• Correctly read situations and organizational and external realities
Social Awareness: wielding effective tactics for persuasion. People with
this competence:
• Build rapport well.
• Are skilled at persuasion.
• Fine-tune presentations to appeal to the needs and demands of listener.
• Use complex strategies like indirect influence to build consensus and
support
