Emotional Intelligence Skill-building: Ultimate Strategy To Improve Performance
Enhancing the Emotional Intelligence (EI) skills of the organization’s workforce can simultaneously address many performance challenges. From a traditional business perspective emotional factors are overlooked when identifying initiatives to improve performance. However, the dimensional performance model I developed over time and describe in this article discloses how emotions play a more significant role in people’s performance than traditional factors.
For years I have worked with a model depicting the factors that affect people’s performance. A colleague once described my model as “probably the best tool ever for explaining why people do or don’t perform as desired.” The model he so generously praised was my original model that, over time I learned was flawed. It failed to depict emotions as the most critical factor affecting people’s performance.
As a result of experience, I have improved my model by adding a new dimension that includes emotions as a factor that affects all areas of performance. This new, dimensional model presents a more accurate view of the significant importance of emotions.
The original model was a one-dimensional nine-box grid (3 boxes by 3 boxes), reflecting my Engineering background. Each box identified a set of factors affecting performance with the level identifying those who typically have the most control – executives, managers, and individual performers. Overall the model identified some 30 factors affecting performance. However, it failed to recognize the critical impact emotions have on people’s performance.
According to more resent research emotions may be more important than other factors in performance. In fact, when we receive a sensory input, we process it through our emotional center first. And, before we send it on to be processed in our rational mind, the neocortex, we attach an emotional meaning to the input. (Goleman, Emotional Intelligence, 1995) Serving as a gatekeeper, our emotional center influences how we perceive and ultimately respond to the input. The information we have (or don’t have) to do our work, every assignment we are given (and how it is given), our workload, our physical environment (noise, lighting, temperature), and so on etc. has an emotional meaning attached to it.
After discovering the dramatic affect of emotions on people’s performance, I revised my original model, incorporating a third dimension – the dimension of Emotion. With the addition of depth, the new, dimensional model revealed that while the “Head” factors affected performance, emotion had a pervasive effect, positively or negatively affecting all other factors and ultimately our productivity, mental clarity, energy and more. As an example, consider how the initial announcement of a downsizing might affect people’s feelings. Their negative feelings might result in a decline in morale, quality and productivity. On the other hand consider how you feel when someone genuinely praises you on your work. In most cases, people would feel positively and would be more likely to put forth extra effort, going beyond what is expected.
Let’s examine the Emotional dimension of the revised model in more detail. Emotion can be viewed as a continuum with Fear on one end and Appreciation on the other.. Negative emotions such as anger, fear and frustration can impede performance. On the other hand when people feel appreciated and cared for, the resulting positive emotions can facilitate performance. This is what people really want. They want to feel that people care about their work and about them; they want to know that they are appreciated for their contributions. People can’t check their emotions at the door when the come to work and then pick them up on the way home. Our emotions – our hearts – are with us at all times.
It’s disconcerting when one considers that we’ve spent so much time and effort focusing on the factors in my rational, two-dimensional, “Head” model. Indeed, these factors are important. However, we’ve been missing a huge piece of the solution to improving people’s performance when we disregard emotions. The dramatic results achieved by developing people’s EI abilities presents a compelling argument to the accuracy of the “Head/Heart” model as a more powerful tool when determining interventions to improve performance.
About the Author
Tailoring the art and science of Emotional Intelligence Training to your needs, Byron Stock focuses on results, helping individuals and organizations enhance EI skills, leadership competencies and core values. With enhanced Emotional Intelligence competence organizations and individuals are better equipped to lead change, achieve strategic objectives and create resilient, high performing organizational cultures. Learn about Byron’s easy, quick, proven techniques to harness the power of your EI in his new book, SMART EMOTIONS for Busy Business People available through his website www.ByronStock.com.
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