Importance of emotional intelligence in the workplace Research Paper

Importance of emotional intelligence in the workplace - Research Paper Example Much research has been carried out to measure the credibility of this concept. However, there has been a long-lasting debate on the successful implementation of this concept in the workplaces. Emotional Intelligence is a concept which develops the personality of an individual and is also being used to achieve success when it comes to workplaces. This paper aims to analyze the arguments for and against the use of emotional intelligence in the workplaces. Research suggests that emotional intelligence is the trait of our personality which helps us in realizing what ended up in a certain reaction by one’s own actions or by those of the interacting personalities. With the growing research, there have been rapid changes in the definition of Emotional Intelligence. According to Goleman (1998) Emotional Intelligence is â€Å"the capacity for recognizing our own feelings and those of others, for motivating ourselves, and for managing emotions well in ourselves and in our relationships† (p. 137). (Brucato et al 2009). Mayer and Cobb (2000) define 4 elements of Emotional Intelligence including Emotional identification, perception and expression, Emotional facilitation of thought, Emotional understanding and Emotional management. Emotional intelligence is useful in many areas of life; however, the workplace rests one of the major areas which attain greater benefits by this concept. Businesses are not merely dealing with the materials but are also in relationships with people; for instance, the customer-employee, employee-employer, employee-employee and so on. The trust and relationships of an individual with the workplace interactions explain his/her level of emotional intelligence and expertise in dealing with others’ emotions. Lam and Kirby (2002) reveal that emotional intelligence plays a more prominent role in improving the work performance than general intelligence (i.e. IQ). Research also indicates that emotional and social competitiveness is 4 times