Emotional Intelligence and Effective Communication
Emotional Intelligence can be referred to as the ability to read, understand, and interpret another person's emotions. EI enables individuals to recognize their feelings as well as those of others. It comprises of four factors: self-awareness, relationship management, self-management, and social awareness. All these factors are very significant in fostering effective communication. Consequently, this paper seeks to highlight and discuss how emotional intelligence affects effective communication.
The Importance of Managing Emotions in Communication
One of the most efficient ways of improving communication skills is learning how to manage emotions. The forum does not matter in this case; one could be communicating with employees or responding to complex questions during an interview. Besides, management of emotions is also crucial when engaging in interpersonal communication with friends or relatives. Poor control of emotions might ruin the intention of a message because there might be an alteration in the manner of presentation. Therefore, the information might not be adequately conveyed to the recipient. For instance, when a manager lacks emotional intelligence, he or she can get easily upset by an abrupt question and most likely respond in an awkward manner that ends up ruining his or her reputation. In addition, the receiver might misinterpret the message.
The Role of Empathy in Effective Communication
Furthermore, a critical attribute of emotional intelligence is empathy, which begins with self-awareness. A proper understanding of one's own emotions is a crucial step in recognition of the feelings of others. Therefore, insight enables us to understand and relate to the feelings of someone else. In so doing, one can find the best approach to communicate with colleagues during various circumstances. For example, you might notice that a coworker seems depressed, it is imperative that you try and find out why he or she is stressed. If it turns out that maybe the reason is too much work on his or her desk, you can empathize by assuming you were in the same position. By doing so, you can imagine how you want to be addressed and precisely what you would want people to say during such a situation. As a result, someone can develop approaches that ensure effective communication by being empathetic. Recognizing the feelings of the stressed worker enables one to formulate appropriate ways of communicating. On the other hand, the lack of empathy causes interpersonal issues that result in derailment of communication (Sinha, Sachin, and D. Sinha 453).
Understanding Employees for Effective Communication
Not to mention, emotional intelligence enables managers to understand their employees and determine the appropriate times to convey messages to them. For instance, there might be unexpected work that the employees are required to do alongside their regular duties, it important that the leader identifies the most efficient way to communicate because not all the workers will take it positively. Those who might oppose the message should be addressed modestly. By doing so, the manager is able to communicate effectively with workers and create beneficial relationships in the workplace. On the other hand, lack of EI can hinder recognition of employees' feelings about the message, and lead to laxity or low productivity during work because they feel the manager does not care.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is imperative to note that emotions play a critical role in effective communication. The feelings have the capability of motivating and guiding behavior, which influences how we communicate with others. The way someone relates to colleagues is also affected by emotional intelligence. Therefore, the impact of EI in effective communication is very significant.
Works Cited
Sinha, Sachin, and D. Sinha. "Emotional Intelligence and Effective Communication." Management Communication: Trends & Strategies (2007): 450-460.
