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Emotionally Intelligent Communication

All of us are familiar with the defining guidelines of workplace behavior. But when stress takes a toll in the office environment, tempers start to fray and many times lead to outbreaks of ‘unprofessional behavior’. This is where emotionally intelligent communication should come to the forefront.

People with high Emotional Intelligence are great communicators. This includes both aspects of communication – verbal and non-verbal. Listening with empathy (an EQ competency) defines high EI. Also, possessing the intuition (another EQ competency) to understand just when to interject and speak also defines high EI.

Let us look at a short list of important considerations to be kept in mind while conversing:

Intentionality

An important competency of Emotional Intelligence is Intentionality. You need to talk about something informative, sensible, pleasant and non-offensive. You need to constantly ensure to develop this skill, as it leaves an indelible mark on others. Ensure that you know what you have to say beforehand. This adds credibility to your thoughts and can even help steer the course of the conversation in the direction you desire.

Focus

Focus is important to build a business relationship, as it involves giving your undivided attention to the other person/s. It puts them at ease and encourages free flow of ideas. Refrain from interrupting with advice or anecdotes to prove your point till the other person is comfortable.

It also helps a lot to focus upon non-verbal cues while you speak. This can help you choose your words and also know when to stop. The objective here is to be “good company”. Be it an informal or formal gathering, it is best that you be prepared with a list of interesting or specific topics that you can put forward in an interesting manner.

Conveying Trust

At a time when almost 48% of business hours are unproductive due to the lack of trust, the best thing for an emotionally intelligent person to do is to convey trust while communicating. This lowers barriers that may exist in communication, hence leading to free flow of ideas. This eventually leads to resolving of any problems that may have arisen due to gaps in communication.

I would like to re-instate that unlike EQ, EI is something that can be learnt over the years. According to Daniel Goleman in his record breaking bestseller, ‘Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ’, EQ amounts to 25% of successes in leadership as opposed to IQ. By learning the art of emotionally intelligent conversation, it is possible to take a step nearer towards achieving a state of self actualization in work and personal relationships.

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This article was authored by Pramila Mathew, M.Ed, MBA, an executive coach who helps individuals, groups, teams and organizations find the right solutions in the workplace. MMM Training Solutions conducts soft skills training and executive coaching anywhere in the world. We guarantee the effectiveness of our training.

You may reprint this article by requesting permission from: pramila.mathew@mmmts.com