Emotions at Work: Applications of Emotional Intelligence

The workplace is a formal setting in which coordinated action sequences produce outcomes in terms of services and products. Such action sequences largely depend upon the quality of relationships and communication that become central to the effective functioning of an individual and an organization. In this context, emotions play a vital role in determining the way people pay attention, make decisions, communicate, collaborate, and contribute to organizational effectiveness. While emotions are approached from many perspectives, it is generally agreed that they are consistent discrete responses to internal/external stimuli that have relevance. These responses are functional and take negative and positive forms. Emotional responses, when exhibited for a more extended period, become stable dispositions. The yardstick to measure human efficiency has evolved and filtered into a more refined format, which now includes a vital aspect of human behavior: emotional intelligence (EI). Against this backdrop, this chapter examines the theoretical advances in conceptualizing EI and its influence on leadership, motivation, self-efficacy, and personal and professional development. Finally, an assessment of the impact of coaching and training to enhance EI and thus improve efficiency and effectiveness is made and the relationship of EI with culture is delineated.