As a Project Manager, How Can You Show Emotional Intelligence?

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In the ever-increasing pressure of rapid-fire Internet of Things advances, the demands of security issues, the general uneasiness in the public and the ability to binge “13 Reasons Why” over a weekend, emotional intelligence has become a hot-button selling point in the hiring of managers at every level. In reality, it’s more important to team productivity than it has previously been credited.

What is Emotional Intelligence?

Your EQ (emotional intelligence quotient) is a way of measuring your ability to manage your emotions, your emotional awareness and the ability to harness emotion. Considered part of the “soft skills” skill set, a good EQ is sought after in those in management roles.

Greater EQ means…

Productivity and performance. Say what? Managers with a higher EQ produce teams with a greater performance at nearly half as much again, according to the recent study The State of the Heart 2016. These managers were able to infer emotional landmines and support team members before or during emotional issues that could have undermined team performance, thus upping the overall results they received and reaching goals more effectively.

Optimism. Project managers with a higher EQ also have a statistically significant higher level of optimism. These managers’ spirits are contagious and buoy their teams and the teams they work with, thus increasing overall productivity and creativity. Optimistic environments encourage creativity.

Better engagement. Project managers who channel their EQ into their teams create more loyalty and dedication from their teams, which translates into better customer service, better profitability, and lower turnover rates.

Show ‘em that you’ve got it!

You want to sell your soft skills in the project management arena just as much as your hard planning and guiding skills. Some good places to use strategic examples to highlight your EQ include: real-world problem solving (think team members with life challenges or personality conflicts), optimism (show them that sunny disposition and can-do attitude here), and ways you’ve created employee engagement (was it the Friday morning scrum with donuts and 10 minutes of listening to everyone’s high point for the week? Or maybe it was being able to tag out someone when they were exhausted so they could recuperate a bit?). Make sure these are reflected somewhere in your resume by highlighting any awards or words of praise.

 

Ready to take on your next challenge in project management?

Contact us! Consultant Specialists, Inc. is ready to partner with you on taking your project management career into its next episode.

 

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