An emotional intelligence quotient, or EQ, is a measurement of the ability of a person to empathize and respond to emotional stimuli. This quotient rises when a person is truly engaged and tends to be far lower when an employee shows a lackadaisical or unenthusiastic attitude toward others. As a manager or business leader, it is often your responsibility to help employees gain the skills they need to survive and thrive in their jobs. Increasing the emotional intelligence of your coworkers can result in great benefits for your company and your customers' perceptions of your service.
Employees should be trained to listen and respond empathetically to the customer statements and requests. By listening to customers, they gain the ability to more quickly and accurately identify and address customer needs. Empathetic listening is one of the ways business leaders of all stripes can begin to address emotional intelligence issues in the workplace. Empathetic listening techniques may begin with mirroring and paraphrasing what others have said, but the ultimate goal is to identify and confirm the experience the customer desires. Once this is achieved, representatives can quickly offer goods or services as solutions.
Allowing your employees to understand and enjoy the significance of their interactions with customers is another of the management tips that can help you develop emotional intelligence within your team. Customers often come into stores with a very specific need, but the underlying reason for that need may not always be obvious. Helping a customer celebrate a birthday or wedding celebration with the right gift or invitation for the event should give an employee the sense of significance and joy that the event itself inspires. Similarly, purchasing a present for a recently widowed friend or one who has lost a parent should be a somber and meaningful occasion. By instructing your employees to work with the significance of the moment and allowing them to truly feel it, you give them an excellent tool for seeing through the eyes of your customers.
One of the top management tips for helping employees develop their emotional intelligence is to demonstrate your own. Emotional intelligence is a quality many effective leaders demonstrate openly and unreservedly. Industry giants like Steve Ballmer have the confidence to let their emotions show at employee events and press conferences alike. Showing your employees the emotional investment you have in the company can inspire them to develop their own emotional intelligence and become more engaged in the workplace.
A group of employees can include vastly different levels of emotional intelligence. A savvy manager should strive to help employees develop their emotional intelligence to enhance customer experiences and help workers get the most out of their time with the company. Engaged employees are often more productive, and one who has a real emotional investment in the company, as well as a heightened sense of his or her current and ongoing emotional intelligence development, may be one of your most valuable assets as a business leader.
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