How to Build Emotional Intelligence in Teams

Why is considering the Emotional Intelligence (EI) in your Team important?

Work in organisations is regularly done by teams, and when a team is not effective, it usually has something to do with the quality of interactions between people; and dysfunction in a team, more often than not, has something to do with low levels of EI being demonstrated.

Humans are primarily emotional & low EI results in poor regulation of these emotions, which can be contagious – behaviour breeds behaviour!

Low EI in teams shows up as;

• poor communication

• unresolved conflict

• negativity

• complaining

• avoidance of issues

• a lack of cooperation

• the formation of cliques and behaviour that is reactive, ‘childish’ or ‘immature’ in nature.

When we think of EI, we tend to think of it in terms of individuals; however, a team with emotionally intelligent members does not necessarily make for an emotionally intelligent team.

Like any social group, every workplace team takes on its own character and culture, and unless this culture is deliberately developed, whatever is tolerated will become the norm.

Team emotional intelligence is more complicated than individual emotional intelligence because teams interact at more levels.

The level of EI in a team comes from a combination of the individual, group and cross-boundary interactions that are taking place.

Building EI in your team requires knowing what to do at all 3 levels.

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