To be able to do our work well and achieve in our careers, we need to know what we are doing! We need some level of understanding of what we are required to do and how to solve problems when something goes wrong. We need to be able to grow as individuals by continuously learning more and becoming even better at what we do. A large portion of our lives are spent making sure that we are technically competent. Although nobody can deny the importance of being knowledgeable and technically competent in our work, it is also true that we cannot achieve to the best of our ability if:
- we cannot manage ourselves,
- we struggle with interpersonal relationships or
- our attitudes are toxic.
This becomes particularly true when we acknowledge that the workplace of today is highly pressurised, it is more competitive than ever before, there are very few guarantees of security and sustainability and to be able to compete in the global market people are expected to work like machines. Our human hardwiring includes emotions which, if understood and managed well can make us achieve much more than we thought we were capable of- or alternatively underachieve to everybody’s shock and amazement. In the workplace it can motivate and inspire people or create division and mistrust. Because emotions are contagious, the dilemma in the workplace is that the effect of negative emotions could have a cascading effect far beyond our expectations. We need to acknowledge the vast body of existing knowledge that clearly illustrates:
- The effect of mood on productivity,
- The effect of emotional mismanagement on derailment,
- The effect of emotions on employee engagement and wellness/burnout,
- The vast difference in bottom line earnings between companies with emotional and social capabilities and those without,
- The devastating effect of ego-centrism and greed in contrast to those who are emotionally mature and able to work with peers/clients in an empathetic and respectful manner.
