Essential Skills for Public Servants-4

Emotional Intelligence

Shahid Hussain RajaIndependent Consultant-Public Policy

www.sanoconsultants.co.uk

Introduction

What is Emotional Intelligence

Need and Importance

Issues

Ways and Means

Conclusion

Sequence

Emotions have been the stuff of all great literature all over the world throughout the history

Its formal induction as a leadership skill and management tool was

done in 1980s.

Perfected by Dr Goleman ,now no course on management, pubic or private, is without a chapter on emotional intelligence

Essential skill for better service delivery as well as self actualization,

As important as the Intelligence ;do not be branded as highly efficient but emotionally unstable

Introduction

“The ability to monitor one’s own and other’s feelings and emotions, to discriminate among them and to use this information to guide one’ thinking and actions “ Salovey an Mayer(1990)“The capacity for recognizing our own feelings and those of others ,for motivating ourselves ,and for managing emotions well in ourselves and in our relationships” Dr Goleman(1998)

What is Emotional Intelligence

Intra-personal Intelligence

“Being intelligent in identifying our own thoughts ad feelings(self awareness)and being effective at dealing with those thoughts and feelings(self management)

Inter-personal Intelligence

“Being intelligent in identifying the thoughts and feelings of others and between others(others awareness)and being effective I how we tailor our actions to work with others most appropriately (relationship management)

Palethorpe(2006)

Dimensions of Emotional Intelligence

Identifying Emotions-becoming aware of emotions, your own as well as of others

Understanding Emotions-finding out the

reasons for the emotions

Managing Emotions-Keep calm and work hard

Using Emotions-match them to the task

Emotional Intelligence Skills

Responsible-recognizing and managing our emotions and making responsible decisions

Respectful-developing caring and concern for others and establishing positive relationships

Reliable-handling challenging situations constructively and ethically

Three Rs of Emotional Intelligence

For achieving your own objective of self actualization, the main driving force of your joining the public service

Improving working environment to ensue that everyone is at peace with himself and at peace with others

To motivate others for achieving organizational goals as well as their own

Need for Emotional Intelligence

It is genetically inherited, can’t be learnt

It means being nice but ineffective It allows free licence for emotional outbursts

Females are emotional, men are rational Using emotions for achieving organizational

objectives is emotional blackmailing

Emotional Intelligence-Misperceptions

Look for Symptoms Find the causes Improve working conditions Excel in job Manage the change scientifically Use Incentives and rewards Be transparent in service matters Improve communications Provide Individual counselling

Emotional Intelligence-Agenda

Poor service delivery/slipping of targets

Complaints from public about bad public dealing Quarrelsome attitude of majority of employees

Increased absenteeism

Lack of team work

Shirking of responsibility

Look for Symptoms

Sheer bureaucratic setup is devoid of emotions

Poor working conditions- space, support, staff

Repeated/sudden changes

Job security/terms and conditions

Unreasonable boss

Find the Causes

proper space utilization

provision of equipment

support staff through rearrangement

negative emotions to be eliminated/reduced

positive to be promoted

Improve Working Conditions

Your professional competency is the most essential skill

Legal/regulatory framework-master them

Facts and figures-on your finger tips

Strengths and weaknesses-of organization/employees

Opportunities and threats-look for them

Challenges and responses-prepare in consultation

Vision and mission-never lose sight of the end goal

Excel in Job

Everyone avoids change as it creates stresses and strains. Recognize the change- what is bothering them ? institutional restructuring ?

political philosophy of the new regime ?

Amend vision/mission statements ,revise legal/regulatory framework according to new imperatives

Change the work environment

Patronise the champions, mollify the losers

Build capacity-new rules and roles

Improve communication-internal and external

Review and adapt

Manage the change scientifically

Proper recognition and reward for something done better than others goes a long way in creating positive attitude towards work

use non-monetary incentives if you are unable to reward someone with monetary rewards

public appreciation of good work is one such good way to do so

Others are preferential treatment in awarding leave, training opportunities, travel abroad etc

Counselling in private and punishing someone immediately for negligence is as essential as rewarding someone for good work

Incentives and Rewards

Application of merit principle in work environment and service matters

Explain your award and punishment policy and guidelines

Awarding someone for better performance must be explained in meeting

Incentivizes others and boosts the morale of the one awarded

Transparency

Know what are your emotional take on the task or the work environment

Talk about it and let others talk but substitute negative words with positive words i.e. ‘challenge’ instead of ‘problem’

Give vent to your feelings about a situation honestly and let others do so for improving the situation

Do express your resentment if unavoidable but do not burst in public

Emotions are contagious-smiling faces cheer up everyone. Pay compliment a day to one person at least

.

Communication

Find out who is the source of trouble

Give him sound advice in private

Or by professional if needed

Do not let him to vitiate the environment

Give him break if he is seriously unstable

Emotional instability is a disease like any other sickness

Counseling

Emotions are double-edged weapon-if handled properly, your subordinates can do wonders. Mishandle them and you are doomed

You wear many hats of Edward de Bono-use the hat of emotional intelligence (red) for effective leadership

Or like the different clubs of the golf kit-do not use the striker when putting !

Conclusion

Thanks