All too often, when people tell me about their workplace troubles, frequently those problems are exacerbated by someone referred to as “difficult.” You’re probably thinking, “But you don’t know my coworker!” Yes, people are complex creatures, and you are correct. I don’t know your coworker. But I do know ways to adapt so that interactions are less “difficult.”
Browsing: Emotional Intelligence
What if I told you that only about 32 percent of U.S. workers claimed to be engaged in their work?
Every organization worth its salt strives for continuous improvement. It’s great when an organization has this mindset, but when it comes to problem-solving, that’s almost always done best with small teams.
Being a manager comes with a unique set of difficult challenges. In other words, people in that position cannot think of themselves as super-techs. Managers must be translators as well as planners and motivators. It’s a tough set of job skills, but if managers can do them well, they can drive their organization to achieve great things.
If an organization is to succeed it needs good leadership. But what is that? Before I define leadership responsibilities, let me first state what leaders do not have to do.
When disputes arise in healthy relationships, the issues in question are put on the table and discussed with objective language. Each party is empowered to state his or her position with confidence that the other party is genuinely listening and wanting to understand.
The research is clear. The main difference that separates top performers from average performers is emotional intelligence (EQ). In technical and middle management positions, two-thirds of top performers were found to have strong EQ and one-third didn’t.
Beliefs and attitudes about the workplace have definitely changed over the years, and the people of today’s workforce look at labor and lifestyles much differently than the workforce of 30 years ago.
I’ve long believed it is impossible to know a situation when you’re in the middle of it. That’s why good leaders surround themselves with smart people. Effective leaders value the insights provided by team members who see things from different perspectives.
Listening is definitely a learned skill, and people who master it tend to do better in life. But an equally valuable skill, especially for managers and leaders, is evaluating.
