How Emotional Intelligence Can Raise Productivity...or Reduce It
Every leader has two sets of customers: external and internal. Your external customers are the consumers who buy from you, and your internal ones are the colleagues you work with. You need to sell to both. After 45 years in my career—I now believe that if I take care of my internal customers well, they’ll take care of the external ones.
But something has happened since the pandemic ended.
Fewer people returned to work after COVID-19, making work harder for those who did. On top of that, customer expectations have risen; people are frustrated at how much AI has taken over the customer service experience. We’ve all endured the multiple prompts we get when we call a vendor—and how we must trick the system to finally get a human on the phone. On the other hand, I know someone who called a retailer after receiving a defective product in the mail, and an argument soon erupted. The customer service agent got so aggravated, she hung up on her customer. That’s right—the retailer hung up. Hmm. Is that called customer disservice? A recent National Customer Rage Survey reports about three in four Americans say they've had a product or service problem in the past year. The same survey revealed that almost half of consumers yelled or raised their voice to express displeasure. It goes both ways. While AI can be programmed to express empathy, it hasn’t solved the customer service experience.
This is Where Emotional Intelligence Comes In
I have long believed this fact: as artificial intelligence plays a larger role at work, emotional intelligence will differentiate people from robots. People will long for human contact. We’ll yearn for genuine emotional connections. These come from people with high emotional intelligence. Harvard Business School clarifies: “Emotional Intelligence is defined as the ability to understand and manage your emotions, as well as recognize and influence the emotions of those around you.”
Today, 71 percent of employers value emotional intelligence more than technical skills when evaluating job candidates. Why? Because technical skills depreciate over time, but people skills appreciate. Leaders can see this is the need of the hour: people who are good with people. As your team masters this—something magical occurs.
People get into the “flow.”
Researcher Steven Kotler defines flow as “a state of intense focus and absorption in an activity, where people are so immersed that they lose track of time and other distractions.” Every leader wants to see their team in a flow state, where work can be hard, but it doesn’t burn people out. When people are in the flow, they enjoy a beautiful balance between:
Boredom—which causes people to disengage and even quit.
Anxiety—which causes people to burn out and even quit.
What Does the Flow Accomplish?
When teammates experience the flow, they not only get along with each other, they tend to produce more. Problems get solved more quickly. Conflict subsides more easily. Time flies by, and stuff gets done. In fact, the data reveals:
You’re 5x as productive in flow, because you’re more motivated and focused. Emotionally intelligent teams fast track results.
You enjoy the release of dopamine, endorphins, norepinephrine and serotonin. These happy chemicals offer deep fulfillment.
You enjoy work more and stay engaged longer because you’re energized by those around you, instead of merely tolerating them.
You solve problems faster because you experience more creativity and can spot patterns more quickly on your projects.
Years ago, I had three strong personalities on our team at work. These teammates were so stubborn that conflict raised its ugly head every week. Work slowed down and gossip went up. Division grew between their two departments. I had a hunch the real issues had little to do with the projects and more to do with the emotions of these individuals. So, I sat them down and discussed their strengths and weaknesses. Next, I had them utilize their unique strengths on a single problem we needed to solve. They each needed each other, and it centered around a common enemy—this problem. The problem was big enough that it required some coffee meetings after work. I saw a transformation take place in two weeks’ time, as the relationships evolved from floundering to flowing. And, oh yeah, the problem got solved. Great relationships led to great results.
This flow is deeply influenced by your emotional intelligence. Managing emotions has so many benefits, including great results, but we fail to see them. I am offering a new workshop to organizations called, “Building Emotionally Intelligent Teams.” It’s all about becoming more productive by growing our self-awareness, our self-management, our social awareness and our relationship management. In short, becoming better people. Sound relevant? Visit the page to learn more.
FAQ
What is emotional intelligence in the workplace?
Emotional intelligence in the workplace is the ability to recognize, understand, and manage emotions in yourself and others to improve communication, collaboration, and leadership effectiveness.
Why is emotional intelligence important in the age of AI?
As artificial intelligence automates more technical tasks, emotional intelligence becomes a key differentiator because humans still crave empathy, trust, and authentic relationships.
Can emotional intelligence improve productivity?
Yes. Teams with high emotional intelligence often communicate better, resolve conflict faster, and create environments where employees can enter a productive “flow state.”
What is a flow state at work?
A flow state is a mental state of deep focus and engagement where people become highly productive and lose track of time while working.
How does emotional intelligence reduce workplace conflict?
Emotionally intelligent leaders and teams are better at recognizing emotional triggers, listening well, and resolving tension before conflict escalates.
Why do emotionally intelligent teams perform better?
Emotionally intelligent teams often experience stronger trust, collaboration, creativity, and engagement, which can lead to faster problem-solving and better productivity.
Subscribe to future articles from Tim.
Book Tim for an event.
