If you are looking to thrive in your workplace, social intelligence is an important skill to have. So, why is social intelligence important in the workplace?
Social intelligence is important for unlocking the skills of effective communication, dialogue, and teamwork to create an optimal and productive work environment.
To be able to work together effectively and efficiently as a team, there has to be identification and management of one’s feelings and that of others.
In other words, you must also be able to utilize them to your advantage and the advantage of the organization at large.
In this article, you shall be learning the four reasons why social intelligence is important, and how it can be improved in the workplace
1. Help develop understanding and respect for one another
In a culturally diverse workforce, people feel different and react differently to situations based on their cultural differences, backgrounds, and upbringings.
Social interactions such as cultural talks can help bridge these gaps, helping us to better understand why people behave the way they do.
Adapting communication skills to these cultural differences should be a priority.
This way, respect will be developed.
2. Promotes teamwork and cooperation
This is the foundation for success in the workplace. Everyone can work together only when they agree.
Managers, team leaders, and coordinators will tell you their biggest problem is getting team members to work together.
If you can get along with your peers, they will cooperate with you.
Making this investment will help you create better working relationships with others.
Otherwise, no one will work toward a common purpose and no one will be able to operate effectively in a group.
3. Helps workers recognize the effect of their behavior on others
You must be aware of the consequences of your behavior on other employees.
When you are in a workplace filled with socially intelligent people, you barely find co-workers stepping on each other’s toes.
If a team member feels valued, he or she will contribute the value you require.
As a result, every member of the team is aligned with the team’s goals.
Remember the statement we were taught as kids “do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”
4. Helps workers stay relevant and valuable
You can benefit from social-emotional communication if you want to maintain your job and become an attractive candidate.
Numerous employers claim that their employees lost their jobs or were never considered for promotions due to a lack of social intelligence.
Why? People need to be able to work together toward a common goal, which is what a workforce does, right?
Solo acts won’t help the company progress and develop its people.
To reap the benefits of Social Intelligence, we must have the ability to observe nonverbal behavior to better understand and relate to other people’s emotions.
This is a skill set that you should learn, develop and master if you are looking to succeed in the workplace.
As technology advances, face-to-face personal interaction and socializing are becoming less and less prevalent.
Due to these challenges, HR managers or training development officials should invest in educating staff on SQ (social intelligence) within EQ (emotional intelligence).
How can social intelligence be improved in the workplace?
Social intelligence can sure help you avoid conflict, manage expectations, and communicate effectively at work.
Indeed, a positive and productive work environment can be enhanced by improving social intelligence.
Here is how social intelligence can be improved in the workplace.
Understand the social rules
Knowing a group’s or individual’s social rules, practices, and beliefs is a crucial skill for socially intelligent people.
This allows a more engaging interaction with people from various social groups, ages, religions, cultural identities, and nationalities.
With the knowledge of co-workers’ socio-economic backgrounds, we can understand how a person would perceive our message.
It also helps us know how to best react to their message.
Adjust the way you communicate.
Being socially intelligent also mean being aware of other people’s social clues.
It’s important to be authentic and direct if you need something, or if the words or behavior of others are unclear.
For example, if someone says or does anything that negatively impacts your work and you normally respond by retreating, you should communicate your displeasure and wants.
However, consider how the other person may react to critical comments, as this should influence how you communicate your emotions.
So, to improve social intelligence in the workplace, you must adjust your behaviors while considering others.
Become an active listener
Listening is the foundation of effective communication.
It simply shows the other person that you are interested in what they are saying.
This ability to hear and understand what is being said is critical to establishing and maintaining workable relationships with coworkers and clients.
When you show your ability to sincerely listen to what others are saying, they feel comfortable sharing information with you.
Poor listening leads to assumptions and misunderstandings.
It also leads to errors, ineffective decisions, and costly mistakes.
On a personal level, poor listening leads to hurt feelings and a loss of team cohesion.
As the saying goes “We don’t learn by talking; we learn by listening,” as the saying goes.
Related: 5 Ways to Improve Your Interpersonal Communication Skills
Improve your sensory skills.
A further step towards becoming more socially savvy is to become more aware of yourself and your environment.
Try to use your senses of sight, smell, touch, and sound to observe your surroundings every day.
Doing this makes you more aware of your environment.
Practicing mindfulness daily can help you develop this skill.
Evaluate your self-awareness and self-management skills
You should consider your feelings, thoughts, behaviors, and reactions before attempting to develop your social intelligence.
For example, evaluate how attentive you are to others, how you react to certain triggers, and whether or not you should contribute to a conversation.
When confronted with an unexpected event, it’s important to know how to act and respond.
For instance, you may get frustrated if a coworker contributes ideas that may not work for a project.
To successfully control your reactions and behaviors, you may need to recognize your frustration.
So, rather than voicing your dissatisfaction, thank your coworker for their contribution and see if any of their ideas may be implemented.
Consider situations from someone else viewpoint
It is important to consider the other person’s point of view in every circumstance you find yourself.
To get better at this, study their regular reactions, personal feelings, and other events they might encounter.
All of this can help in the adjustment of your behaviors and the development of empathy.
After some practice, taking into account the viewpoints of others may become second nature in your decision-making process.
