Emotions at Work

I regularly pick up a copy of Stylist on my way home from work to read on the train journey home, it's a free magazine handed out at stations to commuters.  It's from the same people that produce Shortlist, and I now look forward to Wednesday journeys home when I can read the latest edition.  In a recent issue there was an article entitled 'Is Your Boss A Phsycho?" which caught my attention, not because I think my boss is a phsycho but because it raised a few interesting points. The article pointed out that being pshycopathic doesn't necessarily make you a serial killer, rather it is someone with a distinct cluster of personality traits, including narcissism, persuasiveness and lack of conscience and is often found in successful business figures, particularly CEOs.  I took the questionnaire and was glad that I scored pretty low on the psychopathic spectrum and it got me thinking about the other end of the scale too.  I can see how traits like charisma, fearlessness and focus is useful for those in positions with tough decisions to make, but what about the other end of the spectrum? Does scoring low on phychopathic traits mean you can't be successful in the ruthless world of business? I know I'm a pretty empathetic individual, I feel other's pain easily and I'm always very considered when it comes to decisions, weighing up situations from different angles and really thinking things through before I do anything.

Recent events at work where things have happened to colleagues that affect both their personal and professional lives has really brought the subject of emotions at work into focus for me.  Emotions are what define us, yet sometimes it is as if we detach our emotions before going to work.  Emotions can be seen as unprofessional and the focus is often on what can be measured, but what lies at the heart of most companies are the people who work for the company and the customers they serve.  We want customers to trust us, we want to show them that we care and value them, yet emotions are often ignored in business because it is difficult to quantify. Happy customers are more likely to remain loyal and recommend services, but equally happy employees are more engaged, meaning they voluntarily give the company and their customers their commitment.  Empathy is important as good customer service is often built on building understanding and trust, and maintaining this even when things go wrong.  Previous to being an assistant I worked in customer relations resolving complaints.  I have to admit this was not my favourite job and it often pushed me out of my comfort zone, but I learned a lot from it and seemed to do it pretty well, and looking back now I realise it was probably because I have a lot of empathy.  While I sometimes doubted myself, my decisions were always carefully considered and I remember hearing at the time that often customer satisfaction is higher after a complaint as long as it was handled well.

In his 1995 book, 'Emotional Intelligence' Daniel Goleman developed the argument that that non-cognitive skills like empathy and interpersonal skills can matter as much as IQ, advocating the importance of emotions in business.  Although difficult to quantify, it is important that there are  those who look at the bottom line and make tough decisions, but it's equally important that this is balanced with those who look at things from a different perspective.  Particularly in customer driven businesses where customer experience is the focus, emotions are even more important.

Emotions affect us in every area of our lives; both personally and professionally.  It's possible to find a smiley face at work too.

References:
Is Your Boss A Psycho? Stylist, Sept 4 2013
Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ, Bantam Books 1995