Emotional intelligence (EI) can be critical in organizational change management to create effective change without upsetting the apple cart too much. Here are some ways that EI can assist in managing organizational change:
Understanding and managing emotions: Emotions can be like wild animals - they can either work for you or against you. Leaders who possess high emotional intelligence are like animal trainers. They can recognize when emotions are getting out of hand and tame them before they cause chaos. They can also guide employees through the emotional jungle that is organizational change.
Empathy and communication: Communicating during a change can be tricky. It's like walking a tightrope - you don't want to scare people too much, but you also don't want to say too little and leave them in the dark. Leaders who possess high emotional intelligence can walk that tightrope with ease. They can put themselves in their employees' shoes and understand their concerns, which helps them communicate in a clear, concise, and compassionate way.
Building relationships: Change can put a damper on even the most vibrant workplace culture. Leaders who possess high emotional intelligence are like DJs. They know how to read the room and get everyone pumped up, even during a change. They can build strong relationships with their teams, create a sense of community, and get everyone dancing to the same beat.
Resilience: Change can be like a rollercoaster ride - thrilling and terrifying. Leaders who possess high emotional intelligence are like rollercoaster designers. They know how to create a ride that is exciting but also safe and sustainable. They can model positive behavior for their teams, help them navigate the ups and downs of change, and ensure that everyone arrives at the end of the ride with a smile on their face.
Overall, emotional intelligence can help leaders manage the human side of organizational change, which is critical for ensuring that changes are successful and sustainable. Employee satisfaction and retention often go down during a sizeable operational change. Still, when leadership demonstrates high emotional intelligence, it calms the waters and makes for a smoother ride with less turbulence.