CORPORATE TRAINING

Corporate Training

Today, managers need well-trained employees and are finding they do not exist. Corporations are providing additional training for their employees. One such training program that is being added to corporate learning environments is an awareness of emotional intelligence. Business managers are learning that successful managers need high Emotional Quotient (EQ) or Emotional Intelligence (EI) to work effectively.

Emotional intelligence is the ability to accurately perceive emotions in self and others, to identify different emotional responses, and to use emotional information to make intelligent decisions (Goleman, 2000). A leading expert on EQ finds, “people good at managing relationships tend also to be self-aware, self-regulating, and empathetic” (Goleman, 2000, p. 33). Emotional intelligence is especially important “at the highest levels of the company, where differences in technical skills are of little importance. In other words, the higher the rank of the person, the more emotional intelligence capabilities are needed for decision making effectiveness” (Goleman, 1986, p. 94).

Emotional intelligence is crucial to a successful business career and for effective group performance (Goleman, 1986). The core competencies required for emotional intelligence are “the perception of emotions in one’s self and others, the understanding of these emotions, and the management of emotions” (Feldman, 2001, p. 4). Success in the modern workplace requires teamwork and collaboration. Emotional Intelligence training is essential because most modern companies rely on teams of employees working together, rather than on the action of individual managers working in isolation (Ganzel, 2001).

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Several accredited universities are delivering EQ training in hopes of preparing their students for the workplace. Grossman (2000) states:

A current trend in education is to teach students about how their emotional intelligence can have a positive or negative effect on their career. Many universities are now offering courses in interpersonal relationships and emotional intelligence in an attempt to prepare students to be leaders. Leaders cannot lead in isolation, and an educational delivery system that features team building and collaboration is growing by the numbers. (p. 48)

Emotional intelligence skills are a crucial component for a successful career in business.