EFFECTIVE TEAMS HAVE EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

Author of "Emotional Intelligence at Work", Daniel Goleman's research shows that attitudes affect the bottom line and that how people feel about the organization significantly impacts performance.

Important research has been done in organizations to show that feelings and emotions have a direct impact on effectiveness, efficiency and ultimately the bottom line. Currently, the concept is being applied to teams. Research in the last decade has proven the superiority of group decision-making over that of even the brightest individual in the group. The important difference between effective teams and ineffective ones lies in the emotional intelligence of the group.

Teams have an emotional intelligence of their own. Successful teams can apply the principles of effective task processes, but they must also work together wholeheartedly. When people feel good, they work better, are more creative, and they are more productive.

Emotions are contagious. A leader skilled in creating good feelings can keep cooperation high. Good team leaders know how to balance the focus on productivity with attention to members' relationships and their ability to connect.

Workers who feel upbeat will go the extra mile to please customers and therefore improve the bottom line. There is research to show that for every 1 % improvement in the service climate, there's a 2 % increase in revenue. According to Daniel Goleman in "Primal Leadership" (2002), how people feel about working at a company can account for 20 % to 30 % of business performance.

What can we do to help people feel better about their work environment? Expectations have a strong influence on attitudes and satisfaction in all aspects of life and work. First those expectations must be identified by and for the individuals, the team members, leaders and managers. We use an assessment and action planning tool call Managing Work Expectations *(Inscape Publishing Inc.) to help people identify what is important to them in their work environment and whether or not their needs and expectations are being met or at least spoken out. It also helps create an atmosphere where employees feel valued, which will impact their performance.

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* Available only through distributors. Phyllis Weiss Haserot is an authorized distributor of Inscape products.