A project manager's role is not just about completing a project efficiently and with proper planning. Rather, along with this it is also important for project management to understand and apply the principles of emotional intelligence. A project manager should create an environment where they can thoroughly discuss the project with clients and team members. So that potential obstacles in the project can be effectively eliminated. A project manager should have the ability to understand and manage not only their own emotions but also the emotions of others. When starting any project, one may have to face many challenges. A strong emotional intelligence-equipped manager can easily handle these risks. They not only build trust but also motivate their teams and along with this, They try to keep the work environment positive.
What Is Emotional Intelligence
Emotional intelligence is the capability of perceiving, comprehending, controlling, and influencing your emotions as well as those of other people. It comes into play for the project manager's ability to handle emotions for a smooth and successful workflow. EI enables project managers to build teams, allow free communication, and place everyone on a periphery, even under highly stressful situations.
Components of emotional intelligence
Emotional Intelligence is playing a significant role in project management through which project managers maneuver their way through smooth and troubled waters, value excellent relationships in a project, and improve team performance. Major components of EI are:
Self-Management
Decisions made in haste tend to be those for which we hold regrets afterward. The consequences of wrong decisions tend to haunt us for a long time afterward. It has also been established that, psychologically, when people are really striving to achieve something but fail, they tend to blame others while severely criticising them.
Such things are foreign to emotionally intelligent people. They think ahead before they speak and act on something. In a highly charged argument, one may feel the loudest about an aggressive response; EI gives the calmness to remain sober and think twice before washing dirty laundry.
Self-Awareness
This type of EI component comprises the control of our feelings and appropriate management. Progress only can be achieved with much self-awareness. Management of the emotions tied to a changing circumstance is not easy, and it requires strong self-awareness. When a person can recognise their own emotions and how they can affect their thought processes, the level of work can be carried out without stifling the person's feelings.
Pushing aside feelings and still working on a task would be called suppression of those feelings. The emotions could be buried either because of fear of confronting those feelings or by ignoring the body's signals through one's "gut feelings." These emotions do not go away completely if not dealt with properly. Eventually, those buried feelings come back to haunt the person. It is thus better to face such emotions immediately as they come.
Self-Motivation
An emotionally intelligent project manager has to be self-motivating. If a project manager has a drive and passion for delivering successful projects, it becomes easier; otherwise, management of emotions might be intact, and lack of self-motivation would be the detriment to successful project delivery.
A self-motivated project manager is extremely focused on delivering good-quality projects. There is no tension in keeping the big picture, which can seem overwhelming at times. Instead, the great project manager breaks the big picture down into small and manageable tasks.
Social Skills
This skill set is predominantly concerned with relationship-building, effective communication, and imparting mindfulness. One must keep presence as a major consideration because poor presence, that is when one avoids the present, creates a wrong impression on project stakeholders. Social awareness is critical. If you are unable to detect the emotional shifts in another once they start communicating with you, you will miss out on the most vital factors that contribute to their perception of the project.
Empathy
As for the other parts of EI, empathy is the fifth and final one. People who have a high level of EI are also likely to have higher degrees of empathy. Empathy is said to be sensing things from another person's point of view. When empathizing, it would be advisable to walk in someone else's shoes for a while to know how he feels.
If you feel inclined to master these fine skills and If you want to become a project manager with strong emotional intelligence, sign up for the Project Quality Management Course today!
Emotional Intelligence in Stakeholder ManagementBuilding Emotional Connections with Stakeholders: In addition to achieving the objective of a project, Emotional Intelligence is more capable of enabling the manager to develop personal relationships with all stakeholders through emotional motivation being learnt in alignment to project objectives. Tailoring Communication: Different emotional make-ups come with different stakeholders. Thus, Emotional Intelligence encourages project managers to learn how to communicate in ways that resonate with the personalities of different stakeholders for better buy-in and support.Benefits of Using Emotional Intelligence in Project Management
Emotional Intelligence (EI) is a prime skill for project managers, literally translating to the ability to lead with effectiveness and drive project success. Key benefits of applying EI to project management include:
improves team communication: You can facilitate clear and open communication by understanding and managing one's emotions and those of others.EI has a positive impact on team morale and cohesion: EI will make morale and cohesion of the team good. EI-based managers are able to create warm and soothing working environments so that team members feel cherished and encouraged. This highly influences productivity and propels project success.Helps in risk management: Project managers have to face the conditions under which they will make a tough decision very often. A proficient high EI manager will help one with this major stiff emotional pressure that creates judgment clouding and affects decision-making.Better customer service: Better EI ties one up with clients personally, leading to superior customer experience. These would be rolled onto more loyal customers feeling better understood and appreciated.Adaptability to change: Better adjustment and flexibility enable an individual to navigate changes more easily than others.Contributes to better decision-making: This directly assists better decision-making. Understanding emotional dynamics allows a project manager to balance and objectively assess a situation.
Emotional intelligence has far-reaching application in the personal realm and other interpersonal relationships. The better the relationships you build in life, the more you can offer to others and achieve work tasks together more efficiently.
Enhance Your Leadership with Emotional Intelligence
Emotional intelligence functions well in project management. This could help the project manager to solve the challenges posed by competitive projects, strengthen and effectively manage the team as well as communicate with the stakeholders involved. This is made possible by managing his own emotions as well as understanding other people's emotions, thereby enabling him to make decisions, engage with stakeholders, and achieve project success himself.
If you want guidance on emotional intelligence in project management, And you want to achieve the path to success, enroll at The British Academy for Training and Development today.