Emotional Intelligence Archives - Page 4 of 26

Dealing with Arrogant Bosses

Emotional Intelligence, Happiness at Work / My Holland

It isn’t that hard to recognize arrogant bosses. They expose themselves eventually. They’re narcissists, for one. Their decisions are questionable and often can’t stand scrutiny. This is the reason why they’re arrogant. So here are some ways for you to deal with arrogant bosses. There’s a great chance you’ve met or worked with one of these. But, first, let me define what arrogant bosses are. These people are overconfident and overestimate their skills. They’re not as good as they think they are. Many of them are charismatic but are delusional. Sadly, they can fool many people. Great leaders are confident because they are competent. They have a track record of their achievements and failures, which they learn from. They’re not shy of the latter. But, most importantly, they are humble. Fortunately, it isn’t that hard to recognize arrogant bosses. They expose themselves eventually. They’re narcissists, for one. Their decisions are questionable and often can’t stand scrutiny. This is the reason why they’re arrogant. Consider the fact that they’re trying to compensate for what they lack. Here are some ways to deal with them. >> Never Question them in Public. An arrogant boss may be in a good mood but, it doesn’t mean they’ll be open to contradictory views in public. They always believe they’re right or have better ideas, even when wrong. They have inflated but fragile egos. Arrogant leaders feel threatened when criticized. So, avoid opposing them in front of others. It’s never productive. >> Talk to them in Private. If there’s danger ahead which they can’t see, call their attention in private. Try to enlighten them on why they should change course. Show the facts. If they stick to their decision, find others who can convince them. Organizations and nations have failed because of arrogant leaders. History is full of examples of these leaders that ruin everything. >> Earn their Trust. For instance, you’re stuck in your job and have no other place to go at the moment. Performing well at work is a sure way of getting noticed. If your arrogant boss realizes you make good decisions at work, they may turn to you for feedback. Arrogant leaders care for results too. They just can’t accept they’re not right all the time. It takes practice to give negative feedback. I suggest you read our blog on this. >> Don’t be Fooled by Them. You can be swept by the crowd if you don’t remain steadfast in your beliefs. So, stick to what you think is right. It doesn’t matter if you’re alone. Be cautious and discerning. Leave or move to another department. Avoid being a tool of arrogant leaders. They’ll manipulate and use you if you allow them. You may have encountered these people before and discovered ways to deal with them. Try out the steps above if you haven’t. These worked for others.

Dealing with Arrogant Bosses Read More »

Face Change with Emotional Intelligence

Emotional Intelligence, Productivity / My Holland

These days, change in the workplace can cause anxiety and feelings of dread. Employees get stressed by the mention of the word alone. We live in an environment now with many unknowns. Organizations often have to make hard decisions because tomorrow could be different from today. As a result, employees brace for the worst. For instance, online selling skyrocketed during the early stages of COVID 19. This was great for businesses. But, it also meant salespersons across many industries lost their jobs as more people shopped on the internet. So, how do you deal with change today? – Especially when the outcome does not favor you. Aside from logic, use emotional intelligence. It’s not that hard and here’s how you’ll go about it. Identify your emotions. Do you feel fearful, angry or sad with upcoming changes in your workplace? Knowing what emotions you are experiencing will help you respond to things beyond your control. For instance, ask yourself why you’re irate? At first, you might think you’re angry at the decision-makers in your organization. However, the real source of your anger is your feelings of powerlessness. Yes, change can make people feel impotent, especially when others can make decisions that affect their lives. This leads to the next step. Accept. Acceptance means being aware of what you feel. When you are honest with yourself, you can pinpoint the source of your emotions. Denying you’re angry, for instance, will not help. Also, have you heard of the expression “it is what it is”? It’s meant to describe a situation that cannot be changed. An example would be the death of a loved one. People who acknowledge their grief adapt to their loss better than those who do not. Lastly, when an organization decides on a course of action, there’s no turning back unless it’s proven to be a mistake in the future. So instead of resisting, give change a chance. Be hopeful. Hope is a positive emotion. People who believe that things will turn out well have better chances of success. Consider change as a stepping stone to more possibilities. You might be unaware of the benefits of changes in the workplace. Also, it’s not always about individuals. Decision-makers think about what’s best for everyone. Maybe, sacrifices have to be made. So, being laid-off is not the end of the world. It only means it’s time to explore other opportunities. Here’s something to think about. Before becoming famous, Walt Disney was fired as a cartoonist of the Kansas City Star newspaper.

Face Change with Emotional Intelligence Read More »

Handle Stress with Emotional Agility

Emotional Intelligence / My Holland

You’ve read tons of articles on stress. These days, who isn’t under pressure? Even kids at stuck at home because of COVID-19 are having difficulties coping. You’ve also heard of advice on handling stress. But, have you heard about emotional agility that may be the solution to managing stress nowadays? So, what’s emotional agility? It’s a concept popularized by Susan David, PH.D., a Harvard University Psychologist. Here’s her definition: “Emotional agility is an individual’s ability to experience their thoughts and emotions and events in a way that doesn’t drive them in negative ways, but instead encourages them to reveal the best of themselves.” Knowing Good and Bad Stress People commonly refer to stress as something unpleasant. So you often hear them complain about how it’s making life more difficult for them. But, stress can be good. Take performers and athletes, for instance. Before they go on stage or enter the arena, they feel stress. But, it’s this “feeling” that gets them ready for their challenges. So, they practice, innovate and improve well before their performance. Closer to home, people don’t talk about stress before a job interview, a first date or entering a contest. Activities people look forward to wouldn’t be described as stressful. Exciting is the more appropriate word to classify these. “Bad” stress impacts people negatively. It’s relative, though. A chore or an event can upset a person but not another. “Bad” stress can increase blood pressure and cause headaches. Also, these cause negative feelings. Practice emotional agility When someone or something stresses you, self-diagnose for the reasons. Are you sad, angry or afraid? Zeroing on the emotions that cause stress will help relieve you of this. For instance, you may be mad at certain people, so every time you see them, you’re stressed out. Dig deeper and you might discover the source of your anger. You might be angry because you’re holding grudges. Also, you can be stressed because you’re fearful of failure. Addressing your fear is already half the battle won. Completing tasks can be stressful. For instance, many are stressed going to work because they don’t realize they dislike their jobs. Often, there are some things they are not fond of doing. So, they get upset. But once, they recognize the source of their stress, they can either look for other options or talk to their bosses. Maybe, they’ll be assigned to other tasks. There are more instances, where you can apply emotional agility. This requires you to analyze the core reasons that stress you. Life will never be stress-free. But, you make it a bit easier by relieving yourself of unnecessary stresses.

Handle Stress with Emotional Agility Read More »

Emotional Intelligence

Dealing with Arrogant Bosses

Face Change with Emotional Intelligence

Handle Stress with Emotional Agility

Contact Us