You Bet They Do!
I was a recent guest on Bobbie LaPorte’s podcast, Executive Aid Station – we had a great discussion on emotional intelligence and how to use our emotions to our advantage. Listen to the entire episode.
One of the important questions she asked was “Do Emotions Impact the Bottom Line?”
You bet they do. I have witnessed over and over how a lack of attention to discord among employees, poor communication, and inept or controlling managers costs companies millions.
Every employee who has unspoken or unacknowledged feelings about a boss or colleague or other upsets at work is a liability to the company. And, it’s not their fault! People need education and guidelines in order to create an emotionally intelligent culture.
Besides a company’s financial costs, the cost to employees in terms of the quality of their lives, the stress they must endure and the lack of fulfillment in their work is detrimental to society as a whole.
One of the most dramatic examples I’ve seen is when I worked with a senior project manager who wanted out of her company. There was so much backbiting, gossip and non-cooperation among her co-workers that every day was a struggle to get anything done. After working on a big software development project for nearly a year, it was shut down because they just couldn’t make it work. One whole year of time, effort and salaries were wasted because people could not get along.
My client decided that before she left she would learn how to lead others in that crazy environment, including one particular bully she had to work with. One of the higher-ups was ultimately recruited to another company. That person then recruited my client because of the way she had conducted herself and made things happen in spite of the dysfunction. She’s not only happier, but has more authority, a better title, and makes more money.
If you have a question or something you’d like to share, please be sure to leave a comment – I’d enjoy hearing from you!
Joie