Fostering Emotional Intelligence in Business Students

Emotional Intelligence (EI) has become popular as a determining factor of success over the recent past. The process of understanding one’s emotions, how they sit on issues, and resolve issues is important for moving forward to higher levels of management. The era of the emotionally infant boss throwing a temper tantrum to get people motivated no longer pushes people to the highest levels of performance. Developing emotional intelligence in business students can raise executive functioning. 

No doubt business is stressful and that stress impacts every aspect of the working and non-working spheres of our life. EI is so powerful that it influences performance, leadership, physical, and mental health (Humphrey, 2013). It is one of those fundamental skills that reaches into every part of our life. 

EI can impact how we manage employees, interact with business partners, make deals and handle the daily frustrations within the workplace. When confronting major business challenges the emotional intelligent person will not only be able to deal with this frustration but still encourage people to overcome obstacles without losing control. 

It is such an important skill for graduates that it is beneficial to start teaching emotional intelligence in college. How this is not easy as there are multiple layers of knowledge that range from definition to personal insight. Yet the process of understanding how to communicate, understanding oneself, and knowing how emotional intelligence influences our lives can be beneficial. 

Better management of one’s emotions and what they mean also impacts how we relate with others and influence them in the business world. People trust a person who has an even keel personality and seems to bring forth trust by their words and demeanor. People with high EI can work through the ups and downs of life to achieve their objectives. Students who can master their own EI are an emotional asset to an organization and have the staying power to manage for long periods of time.

Humphrey, R. (2013).  The benefits of emotional intelligence and empathy to entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship Research Journal, 3 (3).