How To Give Feedback On Emotional Intelligence


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When giving feedback, there are two major components that make up this process. The first is asking good questions and the second is offering meaningful comments or notes. Both of these components are important when giving emotional intelligence feedback as they help clarify what changes need to be made in your workplace and how you can assist someone in improving their performance.
When providing feedback, it’s very important to be clear about what you want to see changed and what you believe will not change. If you don’t clearly state both of these things, then people may assume one thing instead. This could lead to an argument or even a lawsuit if something crucial is assumed without being said!
Also, remember that everyone learns at different rates. Some people may learn more from formal lessons and courses than others who prefer informal ways to gain knowledge. What works for one person may not work for another. So, try looking into various routes for learning emotional intelligence before passing judgment.
Look at the person giving feedback
Giving good, honest feedback is an integral part of your job as a manager or leader. It’s also one of the most difficult things you will have to do as a professional.
As a leader, your ability to give effective feedback depends on how well you know each other. You should invest time in understanding everyone’s strengths and weaknesses before offering constructive criticism or praise.
When providing feedback to someone else, make sure to assess their performance from a few different perspectives – not just what they did, but why they acted that way.
Consider their perspective
A lot of times, people who are not like you have strong emotions and these emotions can be very powerful.
If someone else feels strongly about something, it can affect how you feel about things. They could perceive your actions as bad even if they’re not actually bad.
On the other hand, they may see what you do as good even if you think it’s wrong.
Neither situation is ideal for giving quality feedback.
So instead of just telling someone what they should or shouldn’t do, consider whether there might be something more effective that person could do in this area.
There could be something like talking to them about why they felt the way they did, trying to understand their point of view, agreeing with them, or showing them how to improve those reasons.
That would be more helpful than simply telling them how to fix the problem.
Be honest and direct
It’s important to be straightforward when giving feedback. If you have noticed that certain behaviors are hurting your relationships or working conditions, say so!
No one wants to hear that they need to make changes if they think their behavior is appropriate. But it's very possible that someone needs help changing how they respond in certain situations.
By being honest and direct, you will hopefully motivate them to do something about it. Sometimes, people feel like they're not good enough and don't want to change because they believe that things can’t get any worse.
But there is always something you can do to improve your performance as a person or leader. You are responsible for your own success, and no one else.
Make sure they know you are not trying to be negative
As mentioned before, your colleagues can often times perceive feedback as a jab or an attack.
This is unfortunate because it is not that at all!
Giving constructive criticism is a way to help improve someone’s performance of their job. It is also a way to motivate them to do better things for your organization.
It sounds vague and hard to come by, but there are ways to give effective feedback without sounding too harsh. You can emphasize how his/her actions will affect others and what skills he/she possesses already rather than just telling him/her something new.
By using these tips, you will clearly express yourself and your thoughts while still leaving a positive effect on the person being critiqued.
Make sure they know you are not trying to be positive
As mentioned before, your potential employer will probably ask about your emotional intelligence at some point during the interviewing process. If you’re asked directly if you have EI, then it would help them determine whether you can deal with difficult or stressful situations in a productive manner.
So what is emotional intelligence?
Emotional intelligence (or EQ for short) is described as the ability to identify, understand, and manage your emotions, as well as those of others. It also includes using these skills to develop relationships and achieve your goals.
Some examples of things that are considered part of emotional intelligence include understanding why people behave the way they do, being able to recognize your own feelings and those of other people, controlling your anger, and looking forward to changing something that you feel is no longer working.
You may be asked questions like “What are the strengths of this position?” or “How willing are you to take on more responsibility?” During an interview, someone could ask how you responded to a complaint from a customer.
In both cases, asking if you have shown evidence of emotional intelligence is a good way to gauge your abilities. Being aware of your own feelings and those of others is a key part of emotional intelligence.
Be consistent
As mentioned earlier, it is important to note that these practices should be consistently practiced. If you practice giving emotional feedback for one episode of TV or movie per week, then don’t expect perfect performance every other day.
It takes time to learn how to give good feedback, and there are no quick fixes. But if you keep practicing, you will get better over time!
The more you do it, the easier it gets. And once you have mastered this aspect of your employee’s EI, you can move onto the next stage, which is Receiving Feedback.
So, what are we talking about here? We’re discussing things like telling someone they look smart, rather than just saying their answers were nice. Or pointing out when someone puts in an effort to help you or talk with you outside of work. These types of comments emphasize the importance that person places in the workplace and create a positive perception of them.
We also discuss things like acknowledging something well done, complimenting someone on a project, or asking questions to find out why someone did something. All of these make the other person feel valued and informed, creating loyal employees who love working for you.
Provide feedback that can help them grow
As mentioned earlier, your colleagues are going to get some very raw emotions from you when they need your input or want your support.
Give them clear, direct, and timely feedback that will help them improve. Help them understand what you feel and why so they can fix any issues.
Don’t assume anything about their situation unless asked directly. If it is an internal issue, perhaps no one has noticed before, then don’t add fuel by pointing out how could someone not have seen something was off.
If you must comment, do so in a calm, non-judgmental way. Keep comments focused on the person, not the whole situation.
Remember, this is only valuable if the other person wants to hear it!
Does anyone ever ask for guidance on emotional intelligence?
I bet most of us learn some form of EQ as kids, but few adults use it consistently throughout life.
Look for the positive in them
Finding the good in someone else’s behavior is a great way to give feedback on emotional intelligence. If you notice that they have their priorities in order, then praise them for doing so.
If you see that they are spending time with friends instead of family, suggest that they should focus more on their loved ones.
If you find that they are direct and honest, tell them how much it helped you learn about them.
They will appreciate your kind words and will likely do the same for others.
This article can help you overcome fear of giving feedback by creating an environment where everyone feels comfortable sharing thoughts and feelings.
Start small by offering compliments or suggestions, and then move onto asking deeper questions.
Never make assumptions when giving feedback and never assume that people know what you want them to say.