What's your Emotional Intelligence (EI) at work?

Emotional intelligence is our capacity to effectively understand and respond to the emotions of our co-workers and students

Unlike traditional intelligence quotient (IQ), emotional intelligence (EI) is generally considered a capability that can be built and strengthened. First described and conceptualised by Salovey and Mayer in 1990, EI is viewed as a flexible skill that can develop over time through experience, practice and processes of self-reflection. EI is also considered a fundamental factor in how we relate to others and the world around us as it involves our ability to understand and manage our own emotions.

Closely linked to social intelligence, EI is also considered a predictor of workplace performance because of its influence on how we might react and respond to situations at work. To effectively engage with others at work, an individual must be able to read social cues, regulate their emotions, and recognise and understand emotions in others. Numerous studies have shown that, particularly in jobs that involve emotional demands (like jobs dealing with other people), EI can help increase positive attitudes and behaviours, and decrease job stress.

Developing your emotional intelligence can also strengthen resilience, helping you to:

• Protect mental health

• Prevent burnout

• Help you 'bounce back' from setbacks

• Help you navigate high-pressure situations

• Enable you to see challenges as opportunities to grow and develop

• Drive sustained productivity

When it comes to working as a VET trainer/assessor, the ability to recognise and respond appropriately to the emotions of learners is paramount, as often, levels of engagement and progression depend on the learner feeling "seen and heard". At the same time, EI can help trainers and assessors with the ability to deal with diverse student needs, juggle training and marking workloads, administrative tasks, strict regulatory compliance, and currency obligations without feeling overwhelmed.

In all, EI is the key for trainers to remain effective under pressure, build positive relationships with students and colleagues, and protect their own wellbeing.

Take the "EI at Work" survey for insight to your own EI levels.

There are no right or wrong answers and nobody sees your results unless you share them with others.

At the end of the quiz, you'll get a:

• Radar/spider chart showing your EI levels at a glance

• Breakdown of your score on the composite scales, likely strengths and challenges in your role and a guide to understanding your results

• Summary of your key strengths and areas for development

Once the quiz is complete, there is the option to "print" - this will open your results into an HTML which can be opened in any browser. Simply use File → Print → Save as PDF to get a copy you can save.

It is important to note that this is for entertainment purposes and does not constitute a psychological diagnosis.

Take the EI at Work quiz to see your own levels of Emotional Intelligence in the context of being a VET trainer/assessor 👇

This article is AITAS Rating 1

The quiz is AITAS Rating 4

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7.6.26