EMOTIONAL INTELIGENCE AS A CHANGE MANAGEMENT TOOL

Change often involves a shift away from the safety of our comfort zone. As humans we enjoy routine, but can be thrown when this routine is threatened and we need to change. This is true at work and in our personal lives. In the workplace and in our personal lives being emotionally intelligent is an essential component to building resilience for mental health and successfully managing change. Emotionally intelligent leaders and managers are also able to help others manage difficult change. EQ contributes to effective change management: by developing emotional maturity by increasing social intelligence as a tool to avoid or manage relationship problems by improving interpersonal communication by helping to manage emotions as a method of coping with stress by influencing leadership styles by helping leaders make business decisions about change by supporting managers, supervisors and staff in the workplace by effectively managing resistance to change.