EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE CAN PREVENT WORKPLACE TOXICITY

Leaders with emotional intelligence handle challenges better and create a healthy work environment

- ANINDITA ACHARYA

Remember the viral video of an HDFC senior employee verbally abusing his junior colleagues during an online meeting last year? It sparked a larger conversation about toxic workplace cultures, a reality faced by countless employees every day. Now, picture this: would you prefer to work under a boss who disregards employee concerns and never owns up to his mistakes, or someone with high emotional intelligence, who understands their emotions and how they affect others? Most of us would undoubtedly choose the latter, a leader who listens and takes responsibility, thus creating a more positive and supportive work environment.

Leadership isn't just about giving orders or using emotional abuse to get work done. It's about showing empathy, motivating employees, managing emotions in tough times, and demonstrating strong social skills. In today's fast-changing job market, emotional intelligence is crucial for effective leadership.