Personality and Psychology in the Workplace
By Marcia Sirota MD
You probably think of the workplace as the arena for carrying out tasks, earning a living and with luck, experiencing the fulfillment of a job well done. In reality, it’s the place where people spend a lot of time playing out complex and often counter-productive dynamics with their colleagues, supervisors, and employees.
Understanding how your own and other people’s personality and psychology affect your interactions in the workplace can make the difference between a frustrating, unhappy work experience and a successful, fulfilling one. Intelligence and hard work, while necessary ingredients for a positive work-life aren’t enough. You’ll need to have (or to develop) emotional intelligence.
Emotional intelligence, or the “EQ,” is a combination of several psychological functions which are separate from what is measured by IQ tests. Whereas, the latter involves comprehension, memory, and the ability to analyze and synthesize data, the former pertains to judgment, insight, intuition, impulse control, empathy, reasonableness, personal accountability, and integrity.
If you have a high EQ, you are both self-aware and have some understanding and empathy toward other people. You accept yourself while recognizing your own deficiencies, and you see the truth about your choices and behavior without resorting to harsh self-criticism. Your self-knowledge is in service of self-improvement and an optimized work performance.
Emotional intelligence also involves recognizing that other people’s behavior is driven by underlying, often unconscious motivations or inner conflicts. This behavior might sometimes appear illogical, but with a high EQ you recognize that it is meaningful, and as a result, you’re better equipped to deal with it. With emotional intelligence, you can navigate relationships based on both the overt and subtle needs and intentions of both parties.
