Top EI Skills All Technology Professionals Need

Emotional intelligence (EI) is widely recognized as critical to workplace success. Regardless, many in the IT industry still prioritize technical skills. In reality, technology professionals need both tech and emotional skills for success.

Four skill areas comprise emotional intelligence: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management. Within each area are specific skills a person needs to learn to optimize their EI in that category. These are the EI skills every technology professional needs to master.

EI Skills Used in IT

Active Listening

Active listening bridges the communication gap between the customer and IT professional. It forces the tech expert to slow down and pay attention and reassures the customer that they’re heard and valued.

Empathy

Technology can be incredibly frustrating for those who aren’t savvy. The IT professional needs to understand this and respond empathetically when working with a customer who may be stressed or overwhelmed.

Stress Management

Pressing deadlines, demanding supervisors, and frustrated clients are part of the natural landscape of IT. A professional needs EI skills to help them effectively manage their response to stressful situations so they can maintain performance and productivity without escalating the stress level of the whole team.

Accepting Feedback

This is a challenging EI skill for anyone to master. However, to be successful in the IT workplace, it’s necessary to have enough emotional awareness and self-regulation to accept feedback constructively rather than letting it trigger negative emotions. An emotionally intelligent person has a better understanding of the necessary relationship with supervisors, including feedback. It’s not a personal attack.

De-Escalation

When a work interaction between co-workers or a customer becomes emotionally charged, two things can happen. It can escalate (get worse) or de-escalate (calm down). A well-rounded IT professional will recognize when strong emotions affect communication and use de-escalation techniques to return it to a healthy and productive interaction.

Social Skills

Good social skills help develop positive relationships with customers, supervisors, and team members. EI skills like reading body language, perceiving the emotions of others, awareness of one’s own nonverbal communication, interpersonal skills, and knowing how to act appropriately in social situations will go a long way to improve interpersonal relationships both in and out of the workplace.

Resilience

A good employee needs to bounce back from a challenging situation. A person with strong emotional intelligence skills will recover after a negative interaction or frustrating situation. They won’t dwell on failure but rather have a positive outlook to jump back into their work without allowing it to affect them negatively.

EI Skills for IT Professionals

Compassionate Geek’s Emotional Intelligence Training for IT Professionals is an online, on-demand course to help technically skilled professionals succeed in the workplace. IT experts will develop better communication skills, learn to recognize and manage their emotions in a healthy way, and gain valuable tools for improving their relationships with other people. Enroll one person, or enroll a whole team. Learn more about how Compassionate Geek can help boost your team’s EI skills!

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