At AMI, we believe that employee development is important for the professional, as well as personal growth of our employees. We provide our team with development activities and resources to prepare them for the adverse conditions and unforeseen situations that can occur in manufacturing.
We are especially focused on leadership development, as effective leadership is one of the main drivers for growth, retention, innovation, and long-term success. For years, we’ve been developing our leadership team to transform them into experts at leading the next generation of manufacturing workers. One way we do so is through emotional intelligence (EQ) training.
If you’re unfamiliar with the concept of EQ, it is the ability to perceive and manage your own emotions, as well as the ability to recognize and understand the emotions of others. Those who possess a high degree of EQ are aware of how they’re feeling, what their emotions mean, and how those emotions can influence the people around them. It is widely known to be a key component of effective leadership, as it allows leaders to effectively gauge the needs, wants, and expectations of their employees.
According to Training Industry, EQ was once seen as a topic that was too taboo to introduce to corporate cultures, as emotions in the workplace were viewed as unnecessary and a hindrance to productivity and professionalism. Today, however, EQ plays a huge role within organizations, from the top down, and can result in better collaboration among employees, increased productivity, and a happier workplace overall.
EQ can help leaders navigate the complexities of the workplace, motivate others, and excel in their careers. Good leaders must also be self-aware and understand how their verbal and non-verbal communication can affect the team. EQ for leadership can consist of the following five attributes:
Self-Awareness
Self-Awareness is your ability to understand your own emotions and their impact on your performance. For example, if a manager considers himself a “get-it-done” kind of person, he may think that translates to a clear and assertive leadership style. However, his employees, on the other hand, may view him as rude or a bully. Self-awareness is the foundation of personal growth and success and allows leaders to understand their emotions and how they translate to those around them.
How can you become more self-aware?
- Pay attention to how you are feeling.
- Take stock of emotional strengths and weaknesses.
- Remember that emotions are fleeting.
Self-Regulation
Self-regulation, also commonly referred to as self-management, is a measure of how well you can use your emotions to make constructive decisions about your behavior. For example, when you become overly stressed or something upsets you, it can be easy to lose control of your emotions and the ability to act thoughtfully and appropriately. Self-regulation includes your ability to manage your impulses, as well as your ability to take responsibility for your actions. Leaders who react from their emotions without filtering them can create mistrust amongst their team, jeopardizing work relationships.
How can you improve your self-regulation skills in the workplace?
- Find techniques to release workplace stress.
- Keep your composure.
- Think before making decisions.
Motivation
It’s important to realize that no matter how smart a person is, their IQ is not always a guarantee of high performance and productivity. Emotional intelligent people can work with their eyes set on the long-term goal. Even when external forces are affecting their emotions, they can keep themselves in check and stay productive. Motivation includes your drive to improve and achieve, commitment to your goals, initiative, and readiness to act on opportunities.
How can you stay motivated at work?
- Focus on the aspects of your job that you enjoy.
- Try to maintain a positive attitude.
Empathy
Someone who has empathy can identify with what others are feeling. They take the time to put themselves in the other person’s shoes and then respond accordingly. Empathy is the ability to communicate and lead by understanding others’ thoughts, views, and feelings. Typically, empathy within the manufacturing space can lead to stronger, more meaningful relationships and success in the workplace.
How can you be more empathetic in the workplace?
- See things from the other person’s point of view.
- Pay attention to how you respond to others.
Social Skills
Being able to interact well with others in the workplace is another important aspect of EQ. If you don’t have strong social skills, you won’t be able to build meaningful relationships with other people. Good social skills allow you to effectively interact and communicate with your co-workers and those in leadership. Active listening, verbal communication skills, nonverbal communication skills, leadership, and persuasiveness are all social skills that will benefit you in a manufacturing environment.
How can you boost your social skills?
- Listen to what others have to say.
- Pay attention to nonverbal communication.
- Hone your persuasion skills.
- Avoid workplace drama.
Emotional intelligence plays an important role in successful leadership. Fortunately, there are several ways you can improve your EQ and foster greater emotional competencies to improve your leadership style, work performance, and career success in the manufacturing space.
About AMI
AMI (Ace Manufacturing Industries Inc.) is a family-owned business launched in 1992 with 5 employees in a 4,000 square foot machine shop by Tom Krouth. From its early foundation in the manufacturing of complex and precision machined components, AMI has evolved and grown by a factor of 20X through planned expansion of services, equipment, technology, staff, and facilities under the leadership of second-generation CEO, Kelley Krouth into a full-service supplier for custom manufactured OEM parts.
Our value-added services include collaborative design, machining, contract manufacturing, assembly, painting, raw material procurement, testing, inventory management, and more. By providing complex contract manufacturing services under one roof, we deliver reduced shipping and handling costs to all AMI customers.
Visit our website to learn more: https://ami-mfg.com/