7.3 Impact of emotional intelligence on performance
7.4.3. Overriding of other employees, feelings de-motivates and reduces work output. 138
Many respondents, about 84 percent, acknowledged that overriding the feelings and
emotions of other employees de-motivates them and actually reduced their work output.
Table 7.10 ZESCO ZAMTEL BOTH COMPANIES
ASSESSMENT DECISION
Frequency Percent Frequency Percent Frequency Percent
Nothing 1 1 4 0 0 0 2 Very little 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 Fair 3 1 4 1 3 2 3 Much 4 9 31 11 37 20 35 Very Much 5 17 61 18 60 35 60
TOTAL 28 100 30 100 58 100
139 Taken on average, 96 percent did recognise the fact that ignoring the emotional feelings of other employees reduced their output as they became de-motivated. Minority percentages were below average in stating that this did not affect some employees. It is possible that some people are self-motivated and therefore did not recognize their moods and emotional state depended on external pressure to be productive.
7.4.4 Emotional Intelligence in Managers at Work Increased Employees’
Interest and Enthusiasm.
Managers can make a positive or a negative difference at work. In this study and in the results above, this claim is substantiated in that 86 percent of respondents agree with it.
Half of them suggest emphatically that emotional intelligence in managers in a work Table 7.11 ZESCO ZAMTEL BOTH COMPANIES
ASSESSMENT DECISION
Frequency Percent Frequency Percent Frequency Percent
Nothing 1 1 4 0 0 1 2 Very little 2 0 0 1 3 1 2 Fair 3 6 21 1 3 7 12 Much 4 7 25 11 37 18 31 Very Much 5 14 50 17 57 31 53
TOTAL 28 100 30 100 58 100
Table 7.12 ZESCO ZAMTEL BOTH COMPANIES
ASSESSMENT DECISION
Frequency Percent Frequency Percent Frequency Percent
Nothing 1 1 4 0 0 1 2 Very little 2 3 10 0 0 3 5 Fair 3 2 7 2 7 4 7 Much 4 8 28 12 40 20 34 Very Much 5 14 50 16 53 30 52 TOTAL 28 100 30 100 58 100
140 place has a bearing on the level of employees’ interest and enthusiasm. The higher it is, the more likely that a work-place will be a great place for employees.They tend to be loyal and more productive. This assertion is higher at ZAMTEL on average as it has experienced a higher turnover of Managing Directors over the same period than at ZESCO which had seen only 2 MDs go as compared to 8 at ZAMTEL. ZAMTEL employees have experienced times of sadness and joy depending on the Managing Director in charge.
7.4.5 Level of Emotional Intelligence in the leadership of the respondents’
company
The rating of emotional intelligence in the work situation was high in the previous four questions. Strangely when it came to level of emotional intelligence in the leadership of the respondents’ companies it follows the normal distribution curve for the two companies with higher scores around the centre. The lowest frequencies are at both ends of the distribution. The mid distribution is 48 percent while on the ends are 4 percent and 5 percent at the extreme ends.
On the company to company analysis, ZESCO scores are skewed to the left denoting that there is a higher level of emotional intelligence. ZAMTEL maintains a higher average of emotional intelligence in its management ranks. In both companies, it may be necessary
Table 7.13 ZESCO ZAMTEL BOTH COMPANIES
ASSESSMENT DECISION
Frequency Percent Frequency Percent Frequency Percent
Nothing 1 1 4 2 7 3 5 Very little 2 7 25 4 13 11 19 Fair 3 11 39 17 57 28 48 Much 4 8 28 6 20 14 24 Very Much 5 1 4 1 3 2 4 TOTAL 28 100.00 30 100.00 58 100.00
141 to upgrade the level of emotional intelligence in management so that there is a correlation with earlier respondents’ suggestions that if emotional intelligence was high, employee interest and enthusiasm and organisation performance tended to be high.
This is a fair representation of average emotional intelligence in the parastatal sector in Zambia. Most of the better-performing parastatal firms are in general on the average performance level in the economy. It is therefore not farfetched to suggest that emotional intelligence in organizational leadership in a company is directly related to the level of its general performance in many areas (Gardiner and Stough: 2002:71).
7.4.6 Contributions of Emotional Intelligence to the motivation of subordinates at work.
This question is similar to an earlier one on emotional intelligence’s contribution to employee interest and enthusiasm. The increase in interest and enthusiasm at work by employees was directly related to the level of emotional intelligence in its management.
In the above case, the respondents followed a normal distribution though slightly shifting to the left, indicating a similar relationship. The result at ZESCO of ‘fair’ to ‘very much’
is 87 percent as compared to ZAMTEL’s 73 percent.
The total of ‘fair’ to ‘very much’ in the two companies is encouraging and stands at 79 percent. ZAMTEL has a slightly lower rate than that at ZESCO when compared to the total.
Table 7.14 ZESCO ZAMTEL BOTH COMPANIES
ASSESSMENT DECISION
Frequency Percent Frequency Percent Frequency Percent
Nothing 1 1 4 1 3 2 4 Very little 2 3 10 7 23 10 17 Fair 3 10 36 7 23 17 29 Much 4 9 32 11 37 20 34 Very Much 5 5 18 4 14 9 16 TOTAL 28 100 30 100 58 100
142 As earlier alluded to, this can be accounted for due to the many (eight) Managing Directors at ZAMTEL that have come and gone through the years compared to the ZESCO’s two Managing Directors in 18 years.
This is also indicative of other parastatal where political interference has been rife resulting in a high turnover of chief executives. Employees have developed a culture that is led by the chief executive office that has been around for sometime. Emotional intelligence likewise takes time to be picked up which is a big problem at ZAMTEL, unfortunately.
7.5 Assessing of Emotional Intelligence competence by competence.
In this part of the data analysis, the respondents provided data regarding the four competences widely recognised for measuring emotional intelligence in large organizations and credited to Daniel Goleman and others. The analysis will deal with each competence in turn.
The respondents were involved in the understanding of the phenomenon of their emotional intelligence and that of their work mates and customers. They were to answer questions related to their personal experience of emotional intelligence in the four competencies. Competencies, include self-awareness, self-regulation or management, social awareness and social skills as these relate to the day-to-day work. Their analyses were based on the five points scale used earlier.
7.5.1 Self-Awareness of one’s emotions
Respondents in this case were required to find out how each one of them was aware of their emotional intelligence. The following is the data that was received and the analysis was based these findings.
143 7. 5.1.1 Are you aware of your moods and emotions?
Respondents were required to evaluate their own moods and emotions. The essence of this data was to find out if they understood their own psychological make up. These responses are shown in the distribution table.
The distribution above shows an overwhelming above-average score of 97 percent from respondents indicating that they were, in their opinion, very much awareof their emotions. Only three percent rated themselves as average or fair in understanding their emotional state when carrying out their daily work. It is human to be aware of one’s emotions and how one reacts emotionally to situations as they unfold. At ZESCO, it was 100 percent of respondents who very much understood their moods and emotions (or so they claimed). At ZAMTEL only 7 percent of respondents said they understood their emotions fairly well
Table 7.15 ZESCO ZAMTEL BOTH COMPANIES
ASSESSMENT DECISION
Frequency Percent Frequency Percent Frequency Percent
Nothing 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Very little 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 Fair 3 0 0 2 7 2 3 Much 4 10 36 12 40 22 38 Very Much 5 18 64 16 53 34 59 TOTAL 28 100 30 100 58 100
144 7.5.1.2 Extent to which respondents’ emotions and moods affected their work
performance.
The respondents’ recognition of their moods and emotions in the work-place are not good enough as an indication on its own because emotions do not work in isolation from other factors.. Whatever they do, their actions affect those around them in one way or the other.
The mandate of every person employed at the work place is to add value to that firm.
This in turn increases performance and profitability in a business organization. It is also not good enough to recognise our emotions but what we do about them is important.
Emotions can enhance or retard our work performance.
The statistical table above shows a normal distribution curve which indicates a fair affect with of course extreme cases. Most of the scores are concentrated around the centre. At ZESCO, respondents show a shift to the right which shows a little effect on their performance at 43 percent below average. 25 percent feel that emotions and moods affect their work. At ZAMTEL 40 percent of respondents agreed that emotions and moods do affect their work performance while 26 percent indicated that it affected the performance very little. On average both companies are on par with 32 and 33 percent respectively.
Table 7.15b ZESCO ZAMTEL BOTH COMPANIES
ASSESSMENT DECISION
Frequency Percent Frequency Percent Frequency Percent
Nothing 1 0 0 1 3 1 2 Very little 2 12 43 7 24 19 32 Fair 3 9 32 10 33 19 32 Much 4 5 18 10 33 15 27 Very Much 5 2 7 2 7 4 7 TOTAL 28 100 30 100 58 100
145 7.5.1.3 Recognition of one’s’ moods and emotions before other people notice the behaviour.
Many respondents, about 98 percent acknowledged that they did recognise these emotions in their lives before others did. 57 respondents claim that they did recognise their emotional balance and moods and hence were aware. There is also a small percentage of 2 percent that did not recognise their moods and emotions. It took other people to point out their emotional state. There are times when people will remind others that they look
unhappy without the individuals concerned being aware of this.
7.5.1.4 Making known ones needs under anger in ways that resolves rather exacerbates the Situation.
It is normal and human to be angry sometimes in the work situation. The managers were asked if, when they were angry with someone, they were able to make their needs known to the offender without aggravating the situation and in such a way as to facilitate amicable resolution of the problem. 86 percent responded that they were able to do that without any problem. 7 percent of the respondents were not able to resolve issues under such angry situations. The majority however, indicated that even when they are angry, they were able to let others know their needs and intentions. It was part and parcel of their job.
Table 7.16 ZESCO ZAMTEL BOTH COMPANIES
ASSESSMENT DECISION
Frequency Percent Frequency Percent Frequency Percent
Nothing 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Very little 2 1 4 0 0 1 2 Fair 3 5 18 6 20 11 19 Much 4 13 46 11 37 24 41 Very Much 5 9 32 13 43 22 38 TOTAL 28 100 30 100 58 100
146 7.5.1.5 Change in their emotional state has effect on productivity in work situations There is a correlation between the emotional state of a person and their productivity at work. When they are happy and excited, they will make a good contribution.
In this question the responses were generally spread over all the categories. 38 percent of respondents said that there was little or no effect on their productivity. 40 percent of them agreed with the statement that there is much effect on their productivity in the work situation. 22 percent claim that it may or may not affect their productivity; it depends on the issue at hand.
Table 7.17 ZESCO ZAMTEL BOTH COMPANIES
ASSESSMENT DECISION
Frequency Percent Frequency Percent Frequency Percent
Nothing 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Very little 2 2 7 1 3 3 5 Fair 3 6 21 6 20 12 21 Much 4 13 47 18 60 31 53 Very Much 5 5 18 5 17 10 17 TOTAL 2 7 0 0 2 4 28 100 30 100 58 100
Table 7.18 ZESCO ZAMTEL BOTH COMPANIES
ASSESSMENT DECISION
Frequency Percent Frequency Percent Frequency Percent
Nothing 1 3 10 7 23 10 17 Very little 2 7 25 5 17 12 21 Fair 3 8 28 5 17 13 22 Much 4 6 21 10 33 16 28 Very Much 5 4 13 3 10 7 12 TOTAL 28 100 30 100 58 100
147 7.5.2. Self-Regulation/management of emotions
Emotions lead a person to channel energy in a certain direction. The direction in which energy is channelled can be constructive or destructive, positive or negative. Unless the emotions are controlled, actions may be misdirected. Conditions in the immediate environment may cause our actions to be misdirected. The self–regulation is the tendency by a person to manage one’s emotions and to control negative or destructive tendencies or at least to manage them. In this section, respondents were requested to provide information as to how they managed their emotions and share their experience on how they got along with the behaviour of other workers to ensure that performance is enhanced or goals are attained. People communicate with each other and get inspired to work.
7.5.2.1 Respondents’ extent to which they try to achieve their goals under impossible conditions or are tempted to give up.
The distribution of scores shows an overwhelming result of 90 percent who indicated that they try their best to achieve their goals even if the situation seems impossible and they are tempted to give up altogether. 50% of the respondents say that they summon all their energy to soldier on to achieve their goals even when their emotions may suggest giving up. Only a very small percentage feel like giving up.
Table 7.19 ZESCO ZAMTEL BOTH COMPANIES
ASSESSMENT DECISION
Frequency Percent Frequency Percent Frequency Percent
Nothing 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Very little 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 Fair 3 2 7 3 10 5 9 Much 4 9 33 14 47 23 40 Very Much 5 16 57 13 43 29 50 TOTAL 28 100 30 100 58 100
148 At ZESCO, the figures stand at 80 percent for those who manage their feelings in such a way as to enable them to go ahead, with 57 percent of them indicating their strongest resolve not to give up. Comparatively at ZAMTEL with all the problems they have been going through including a high turnover of MDs, the figures stand at 90 percent but with lower percentage of those on the higher side at ZESCO. Although ZESCO has less competition in their area of product offering, it has a higher percentage of problems solved than at ZAMTEL. However, ZAMTEL has a higher percentage of managers who are able to withstand the pressure if difficult situations presented themselves.
7.5.2.2 Respondents’ use of their emotions/feelings in reaching decisions in their lives.
This item requests respondents who are managers to provide clues as to how they manage their emotions in reaching decisions in their lives. How do emotions help in thought formation?
The table 7.20 indicates an average to above average response of 88 percent. The concentration of respondents is on the average of 35 percent. 10 percent thought that there was little use of emotions in reaching their decisions which is strange. It is usual Table 7.20 ZESCO ZAMTEL BOTH COMPANIES
ASSESSMENT DECISION
Frequency Percent Frequency Percent Frequency Percent
Nothing 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
Very little 2 2 7 4 13 6 10
Fair 3 9 32 11 37 20 35
Much 4 10 36 8 27 18 31
Very Much 5 6 21 7 23 13 22 Did not respond 1 4 0 0 1 2
TOTAL 28 100 30 100 58 100
149 that emotions are a force that makes humans act or devise a means of reaching a goal and therefore it is not strange to encounter the above distribution. Both organizations show a similar pattern but ZESCO is slightly higher than ZAMTEL.
7.5.2.3 Extent to which respondents control themselves (react) when attacked physically and emotionally.
It is considered normal for people to react to any physical and emotional attack. The way people react to such provocative attacks depends on the ability of that person to control their emotions. Lack of control of emotions can have serious repercussions or consequences. The principle of passive resistance is based on the ability to control ones’
emotions.
The survey showed that most respondents were able to control their emotions even under attack. 74 percent in both companies indicated that they were able to control their emotional reactions to a marked extent. The number is slightly higher at ZESCO although the difference is only 3 percent. On average ZAMTEL has a higher percentage of managers who are able to withstand emotional pressure.
Table 7.21 ZESCO ZAMTEL BOTH COMPANIES
ASSESSMENT DECISION
Frequency Percent Frequency Percent Frequency Percent
Nothing 1 0 0 1 3 1 2 Very little 2 2 7 1 3 3 5 Fair 3 4 14 6 20 10 17 Much 4 9 32 12 40 21 36 Very Much 5 12 43 10 34 22 38 Did not Respond 1 4 0 0 1 2 TOTAL 28 100 30 100 58 100
150 7.5.2.4 Respondents’ capacity to take advantage to win attackers over to their way of thinking.
An emotional or even a physical attack can be an opportunity to win the attacker over to your way of thinking. This skill is a very big advantage to managers in the work situation.
It helps in making a team strong if the leader is able to win the confidence of all members. It would increase commitment to the cause by every team member.
In the survey, the response was on the levels of ‘fair’ or average with 45 percent of respondents. Turning the way of thinking of an attacker requires a high level of emotional intelligence. 23 percent of respondents either said very little or nothing at all is done to take advantage compared to slightly higher figure of 31 percent of those who take up this advantage in both companies.
7.5.2.5 Extent to which respondents manage their effort to be productive in their work.
In work situations there are inevitably instances when work is difficult or conditions under which one working are discouraging. In such a case, how do respondents maintain their usual productive effort?
Table 7.22 ZESCO ZAMTEL BOTH COMPANIES
ASSESSMENT DECISION
Frequency Percent Frequency Percent Frequency Percent
Nothing 1 2 7 1 3 3 5 Very little 2 3 11 7 24 10 17 Fair 3 12 43 14 47 26 45 Much 4 6 21 6 20 12 21 Very Much 5 5 18 1 3 6 10 Did not Respond 0 0 1 3 1 2 TOTAL 28 100 30 100 58 100
151 The statistics of respondents at both the companies indicate that ‘very much’ effort is put in. The total percentage of those who put in a lot of effort is 55 percent and about 33 percent put in ‘much’ effort. The percentage of those who put a little effort is only 2 percent. The rest are those who put in a fair effort. Comparatively there is very little difference in the answers of respondents of both companies.
7.5.3 Social Awareness of others’ emotions.
In social awareness, respondents were being requested to give their views on how emotional intelligence makes them realize that there are other people besides themselves.
Their emotions have an affect on other people who also had their own emotions and feelings. Correspondingly any two persons at a work place are each one of them unique and different. In spite of these differences common ground must be found to attain both organization and personal goals.
7.5.3.1 Extent of realization by respondents of their feelings effect on other people around them.
The table shows a very fortunate attitude of the respondents. 83 percent of respondents agree that our emotions and feelings have a great effect on other people around us. Our
Table 7.23 ZESCO ZAMTEL BOTH COMPANIES
ASSESSMENT.
DECISION
Frequency Percent Frequency Percent Frequency Percent
Nothing 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Very little 2 1 3 1 3 2 4 Fair 3 3 11 2 7 5 9 Much 4 8 29 11 37 19 32 Very Much 5 16 57 16 53 32 55 TOTAL 28 100 30 100 58 100
152 behaviour or way of conduct in the work place can either increase or reduce performance of those who work with us.
At ZESCO the response was 86 percent in acknowledging that our actions can motivate or de-motivate others while at ZAMTEL the response in affirmation is 80 percent. It is only at ZESCO were one respondent indicated that there was ‘little effort’ made.
7.5.3.2 Frequency of challenge by other people on respondent’s attitude to their issues at work?
As earlier discussed, people are different in their looks and emotional make up. Even their outlook on issues at work will be different. The more frequent these challenges from other people are, the more differences there will be between them. It is also a question of how respondents rise to the occasions as they present themselves.
Table 7.24 ZESCO ZAMTEL BOTH COMPANIES
ASSESSMENT DECISION
Frequency Percent Frequency Percent Frequency Percent
Nothing 1 3 10 0 0 3 5 Very little 2 1 4 0 0 1 2 Fair 3 0 0 6 20 6 10 Much 4 12 43 13 43 25 43 Very Much 5 12 43 11 37 23 40 TOTAL 28 100 30 100 58 100
Table 7.25 ZESCO ZAMTEL BOTH COMPANIES
ASSESSMENT DECISION
Frequency Percent Frequency Percent Frequency Percent
Nothing 1 7 25 4 13 11 19 Very little 2 10 36 16 53 26 45 Fair 3 7 25 6 20 13 23 Much 4 4 14 2 7 6 10 Very Much 5 0 0 2 7 2 3 TOTAL 28 100 30 100 58 100
153 The distribution of responses has shifted to the right. On average 23 percent of respondents at both firms, said that the frequency of challenges were fair. Only 13 percent of respondents indicated that it was a great challenge on their part to work with other people. The intensity of challenges was greater at ZAMTEL where the score was at 7 percent. At ZESCO, there was no respondent that recorded very serious challenge. 64 percent of respondents at both companies recorded that there was either ‘very little’ or
‘no’ challenges by other people on them. At ZAMTEL 66 percent of respondents indicated that there was little or no such challenge while at ZESCO it was 61 percent.
This was indicative enough to suggest that there was a high degree of emotional intelligence working in the organization.
7.5.3.3 Amount of praises that has been offered by workmates on your response to a physical or verbal attack against you.
It seems that there will always be attacks on managers. It is a question of how one responds to such attacks. In this case the respondents were being asked about praises received from workmates on how they responded to such attacks. 67 percent of respondents from both firms indicated that they received ‘much’ response with a slightly greater percent coming from ZESCO with 68 percent of respondents from the company
Table 7.26 ZESCO ZAMTEL BOTH COMPANIES
ASSESSMENT DECISION
Frequency Percent Frequency Percent Frequency Percent
Nothing 1 0 0 1 3 1 2 Very little 2 1 4 1 3 2 3 Fair 3 8 28 8 27 16 28 Much 4 13 47 15 50 28 48 Very Much 5 6 21 5 17 11 19 TOTAL 28 100 30 100 58 100