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Enhancing the Emotional Intelligence (EI) competence of the company’s workforce can address many performance challenges. From a traditional business perspective emotional factors are overlooked when identifying initiatives to improve performance. However, the dimensional performance model I developed over time and describe in this article reveals how emotions have a more important role in people’s performance than traditional factors.

For years I have worked with a model depicting the factors that affect people’s performance. A colleague once referred to my model as “probably the best tool ever for explaining why people do or don’t perform as desired.” The model he so generously praised was my original model that, over several years I learned was flawed. It failed to include emotions as the most critical factor affecting people’s performance.

As a result of experience, I have improved my model by adding a new dimension that includes emotions as a factor that impacts all areas of job performance. This new, dimensional model depicts a more accurate view of the profound importance of emotions.

With my Engineering background, I originally developed a one-dimensional model with a nine-box grid comprised of 3 boxes by 3 boxes. Each box identified a set of factors affecting performance with the level identifying those who traditionally have the most control – individual performers, managers, and executives. Overall the model identified some 30 factors affecting performance. However, it failed to recognize the critical impact emotions have on people’s performance.

According to more resent research emotions may be more important than other factors when it comes to people’s performance. In fact, when we receive a sensory input, we process it through our emotional center first. And, before we send it on to be processed in our rational mind, the neocortex, we attach an emotional meaning to the input. (Goleman, Emotional Intelligence, 1995) So our emotional center serves as a gatekeeper that ultimately influences how we perceive and respond to every input. The information we have (or don’t have) to do our work, every assignment we are given (and how it is given), our workload, our physical environment (noise, lighting, temperature), and so on etc. has an emotional meaning attached to it.

After discovering the dramatic affect of emotions on people’s performance, I revised my original model, incorporating a third dimension – the dimension of Emotion. With the addition of depth, the new, dimensional model revealed that while the “Head” factors affected performance, emotion had a pervasive effect, positively or negatively affecting all other factors and ultimately our productivity, mental clarity, energy and more. To illustrate this relationship, consider how people might feel with an announcement of a downsizing. The resultant negative feelings may well cause a decline in quality, morale and productivity. On the other hand consider how you feel when someone genuinely praises you on your work. With the positive feelings, most people get an energy boost and are more likely to go beyond what is expected, putting forth a bit more effort.

Let’s examine the Emotional dimension of the revised model in more detail. Emotion can be viewed as a continuum with Fear on one end and Appreciation on the other.. Negative emotions such as fear, anger and frustration can hinder performance. In contrast when people feel appreciated and cared for, the resulting positive emotions can facilitate performance. This is what people really want. They want to know that they are appreciated for their contributions; they want to feel that the people they work for and with care about them. People can’t check their emotions at the door when the come to work and then pick them up on the way home. Our emotions – our hearts – are with us at all times.

It’s disconcerting when one considers that we’ve spent so much time and effort focusing on the factors in my rational, two-dimensional, “Head” model. Indeed, these factors are important. However, we’ve been missing a huge piece of the solution to improving people’s performance when we overlook emotions. The significant results achieved by developing people’s EI skills presents a compelling argument to the appropriateness of the “Head/Heart” model as a more powerful tool when determining interventions to improve performance.

About the Author

Tailoring the art and science of Emotional Intelligence Skill-building to your needs, Byron Stock focuses on results, helping individuals and organizations enhance EI skills, leadership competencies and core values. With enhanced EI skills organizations and individuals are better equipped to achieve strategic objectives, lead change and create resilient, high performing organizational cultures. Learn about Byron’s easy, quick, proven techniques to harness the power of your EI in his new book, SMART EMOTIONS for Busy Business People available through his website www.ByronStock.com.