According in Psychology Today, emotional intelligence is “the ability to identify and manage your own emotions and the emotions of others.” To improve and dismantle toxic company culture, emphasizing emotional intelligence may be key. Last night, Lipstick & Politics analyzed EQ as a solution to this issue through our event, “Can Emotional Intelligence Eliminate Sexism In Corporate Culture?” Dr. Laura Delizonna (Choosing Happiness), Lela Djakovic (EQED), and Jonathan Yaffe (AnyRoad) joined our panel discussion to help us understand the significance of emotional intelligence and how implementing it can be beneficial to both individuals and an organization.

Photo by Tiffany Rika Russell

Photo by Tiffany Rika Russell

Photo by Tiffany Rika Russell

There were many critical takeaways from the evening’s conversation. It was emphasized to the audience that emotional intelligence is a skill that can be developed through practice and mindfulness. Anyone can learn to be more emotionally intelligent, but it will take commitment from leaders to shape a company culture that possesses more EQ. Leaders establishing emotionally intelligent norms in organizations will affect overall employee behavior and ultimately, improve productivity in the workplace. But emotional intelligence begins with the individual: one must listen well, commit to recognizing toxicity, and tune into others through conversations.

We want to thank our panelists again for their incredible insight. Their participation in our discussion was invaluable.

From left to right: Jonathan Yaffe, Lela Djakovic, Mira Veda, Laura Delizonna | Photo courtesy of Tiffany Rika Russell