Many women spend a huge amount of energy trying to hide, squash or ignore their emotions at work. They do this because they've been told a lie, that emotions have no place in the workplace. In fact, emotions are key to psychological health and effectiveness for women and men alike. In fact, Emotional Intelligence (EQ) is key to both women's and men's success in the workplace. So what gives? Why aren't emotions welcome at work?

While there's no simple answer to this question, a lot of it boils down to confusion about the distinction between emotions and emotional intelligence. In short, having an emotion is just that; feeling something like happiness, discomfort or anticipation. By contrast, mastering emotional intelligence involves:

  • being able to identify your own emotions and the emotions of others

  • knowing how to use this information to manage yourself and others

  • managing yourself and others without undue stress

    • In other words, when you have emotional intelligence you can get things done with other people, and without a lot of drama.

    Read this article for three examples of where women tend to get most confused about how to use their emotions, and emotional intelligence in the workplace.

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