“How can I get them to buy-in to this idea?” Anna, a bank manager, asked me. She had an idea for restructuring the department. She knew it would work, but only if everyone would agree to it.

She talked about different department members: Bob, who disagreed with anything anyone proposed. Alice, who gave up at the first sign of defeat. Nancy, who didn’t trust anyone. Surya, whose autocratic leadership style turned everyone off. Sergio, who had no flexibility or creativity. My reply was not the quick-fix answer Anna was hoping for. “Your company culture needs a redo,” I said. “The best way to get people to buy-in to your idea is to take the time to establish a culture of emotional intelligence.”

Why? Because EQ competencies increase leadership ability, team commitment, and a positive attitude toward problem-solving.

Mastering EQ competencies and using them becomes a value of the organization, “the way we do work around here.” This is deep infrastructure change.

Employees in such an EQ culture assume cooperation, self-regulation, and feedback, and have resources and processes for managing emotions. They know how to negotiate disagreements and engage in proactive problem-solving. They respect one another.

They share a common language so when arguments arise, they can refer to “constructive discontent,” and when setbacks occur, they talk about “resilience.” A shared commitment to optimism greases the wheel, making it more likely that their individual and group potential will be achieved.

Establishing an emotional intelligence culture can be accomplished by The EQ Foundation course©, an interactive Internet course; ezines such as “EQ in the Workplace,” EQ assessments, individual coaching, and group process work. Work with an EQ coach to establish an EQ culture in your organization. Then an “idea” can be judged on its merits, not unresolved emotional issues among participants.