Emotional Intelligence

The capability to tune into the emotions of others, to understand those emotions, and to use our understanding of both our own and the other person’s emotions to enhance our personal effectiveness. In procurement, ‘emotional literacy’ may be more relevant, being the practice of interacting with others in ways that build understanding of our own and other’s emotions and using this understanding to build better relationships. The classic ‘Rottweiler’ stereotype of a certain type of procurement practitioner describes someone who does not understand their own feelings, does not realise how their behaviour makes others feel, and cannot manage their own or the other party’s feelings. See also Negotiation.