Addressing professional paradoxes: the importance of emotional intelligence
In the modern workplace, professionals often face complex paradoxes, i.e., they feel pulled in opposite directions with each equally important to their success. Research by Camille Pradies, Associate Professor at the EDHEC Business School, helps us understand how emotional intelligence - which can be described as understanding and managing your own emotions - can be used as a tool to navigate these challenges.
The emotional toll of professional paradoxes
In the professional world (1), paradoxes can be defined as opposite elements that are interrelated and persist over time. They can take the form of long-term and short-term goals, global and local demands, operational and strategic thinking, or profit and sustainability concerns (2).
As professionals face paradoxes, they are likely to experience emotional ambivalence, the experience of different and opposing emotions at the same time. This is particularly the case when one’s personal values are on the line.
These challenges are seemingly some of the most insurmountable. For instance, a veterinarian might experience compassion for a sick animal while simultaneously feeling frustrated by the financial constraints of their clinic (3). Similarly, healthcare workers often empathize with patients but must maintain emotional distance to avoid burnout. In some instances, HR professionals may feel the urge to follow the calling that brought them to the profession and to protect employees and feel frustrated by the fact that they represent the company’s interest.
Emotional ambivalence is a natural state, yet more often than not employees might avoid sharing these complex emotions at work, fearing they’ll seem vulnerable, as traits like confidence and assertiveness tend to be more valued in competitive environments.
Emotional intelligence: the key to a right balance?
But research shows that emotions are not obstacles. Instead, they can be signals that, when managed effectively, enable professionals to navigate complex situations and make difficult decisions (4). This is where emotional intelligence comes in.
Emotional intelligence refers to the ability to understand, regulate, and utilize emotions in a way that enhances decision-making, relationship-building, and problem-solving. When applied strategically, emotional intelligence can help individuals navigate the paradoxes they face in professional life (5).
I have developed a theoretical model (3) showing how emotions shape paradox navigation. These findings suggest, notably, that balancing emotional protection with openness allows professionals to create a dynamic space for managing paradoxes. This balance helps them remain engaged with their core values while avoiding emotional exhaustion.
This article shows that emotional traces (which she describes as the lingering emotional residues from past experiences that influence future actions) left by navigating tensions can actually foster learning and adaptability.
“Flexible emotional barrier”: how to navigate paradoxes in professional life
Emotional intelligence skills can be learned and developed. We can learn to manage emotions, even difficult ones like anger and frustration, and use them as signals for decision-making. Professionals can use this set of skills to handle paradoxes in the workplace and experience greater job satisfaction, as well as enhanced performance.
More specifically, I encourage professionals to develop a “flexible emotional barrier” in other words, they should hone their ability to engage emotionally when necessary while protecting themselves from overwhelming feelings.
To better navigate tensions at work, professionals can work towards:
- Flexible Emotional Engagement: Adapt your emotional involvement to fit the specific demands of each situation, balancing openness with protection to maintain effectiveness without burnout.
- Awareness of Emotional Traces: Recognize the lingering effects of past emotional experiences—both energizing and exhausting—that shape your current responses and decisions.
- Workable Emotional Boundaries: In the long term, build practical emotional boundaries that protect against fatigue while enabling learning and growth from challenging experiences.
By developing emotional intelligence, individuals can better navigate the paradoxes that arise in their work. In many cases, it allows professionals to find a balance that helps them stay connected to their core values, while making thoughtful, informed decisions that benefit the organization as a whole.
References
(1) Pradies, C., & Pamphile, V. D. (2024). Exploring organizational paradox: A journey with Gail Fairhurst and Linda Putnam. Management Learning, 0(0) - https://doi.org/10.1177/13505076241300243
(2) Seeing paradoxes everywhere … and learning to manage them. Camille Pradies, EDHEC Vox, June 2022 - https://www.edhec.edu/en/research-and-faculty/edhec-vox/seeing-paradoxes-everywhere-and-learning-to-manage-them
(3) With Head and Heart: How Emotions Shape Paradox Navigation in Veterinary Work (2023). Academy of Management Journal, Vol. 66, No. 2. Camille Pradies - https://doi.org/10.5465/amj.2019.0633
(4) Employing a Cultural Toolkit to Work Through Paradox (2024). Sarah Bloomfield, Camille Pradies and Andrea Tunarosa. Academy of Management Annual Proceedings - https://doi.org/10.5465/AMPROC.2024.16384abstract
(5) See Consortium for Research on Emotional Intelligence in Organizations - https://www.eiconsortium.org/
Photo by Олег Мороз via Unsplash
