Worklife with Adam Grant
Merve Emre on emotional intelligence as corporate control (Re-release)
Dec 31, 2024
Merve Emre, an Associate Professor at Oxford and a cultural critic for The New Yorker, challenges the traditional views of emotional intelligence. She argues that it can be weaponized for corporate control rather than genuine growth. The conversation explores its roots in emotions, how it intersects with social class, and its impact on workplace culture. Emre calls for reevaluation of psychological strategies in organizations, advocating for sustainable employee support over superficial fixes, while revealing the complexities of emotional labor in professional settings.
53:44
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Quick takeaways
- Emotional intelligence, while often regarded as a personal asset, can be manipulated by corporations to reinforce power dynamics and suppress systemic issues.
- Recognizing emotional labor as a significant aspect of workplace dynamics is crucial, as it highlights the need for addressing employee well-being rather than just focusing on individual emotional management.
Deep dives
The Concept of Emotional Intelligence
Emotional intelligence is often perceived as a skill set that enables individuals to manage and understand their emotions and those of others. The origins of the term raise questions about its validity; it has been suggested that the concept may serve corporate interests by framing emotions in a way that encourages employees to internalize their challenges instead of addressing systemic issues. The speaker opines that the individualization of emotional intelligence detracts from the understanding of emotions as social constructs influenced by broader cultural dynamics. This perspective shifts the dialogue from merely training individuals to regulate their emotions to recognizing the structural contexts that shape emotional responses.
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