Direction: Read the passage given below and answer the following questions.
In today's work environment, one of the key characteristics that companies look for in their employees is emotional intelligence. Research shows that emotional intelligence counts for twice as much as intelligence and technical skills combined, in determining who will be a key asset to the company. The concept of "emotional intelligence” in the workplace is the ability to understand and manage one's own emotions and understand the emotions of others so that they can ______ on shared goals. Employees who are able to handle their emotions effectively while also understanding the emotional needs of their colleagues can be greatly valuable to any company. According to a recent study, 41% of employees say they feel burned out from work, while 45% say they are emotionally drained. More importantly, around 35% of employees reported experiencing symptoms of depression often at work. Emotional intelligence is one of the qualities that helps maintain a company culture together in such an environment. It helps employees listen to one another, recognize and address problems without being rattled, and approach every situation with genuine concern for the feelings of others. Managers have a significant influence on the workplace and so, they must be the first to understand how their own emotions can affect their colleagues. Emotional intelligence in leaders demonstrates the ability to take responsibility and personal accountability and to step into stressful situations. Companies use a variety of methods to evaluate the emotional intelligence of their employees. Pre-employment assessments allow hiring managers to get the picture of a potential employee’s character and interpersonal skills as well as their cognitive and communication skills. A more thorough evaluation can be made by asking candidates about their previous work experience, especially regarding the way they handle various situations at work. Additionally, reference checks with previous employers or colleagues may be used to gauge the interpersonal interactions of a person. With the increasing automation of jobs, the only roles that cannot be fulfilled by machines will be those jobs that require situational awareness and visualizing the future, which requires an understanding of values and emotions and to empathize with others. In short, technical skills will need to be complemented by strong social and collaboration skills in the workplace.
What word can be used in place of the blank space given in the passage?
- AOption (a)
Corroborate
- BOption (b)
Considerate
- COption (c)
Collaborate
- DOption (d)
Confiscate
- EOption (e)
Complicate
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Correct answer
Collaborate
Why this answer is correct
The correct answer is Collaborate.
Key Points
Collaborate should replace the blank space in the passage.
Let us look at the sentence in which the blank space appears:
- The concept of "emotional intelligence” in the workplace is the ability to understand and manage one's own emotions and understand the emotions of others so that they can ______ on shared goals.
We understand from this sentence that the ability to handle emotions better in the workplace allows employees to work together on shared goals.
Then the word we require must mean the same as 'to work together.'
From the given options, only 'collaborate' has a similar meaning to this. So, 'collaborate' is the right answer.
Thus, the sentence becomes: The concept of "emotional intelligence” in the workplace is the ability to understand and manage one's own emotions and understand the emotions of others so that they can collaborate on shared goals.
Additional Information
Let us take a look at the other options given:
- Corroborate means to confirm or support a statement.
The documents corroborated his claims to the property.
- Considerate means being careful not to bother or harm anyone.
She was very considerate of her neighbors.
- Confiscate means to seize something, especially when it is performed by someone with authority.
The security confiscated my camera at the museum.
- Complicate means to make something more difficult or complex.
The new laws complicated the tax payment process.