Media practitioners urged to embrace emotional intelligence, AI for professional growth

Media practitioners have been urged to strengthen their emotional intelligence, build trustworthy professional relationships and embrace artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance their effectiveness and credibility in the evolving media landscape.

A Consultant expert, Percy Amoh Yankey made the call during a media engagement organised by the Ghana National Gas Company Limited (Ghana Gas) for selected media personalities from the Western and Greater Accra Regions.

The engagement, held on Saturday, October 17, 2026, at Alisa Hotel in Accra, was organised through the company’s Corporate Affairs and Community Relations Office to provide journalists with insights into its operations, particularly in health, safety and environmental sustainability.

As part of the programme, Mr. Yankey took participants through key areas of personal and professional development, including emotional intelligence, self-awareness, trust-building, artificial intelligence and the importance of continuous learning.

Mr. Yankey stressed that emotional intelligence was essential for media practitioners because their work involves constant interaction with people of different backgrounds, personalities, opinions and perspectives.

He explained that human behaviour and decision-making were often influenced by emotions, making it important for journalists to understand their emotional triggers and manage their responses appropriately.

According to him, self-awareness must go beyond recognising personal strengths and weaknesses to include the ability to regulate emotions and improve one’s behaviour.

He cautioned journalists against allowing provocation, anger or frustration to undermine their professionalism, particularly during interviews, panel discussions and other engagements involving conflicting opinions.

He noted that the ability to remain calm and exercise restraint in difficult situations was a mark of emotional maturity.

Mr. Yankey also highlighted the difference between reacting and responding, explaining that reactions were often immediate and emotion-driven, while responses involved deliberate thought and sound judgment.

He encouraged media practitioners to pause, assess situations and choose appropriate responses rather than allowing pressure or confrontation to dictate their conduct.

The consultant further emphasised the importance of social awareness, describing it as the ability to understand other people, appreciate their perspectives and build healthy relationships.

He urged journalists to avoid hasty judgments and instead approach interactions with patience, understanding and respect, while maintaining their professional standards.

Mr. Yankey also underscored the importance of social capital, explaining that professional relationships built on familiarity, mutual respect and trust could create opportunities for career advancement.

He warned that trust and credibility were difficult to rebuild once damaged, urging journalists to protect their reputations and resist the temptation to compromise their values for short-term benefits.

He said a professional’s reputation remained one of their most valuable assets, influencing how colleagues, sources, institutions and the public perceived and engaged with them.

For journalists, he noted, credibility was particularly important because public confidence depended on the accuracy, fairness and integrity of their work.

Addressing the growing influence of artificial intelligence in the media industry, Mr. Yankey encouraged journalists to learn how to use AI tools to improve productivity and streamline their work.

He explained that AI could assist with tasks such as interview transcription, translation, research, content adaptation, generating interview questions and organising information for news production.

He cited the transcription of lengthy interviews as an example of how AI could reduce the time spent on repetitive tasks and allow journalists to focus on more demanding aspects of reporting.

However, he emphasised that the effectiveness of AI tools depended partly on the quality of instructions and context provided by users.

He urged journalists to develop the skills needed to communicate their expectations clearly when using AI applications to obtain relevant and useful results.

Mr. Yankey cautioned, however, that artificial intelligence should remain a support tool rather than a replacement for professional judgment.

He stressed that journalists remained responsible for verifying facts, checking sources, ensuring fairness and accuracy, respecting consent and protecting confidential information before publishing AI-assisted content.

He noted that technological advancement should complement, rather than undermine, the fundamental principles of responsible journalism.

Mr. Yankey also urged media practitioners to invest in continuous learning and the development of intellectual capital to remain competitive in an increasingly demanding professional environment.

He explained that expertise was developed through consistent study, practical experience, research and the deliberate improvement of one’s skills.

He encouraged journalists to read widely, learn from experienced professionals, stay informed about developments in their areas of specialisation and strengthen their critical-thinking abilities.

According to him, although technology could make information more accessible, it could not replace the personal effort required to develop sound knowledge, professional judgment and expertise.

He further stressed that career advancement depended not only on technical competence but also on personal values, integrity, relationships and the ability to adapt to changing circumstances.

He urged journalists to remain consistent in their principles and avoid decisions that could undermine their credibility in pursuit of money, recognition or professional advancement.

The media engagement forms part of Ghana Gas’s stakeholder relations efforts to deepen journalists’ understanding of the company’s activities and responsibilities.

Through the programme, the company sought to provide media practitioners with information on its operations, health and safety measures, environmental sustainability initiatives and community-focused interventions.

The engagement also offered participants an opportunity to reflect on the personal and professional competencies required to navigate changes in the media industry, particularly the growing use of artificial intelligence in news gathering and production.

The discussions highlighted the need for journalists to combine technical skills with emotional intelligence, sound judgment, ethical responsibility and continuous professional development.

Ultimately, Mr. Yankey encouraged media practitioners to invest in their knowledge, character and relationships while embracing technological innovation to improve their work and maintain public trust.

By Ebenezer Atiemo