What’s this thing called emotional intelligence & why do I need it?

Emotional intelligence (EI) is the ability to understand your emotions so that you can identify emotions in those around you. Understanding your emotions and the emotions of individuals around you can result in successful outcomes. Researchers have also found that EI can assist with building strong relationships that may improve decision-making and overall well-being. For example, recognizing that you’re at high-stress levels, will help you introduce methods to moderate negative behaviors. Negative behaviors associated with high-stress levels include lack of clarity, argumentative, & lack of empathy when working with others. There’s no doubt that Increased EI is crucial today where diversity is a prime contributor to internal & external conflicts. Everyone has a unique perception of the world and this perception influence personal emotions and behaviors that help form solutions to common problems.

One of the founding researchers of EI is Daniel Goleman. In his 1995 Book “Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ” Daniel determined that human beings have two minds (The rational & emotional) that work together to frame perceptions and behaviors. If the rational & emotional minds work together, they can help create successful outcomes. Daniel defined this collaborative mindful behavior as emotional Literacy and deemed EI as a core component in the success of many great leaders. Daniel Goleman determined that there were five factors contained in individuals with high EI. The five factors are:

Self-Awareness: Self-awareness is the ability to understand your emotions as they occur. Paying close attention to your physical and mental state during high stressed times can help you understand and master your responsive behaviors. Being mindful is a critical EI component.

Self-Regulation: Self-regulation is the process you use to modify your reaction to your emotions. For example, you feel your heart pounding after your child has forgotten to take out the garbage. Instead of screaming at the top of your lungs, you began to take five deep cleansing breathes before you remind your child of his chores. In the process you became aware of your anxiety, you adjusted your reaction by incorporating a breathing exercise.

Motivation: Is your attitude toward attaining a positive result. Motivation enables you to provide practical solutions amid increased emotional states. A positive mindset is critical in EI in that your ability to want a successful outcome influences behavior to meet the desired result. The fact that you’re motivated to learn more about EI will stimulate activities that will help you understand and increase your EI quotient.

Empathy: Empathy is the ability to understand how others feel to provide solutions from a perspective outside of oneself. Empathy is used within communications with others. Communication skills such as active listening, understanding body language, & mindful responsiveness help fulfill the needs of those around you. Being Intuitive to someone's challenges and concerns provides the foundation for developing a platform for exceptional teamwork and problem-solving.

Social Skills: Are people skills. It’s the ability to gain influence and build personal & professional relationships. Increase in social skills is verbal and nonverbal activities that assure a person or group that you’re engaged and understand the current challenge. Social skills are used to inspire others. Whether one-on-one or within a group setting, social skills create a bridge to encourage a synergistic culture to help arrive at a common goal.

Let’s recap the five factors of EI. The first is understanding your emotions as they happen. Second is to modify your reaction to them. The third is to incorporate empathy to understand the people around you. Fourth, have a positive outlook on your success. Finally, use your social skills to bring people together.

Why is EI important?

EI is Important because it provides individuals with the components to navigate personal and professional changes that occur on a day to day basis. Researchers suggest that EI empowers individuals to use methods to control adverse behaviors that may hinder progress. In comparison to EI, Intelligence Quotient is a scientific measurement to understand an individual’s ability to retain and apply knowledge. According to Science Daily, an intelligence quotient or IQ is a score derived from a set of standardized tests developed to measure a person's cognitive abilities ("intelligence") in relation to their age group.

Although IQ is an excellent method to assess intelligence it does not consider emotional behaviors & perceptions that may deter cognition. In that emotions can influence decision-making without notice if the individual has a low EI. Therefore, an individual with a plethora of knowledge may have difficulty navigating a social setting within a corporation. Whereas the individual with a lower IQ and High EI will climb the corporate ladder and arrive at a leading position quicker than the employee with a high IQ and Low EI.

How can someone with a low IQ surpass an employee with a high IQ?

According to Goleman’s five-factor model, the employee with an increased EI has mastered their emotions as well as became mindful of the behaviors or those around them. A high EI employee is motivated and prepared to meet daily challenges that lower EI employees avoid. The High EI employee is responsive to everyone’s concerns. Lastly, the high EI employee can comprehend and communicate the needs of others while developing solutions that will meet a collaborative goal. In other words, having emotional intelligence is a game changer.

EI is rapidly moving into mainstream research as one of the components of effective leadership. EI has contributed to psychosocial research in that emotions are not plagued as a deterrent to clarity. Emotions when managed can assist with successful personal and professional outcomes. EI is topping the charts as a skill effective leaders use to increase productivity. Just like most skills, EI must be mastered through learning and practice.

Questions & Feedback

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