Our ability to read, understand and empathize with other people’s emotional reactions comprise our emotional intelligence or EQ. Experts believe that our EQ is more important than our intelligence quotient (IQ) when it comes to succeeding at work and school. Many psychologists also believe that the composition of success includes only 10 to 25 percent IQ while the remaining 90 percent is made up of other factors including EQ.
What Is Emotional Intelligence (EQ)?
Emotional intelligence is defined as the ability to understand one’s own emotions and those portrayed by others, be it friends, family or colleagues.
The starting point for building one’s EQ is with self-awareness, and this begins with finding emotional strengths and weaknesses and the impact of moods on the ability to think and make sound decisions.
Emotional intelligence is innately present in everyone — all you need to do is nurture it to full maturity. This can be done by:
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Tuning in to yourself:
Before you can start understanding other people’s emotions, well, you need to understand yourself. It is therefore essential to build self-awareness, by evaluating your own emotions and responses. Good self-awareness reflects as confidence, emotional stability and an acceptance or understanding of your own capabilities.
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Managing emotions:
Once you learn to understand your own emotions, it becomes easier to manage them. They can be managed by practicing self-control, being open to ideas and being receptive to feedback that can be positive or negative.
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Staying motivated:
Staying motivated is a key factor when it comes to succeeding in life and it usually comprises a person’s drive to achieve, commitment toward a goal, willingness to move forward and positive outlook on life.
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Being empathetic:
The ability to understand other people’s feelings is essential for an individual’s success and the better the understanding, the higher the chances of sending out the right emotional signals.
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Developing social skills:
People skills are important in the workplace and personal life, and having enhanced EQ is directly linked to better social skills. The higher the understanding and ability to manage your own emotions, the better you will be at handling other people. With good EQ, you may succeed in communicating well, collaborating with colleagues, managing conflicts and even leading others.
Are You Emotionally Intelligent?
Now that you know the concept of EQ, here are some factors that can tell you if you are emotionally intelligent. Your EQ may be quite well developed if:
- You have good control over how you respond to specific emotions from within or from others.
- You are not impulsive and know the importance of thinking before reacting or speaking.
- You appreciate negative criticism and turn it around to benefit you.
- You are empathetic to other people’s feelings and this helps you understand a situation from their point of view.
- You focus on other people’s positive traits and make it a point to appreciate good deeds.
- You are humble and are able to apologize. This usually builds trust and can help strengthen a relationship.
- You don’t carry a grudge and this helps you heal from an emotional wound and move on in life.
If you have only focused on your IQ until today, it is time to give your EQ some attention too. Once you develop your EQ, notice how your intelligence and emotional quotients work together to help you succeed in life.
References
Bariso, J. (2018, February 28). 13 Signs of High Emotional Intelligence. Retrieved from https://www.inc.com/justin-bariso/13-things-emotionally-intelligent-people-do.html
What is Emotional Intelligence (EQ)? (2018, April 04). Retrieved from https://psychcentral.com/lib/what-is-emotional-intelligence-eq/
