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You have probably encountered someone with low emotional intelligence during your lifetime. They are quick to anger, unable to control their emotions, and are easily offended. Unlike those with high emotional intelligence, those who do not have emotional intelligence have a difficult time understanding why they feel a certain way, why their emotions often get the best of them, and have a difficult time achieving personal growth, before that emotional intelligence can be addressed. Like all forms of intelligence, emotional intelligence can be improved overtime, to create a more functional, mature person.
What is emotional intelligence?
In short, emotional intelligence is the ability to give names to your emotions, identify their source, manage and control emotions, and to understand the emotions and emotional needs of others. This kind of intelligence is usually built through functional relationships with others during youth, but may be stunted for a number of reasons.
Why is emotional intelligence important?
People with high emotional intelligence are able to recognize emotions in others and approach those individuals on a playing field that they understand. They can manage their emotions so that they can engage with others effectively and build healthy relationships, be more successful in work situations, and be happier overall. High emotional intelligence allows a person to decide what to feel and when, as well as the ability to identify and control emotional triggers.
How to Improve Emotional Intelligence
Improving emotional intelligence will mean more stable relationships and more success in the workplace. Emotional intelligence is scaled using four factors. The first is self-awareness. How aware are you of your own emotions and thoughts? Do you know how your behaviors look and affects others?
The second is self-management. Can you control your impulses? Do you have control over your emotions or do you let them govern your actions? Third is social awareness. Can you identify emotions and needs in others? Do you feel comfortable in social settings? The last factor is relationships. Are you able to maintain relationships? Can you function in a team environment?
The process of improving emotional intelligence for personal or career growth can be protracted (though can be truncated with the help of a coach). The basic steps include:
1. Reducing stress across all sectors of your life.
2. Recognizing and analyzing emotions as they arise.
3. Learning to connect with others on an emotional level.
4. Learning to use the right emotion at the right time.
5. Learning to control emotions to reduce interpersonal disputes.
6. Understanding others and their motivations on an emotional level.
Having a higher emotional intelligence allows you to act gracefully under pressure, to deal with stress effectively, and to create more meaningful relationships in both your personal and professional life.
Written by:
Gerard O’Donovan
CEO and Founder- Noble Manhattan Coaching – www.noble-Manhattan.com
CEO and Founder -International Coaching News – www.international-coaching-news.net
CEO and Founder -Westminster Indemnity – www.Westminster-indemnity.com
CEO and Founder – The Alpha Group – www.the-alpha-group.biz
President – International Institute of Coaching and Mentoring – www.iicandm.org
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Connie
December 4, 2014 at 5:30 pmA great article and an important one for bringing out the best in any situation. To master emotional intelligence one has to work and understand oneself first to understand others as one’s reaction in any situation is a reflection of ones own understandings of oneself.
Robin Hills
December 7, 2014 at 9:37 amGood summery, Gerard.
There are FIVE factors of emotional intelligence as defined by Daniel Goleman. You have overlooked motivation!
Good levels of self awareness, self regulation, empathy and social skills will have little meaning unless one is motivated to use them.