Why Emotional Intelligence (EI) Matters
Posted on Tuesday, May 14, 2019
Categories:
Human Resources
Happy. Angry. Joy. Trust. Fear. Surprise. Jealous. Anxiety. Love. Sad. As human beings, we were created with emotions. Being able to recognize and positively demonstrate control of your emotions in five core areas is what is deemed “emotional intelligence” and can give you a competitive advantage at work, home, or any instance where your emotions are involved.
Understanding what fuels other people’s “buttons”, and developing honest and genuine relationships, is a crucial part of Emotional Intelligence (EI). Being able to effectively adapt your communication style based on EI cues will enable you to collaborate with others more effectively and improve your output results whether they are at work or home and improve those relationships.
Self-awareness is the ability to
recognize moods, emotions in yourself and others. What this looks like: You are not afraid of change. You’re not easily offended - emotionally intelligent people are self-confident and know that emotions come from within and no one can make you feel anything that you don’t want to.
Self-regulation is the ability to control your impulses or moods. What this looks like: You don’t hold grudges. You don’t get stressed easily. You’re not afraid to show when you’re upset - emotional intelligence is not about being extra nice; it’s about managing your emotions to achieve the best possible outcome.
Highly Motivated there is an underlying passion that drives you to perform. What this looks like: You are a self-starter and have the ability to assert yourself. You look for ways to solve problems and don’t complain. You have a vision for what is possible. You look at the big picture and consider the team, the department, and the company when faced with challenging tasks.
Empathy is the ability to understand someone else’s emotions. What this looks like: You listen without making judgments. You prepare your words in advance of communicating a difficult message. You help someone with a heavy workload or tight deadline when you notice they are having a difficult day. You do “something” nice to brighten someone’s day (sending a text, IM, or taking a coffee break) to encourage a coworker during a challenging time.
Social Skill is the ability to find common ground and build rapport. What this looks like: You pick up the phone instead of sending an email or arrange a face-to-face meeting instead of a phone call. You can figure out which method is most appropriate for your message to be well-received by the audience and make necessary adjustments. You’re able to accomplish this effectively because you invest time into learning more about others such as hobbies, their strengths, learning styles, family, career goals, etc.
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