SO, WHAT EXACTLY IS EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE?

Emotional Intelligence and its importance is being talked about more and more nowadays, but do you really know what it means? Peter Salovey and John Mayer, followed by Daniel Goleman were the creators of this concept and according to them it is “the ability to monitor one’s own and other people’s emotions, to discriminate between different emotions and label them appropriately, and to use emotional information to guide thinking and behaviour”. 

In other words, it means being aware of the emotions behind our behavior, as well as the impact they have on other people (both positively and negatively). Some experts suggest that it may be more important than IQ.

Here is a simplified summary of what it takes to consider yourself emotionally intelligent:

1. Self-awareness – this is the ability to be aware of our emotions and be able to evaluate them
2. Self-regulation or emotional self-control – the ability to control our emotions
3. Social or interpersonal skills – being able to interact with those around us, regardless of place and situation. Some important social skills include active listening, both verbal and non-verbal communication skills, leadership, and persuasiveness.
4. Empathy or being able to recognise others emotions- It´s the ability to understand others feelings
5. Self-motivation – It is being motivated by things beyond mere external rewards. People who are proficient in this area tend to be action oriented.

Now it´s time to reflect. Of the five aspects mentioned above, which of them do you consider to be your strengths? And what about your weakness? If this is so, are they affecting you in your relationship with yourself or with others? If the answer is yes, the good news is that you have taken the first step by becoming aware that something is blocking your growth. So, do you want to work on it?

One day or day one? You decide.