Emotional Intelligence Awareness Month
Emotional Intelligence Awareness Month raises awareness on the importance of emotional intelligence and how it can impact our lives.
EMOTIONS are the basis of our social lives, and in observation of Emotional Intelligence (EI) Awareness Month, we take a look at the important aspects of EI.
Emotional Intelligence is the ability to use, understand and manage our emotions in a positive way to relieve stress and communicate and interact with other people around us. It also involves being aware of how our emotions influence our behaviours, which in turn affects people positively or negatively.
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Emotional intelligence is measured by different assessments. Such assessments are used in organisations to identify potential leaders. There are two common assessments:
- A self-report test which relies on the respondent’s answers or statements to rate their own behaviours.
- An ability test where respondents perform tests to assess their abilities to perceive, identify, understand and manage situations.
Why is emotional intelligence important?
On the importance of emotional intelligence, author Hanne Keiling says emotions can lead you to act without thinking.
“Having emotional intelligence can help you avoid those situations when you may act on impulse rather than fact. Understanding and managing your own emotions and understanding the emotions of others can help you be more successful in your personal and professional life.”
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Keiling carries on to list the ways EI can help you in your life. It assists with:
- having difficult conversations without hurting others’ feelings
- managing your emotions when feeling stressed or overwhelmed
- improving your relationships with others
- resolving conflict
- coaching and motivating others
- creating a collaborative environment
Characteristics of emotional intelligence
Psychologist and author Daniel Goleman defines the five key elements of EI as:
Self-awareness
If you’re self-aware, you understand your emotions and their triggers. You also know how your emotions and actions affect those around you.
Self-regulation
Self-regulation is the ability to control and adjust your emotions to create a more positive effect. Being in control of your feelings is essential in any situation because your emotions have a strong effect on other people.
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Motivation
Motivation is the desire to do something. It relates to emotional intelligence because your desires can promote different feelings toward something.
Empathy
Empathy allows you to identify and understand the feelings of others, which may help you to handle workplace situations more effectively. For instance, when a coworker is visibly stressed, you can react with empathy.
Social skills
Social skills are tools you use to communicate and interact with others. Having strong social skills allows you to listen, speak and resolve conflicts more effectively. Social skills can be used in the workplace to develop your career and are essential tools for leaders.
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