Emotional Intelligence

Put simply, Emotion Intelligence (EI) is the ability to recognise and manage your own emotions and the emotions of others. If you are skilled at EI you will understand that emotions can drive your behavior and impact people, both positively and negatively. Psychology Today distilled EI into three key skills areas

Emotional Awareness

• The ability to harness emotions and apply them to tasks like thinking and problem solving

• The ability to manage emotions, which includes regulating your own emotions and cheering up or calming down other people

People with strong levels of EI are able to understand and express their own emotions. They know how they are feeling before others do and are more tolerant and accepting of their own emotional extremes.

Harness Emotions

Once you have recognised and accepted your own emotions you can direct your energy to maximising your own performance. Being in touch with your own emotional landscape allows you to manage your energy to focus on constructive activities that deliver your optimal performance. It also helps you understand that certain emotions, as real as they feel, need to be ignored or worked around if you are going to perform at your very best.

Manage Emotions

One you have mastered your own emotions, you will be able to help others manage their own emotional state. Recognising that others are resistant, stressed or frightened allows you to develop more empathetic strategies to achieve your goal. You don't have to agree with their experience, just understand the impact that their emotional experience is having on your relationship and the organisation. This understanding will help you develop new and innovative ways to resolve issues and achieve your personal and corporate goals.

Daniel Goleman is the acknowledged expert in this area, this six-minute video which is a great bite-sized introduction to the subject and also to his seminal book Emotional Intelligence: Why it Can Matter More Than IQ.

Would you like us to run a workshop or team event to explore these ideas? Get in touch.