Emotional Intelligence
-DA,
Emotional intelligence is the ability to understand and manage your own emotions and feelings, and those of the people around you. Intelligence quotient (IQ), on the other hand is a measure of one's reasoning ability, how well someone can use information and logic to answer questions or make predictions.
Mac McElhaney in his TEDx Talk - nailed the difference of the two, I quote: “It's not always about who has the most smarts, sometimes it's about what you do with those smarts.”
There are five key elements to Emotional intelligence according to Daniel Goleman - a psychologist who helped popularise EI.
- Self-awareness is knowing how you feel and how your emotions and your actions can affect the people around you. Being self-aware means recognising your strengths and limitations.
- Self-regulation is all about staying in control, waiting for the right time and place to express your emotions, being accountable for your actions.
- Empathy is the ability to put oneself in someone else's shoes, taking the time to understand someone else's situation.
- Social skills entail the ability to interact well with others.
- Motivation is about going beyond external rewards like money or recognition. Motivation is passion, fulfilling your inner needs, seeking for internal rewards, always looking for ways to do better.
Possessing strong emotional intelligence skills helps cultivate a positive mindset that allows you to thrive in whatever aspect in life and use your strengths to their full potential. Because these people have a profound understanding of their emotions and how they impact others, they can communicate better and handle awkward situations with grace, allowing people to build meaningful well-rounded relationships. The ask the right questions and inspire others to ask questions.