Why you should improve your Emotional Intelligence – Nneka Nwobi

What really matters for success, character, happiness and life long achievements is a definite set of emotional skills – your EQ — not just purely cognitive abilities that are measured by conventional IQ tests.”  — Daniel Goleman

According to Pschology today , Emotional Intelligence (EI) is the ability to identify and manage one’s own emotions, as well as the emotions of others.

• Emotional intelligence (EI) is, in layman’s terms, your level of ability to:
• Recognize and understand your emotions and reactions (self-awareness)
• Manage, control, and adapt your emotions, mood, reactions, and responses (self-management)
• Harness your emotions to motivate yourself to take appropriate action, commit, follow-through, and work toward the achievement of your goals (motivation)
• Discern the feelings of others, understand their emotions, and utilize that understanding to relate to others more effectively (empathy)
• Build relationships, relate to others in social situations, lead, negotiate conflict, and work as part of a team (social skills)

A World Economic Forum report recently ranked Emotional Intelligence as the 6th most important skill needed in 2020 in order to manage the coming 4th industrial revolution. It was ranked even before Judgement and Decision Making and Negotiation Skills.  EI wasn’t even on the list for 2015.

Emotional Intelligence is vital to building a balanced life.  Some of the benefits of improving your emotional intelligence include:

• Physical Health – The ability to take care of your body and especially to manage your stress, which has an incredible impact on your overall wellness, is heavily tied to your emotional intelligence. Only by being aware of your emotional state and your reactions to stress in our lives can you hope to manage  and maintain good health.
• Mental Well-Being – Emotional intelligence affects your attitude and outlook on life. It can also help to alleviate anxiety and avoid depression and mood swings. A high level of emotional intelligence directly correlates to a positive and happier outlook on life.
• Relationships – By better understanding and managing your emotions, you are better able to communicate your feelings in a more constructive way. You are also better able to understand and relate to those with whom you are in relationships. Understanding the needs, feelings, and responses of those you care about leads to stronger and more fulfilling relationships.
• Conflict Resolution – When you can discern people’s emotions and empathize with their perspective, it’s much easier to resolve conflicts or possibly avoid them before they start. You are also better at negotiation due to the very nature of our ability to understand the needs and desires of others. It’s easier to give people what they want if we can perceive what it is.

Next week, I will explore ways you can improve your emotional intelligence.

Question: How would you rate your emotional intelligence?

Have a good weekend!

Nneka