Often, you might have heard about intelligence quotient or IQ but what about emotional intelligence? It measures the intellectual intelligence of an individual. People with higher IQ are considered intelligent and potentially successful. However, a new concept of emotional intelligence has gained significance lately. Before digging into emotional intelligence meaning or exploring what emotional intelligence is, you should know that it is a relatively modern concept. All this might lead to a question in your mind that why emotional intelligence is important?
What emotional intelligence is?
Emotional intelligence was initially tagged as a subject related to psychology, clinical areas, or other such things. However, without the suffix ‘ology’, it cannot be categorized as anything clinical or specialist.
So, what emotional intelligence is? How will you explain the meaning of emotional intelligence when asked?
In simple words, it is a set of social skills and emotions. These collectively form the basis for an individual’s mind to understand and express them. It is a crucial skill for developing social relationships and handles several challenges on the emotional front in an effective way. Moreover, it is a strong predictor of the success of an individual in life as well as work.
Why is emotional intelligence important?
Earlier, people used to think that they have to leave their emotions out of the doors before entering their workplace. However, with time, people have understood the importance of emotions in the workplace. This also paved for people to realize the importance of emotional intelligence in the workplace. Now, people do not have to pretend to be emotionless. All thanks to the concept of emotional intelligence.
With the changing workplace, emotional intelligence has gained a prominent position. Moreover, people have recognized the benefits of emotional intelligence for leaders as well. People largely work in a team rather than individually. Therefore, recognizing and understanding emotions is a crucial skill and element to promote a healthier workspace. Emotional intelligence is essential for effective team management.
Apart from this, people having a higher emotional intelligence quotient are likely to adapt to changes with ease. Well, the dynamic digital age is ever-changing. Coming to leaders, emotional intelligence enables them to stay strong while having a happier team and better performance. These people are known to outperform others with their emotional wits and skills.
Emotional intelligence helps to cope with work pressure and to maintain a better work-life balance.
Types of emotional intelligence
Emotional intelligence or EQ is a person’s ability to handle and express emotions. But do you know it can be of several types? Well, regardless of whether you know or not, let’s discuss the components of emotional intelligence.
- Understanding emotions and results: How well do you understand people’s feelings and emotions? How do others perceive you and your actions?
- Self-awareness: Do you have proper knowledge of your feelings, motives, and character?
- Use of emotions: What according to you is the best approach in any given situation? Are you capable of making strong emotional decisions?
- Self-control: Are you able to control your emotions in difficult circumstances or do you follow what your emotions tell you to?
- Influence: Can you calmly explain things to a furious person and make him understand the logic?
- Stability: Do you find yourself in a difficult place when adverse situations arise or hold your confidence?
- Motivation: Can you motivate others in a difficult situation to keep everyone’s spirits high?
- Social skill: Do you often read the emotion behind the words a person is speaking while you listen?
- Creativity: How well can you connect to the emotions of people through your work or results?
- Relationships – Can you establish strong and worthy relations in your personal as well as professional life?
- Leadership: As a leader, are you emotionally stable and open to change? Can you direct change towards the betterment of everyone?
- Storytelling: If required, would you be able to cheer your team with your humor?
How emotional intelligence is measured?
Emotional intelligence, measured as EQ is a person’s ability to manage and express emotions. Have you come across people having exceptional IQ but being Achilles heel when it comes to emotions? Therefore, find out the measures of emotional intelligence through which you could figure things out on your own.
Self-awareness
You should be aware of your emotions and understand as things happen. This helps in quick reaction and adjustment to a situation.
Self-control
The key to a great EQ, it helps you in acting according to the situation and not your emotions. Acting as per your emotions can often have unpleasant consequences as well.
Dynamic
Change is permanent and you should know how to react to it. Your perspective towards change is a crucial measure of EQ and makes you stand apart.
Empathy
Being empathetic can help in leveling up your self-awareness game. Through this, you become capable of building better relations and relate to things better.
Attentive
Distractions come and go all the way. However, your ability to focus on your work or goal determines your emotional strength and intelligence.
Mind-control
Having control over your thoughts and emotions stands up to be an important measure of emotional intelligence. Controlling your thoughts might take time but ensure that the words you speak are motivational and inspiring.
The bottom line
Understating emotional intelligence meaning before you develop it is crucial. Moreover, it is something we can develop and improve over time. How we are raised and what we have taught plays a major role in molding our emotional intelligence right from childhood. All this, eventually, helps us in becoming an emotionally smarter being.
To all those wondering whether is emotional intelligence a skill or not, it is a crucial element of one’s personality. It holds the power to make or break a person given the circumstances. However, smartly playing with your emotions and having the best understanding of them can always make you succeed in every aspect of life.
