Emotional Intelligence
The Buzz Magazine Stories
The Buzz
The Importance of Developing Your Emotional Intelligence (EI)
No matter how high someone's IQ might be, if they don't possess the emotional faculties necessary for managing stress, team-work, and adapting to change, they will not be able to reach their full potential.
Emotional Intelligence (EI) is one of the top 10 job skills in 2020. Even grad schools have started requiring prospective students to provide an EI letter of recommendation in their admissions applications.
In order to improve our EI, we must first understand what it exactly means.
EI is our ability to identify and manage our own emotions, resonate with the emotions of others, navigate social complexities, and apply emotions to achieve desirable results.
More recently, EI has become the latest buzzword in business & leadership.
The 5 Cornerstones of EI
1. Self-awareness
2. Self-regulation
3. Motivation
4. Empathy
5. Networking skills
1. Self-awareness This translates to the ability to understand your own strengths and weaknesses, respond positively to criticism, and effectively judge how your actions affect the wellbeing of others.
2. Self-regulation People who regulate themselves effectively are able to compose themselves in times of apparent stress, respond to situations with control rather than unchecked bursts of emotion, and take responsibility for their actions. They tend to exhibit better-developed coping mechanisms and healthier support systems.
3. Motivation Self-motivated leaders set ambitious goals, work consistently toward these goals, and remain optimistic in the face of obstacles. They remain self-sufficient and perform regardless.
4. Empathy Being able to connect with others and develop strong relationships is key to managing a successful team or organization. Empathetic leaders use their sensitivity to understand, build trust and cohesiveness among team members.
5. Networking Skills Leaders with excellent networking skills are good at communicating their ideas, resolving conflicts, giving credit to those who have deserve it, and motivating others to better carry out tasks.
