Emotional intelligence is known as the capacity to comprehend, control, and affect your emotions and those of people around you. Researchers John Mayer and Peter Salovey initially used the phrase in 1990, but psychologist Daniel Goleman subsequently made it more well-known.
More than ten years ago, Goleman underlined the value of emotional intelligence in leadership in a statement to the Harvard Business Review. The most effective leaders, according to him, “have a high level of what is now recognized as emotional intelligence. This is a vital characteristic. Technical prowess and intelligence are essential. They are crucial, but they are also requirements for executive positions.
THE EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE’S FOUR PARTS
Four main competencies are commonly used to describe emotional intelligence:
- Self-awareness
- Self-management
- Social awareness
- Relationship management
Understanding what each component comprises is crucial to raising your emotional quotient. The four categories are described in further detail below:
1. Awareness of Oneself
Self-awareness is the foundation of all things. It defines your capacity to comprehend your strengths and limitations and your ability to identify your emotions and the impact they have on your performance and that of your team.
Ninety-five percent of individuals believe they are self-aware. Still, only 10 to 15 percent are, according to a study by organizational psychologist Tasha Eurich, which might cause issues for your staff. Working with coworkers who lack self-awareness can significantly reduce a team’s success and, in Eurich’s research, raise stress and deplete motivation.
2. Self-Management
Self-management is the ability to control your emotions, particularly during difficult times, and to keep a good attitude in the face of obstacles. Self-control-challenged leaders respond more frequently and find it harder to control their impulses.
3. Social Sensitivity
Understanding and controlling your emotions are crucial, but you also need to be able to read a room. Your capacity to discern the dynamics of your workplace and the feelings of others is known as social awareness.
Empathy is a skill that socially adept leaders use. They try to comprehend their coworkers’ thoughts and viewpoints so they may interact and work together more successfully.
4. Relationship Management
Relationship management is your ability to influence, coach, and mentor others and resolve conflict effectively.
While some people would rather avoid conflict, it’s crucial to deal with problems as they come up. According to research, every unresolved argument may cost the organization eight hours of gossip and other useless activities, depleting resources and depressing morale.
Leaders determine the atmosphere of their group. If they lack emotional intelligence, it could have more severe repercussions, such as reduced employee engagement and a greater turnover rate.
Even if you are technically excellent at your profession, your technical prowess will be forgotten if you cannot interact with others or effectively communicate with your team. By developing emotional intelligence, you may further your professional and organizational goals.
An individual who inspired us to write this article is quite famous in the business world for how she understands others’ behaviors and uses different communication styles to approach them to help them eventually. In the process, she became one of the best emotionally intelligent business persons.
The individual we are bragging about is Linda K Clemons. She is an individual who has high emotional intelligence, is charismatic, and loves to support, empower and equip others to live their best lives.
Linda believes that the best way to make the best impression is by using the correct body language and knowing the impact of verbal and nonverbal communication skills. Following all the pointers mentioned above would improve their interpersonal skills for personal and business development.