When it comes to achieving professional success and mutually beneficial personal relationships, emotional intelligence (EQ) is as important, if not more important, as your intellectual abilities (IQ). The holder of a high level of emotional intelligence usually easily establishes stronger relationships, succeeds in achieving of his career and personal goals.
So, what the emotional intelligence is?
Emotional intelligence (EQ) is the ability to recognize, understand and regulate your emotions, as well as affect the emotional state of other people.
Having a high level of emotional intelligence allows you to evaluate your own emotional state as well as the emotional states of other people for providing effective interaction with them. You can use this ability to better understand other people, form healthier relationships, achieve greater success in making a career and lead a more fulfilling and quality life.
Four components of EQ:
1. Self-awareness is the ability to realize your emotions and the nature of their influence on your thoughts and behavior.
2. Self-control is the ability to control your impulsive reactions, control emotions, adapt to changing circumstances.
3. Social awareness is the ability to understand the emotions and needs of other people, to capture and correctly interpret their emotional signals.
4. Relationship management is the ability to develop and maintain good relationships, clearly formulate your ideas, inspire other people, work in a team and manage conflicts successfully.
Why is EQ so important?
As we know, not always those being "excellent students" at school become the most successful persons in life. You probably know people who are academically brilliant, but at the same time socially inept and unsuccessful at work or in personal relationships. Possessing a high level of intellectual ability (IQ) is not enough to succeed in life. Yes, your IQ can help you go to university or get a good job, but only your EQ can help you cope with stress and emotions during difficult periods of your life.
Spheres of life affected by EQ.
Emotional intelligence has an important impact on every part of our lives. Here are four areas that EQ can affect.
1. Work
Emotional intelligence will be your help in solving social difficulties in the workplace, leading and motivating other people, and become the basis for the success i your career. In fact, when it comes to assessing the professional and personal qualities of candidates when hiring, HR specialists of many companies currently believe that emotional intelligence is as important as other abilities of the applicant.
2. Physical and mental health
Failure to manage stress levels can lead to serious health problems in the aftermath. Uncontrolled stress can increase blood pressure, suppress the immune system, speed up the aging process, etc. The first step to improving emotional intelligence is to learn to relieve stress. Uncontrolled stress can also affect your mental health, making you vulnerable to anxiety and depression. If you are unable to understand and manage your emotions, you will also be open to mood swings, and failure to form strong relationships can result in your staying alone for the rest of your life.
3. Relationship
By understanding your emotions and regulating them, you can better express your feelings and understand how others feel. This will allow you to communicate more effectively and strengthen relationships with other people both at work and in your personal life.
By Mary Bohan