At first, to
me & probably many others, emotional intelligence, was probably the normal or
assumed ability to be able to identify and chose the most probable or the best emotional
partner you could lay your heart on (read hand). But I was wrong.
Emotional intelligence
is more about the ability to identify, asses and control the emotions of
oneself, of others and of groups. This means it’s not always about others in
relation to what I feel. EI goes across the board, in all sectors, any that you
can think of. EI is important everywhere. We take a deeper look into emotional
Intelligence, what does it really entail?
Perceiving Emotions.
This is the
ability to detect & decipher motions on expressions, pictures, voices, artwork,
designs, creative works & most important of all oneself. Creation made it possible
for emotions to be reflected in everything we do. Our face is the most evident
of displays, our motivation, the way we talk, and the way we perform our duties.
Here we start with self awareness which is the ability to know one's emotions,
strengths, weaknesses, drives, values and goals and recognize their impact on
others while using instinct to guide decisions. In the organization, EI
cannot be over emphasized. We need to know the plane we are functioning on in relation
to our emotions. This will ensure a stable relationship within the organization.
For instance if somebody is low, they will take necessary action to motivate
themselves & bring back their energy to the normal level. If they are the high
tempered kind, any situation that will lead them to the edge will be avoided. This
reduces conflict in an organization. On the other hand, individuals who can
detect the various emotional orientations of the people around them will be
able to relate with them in a more affable way than others. Colleagues will be
able to tell when one of their own is not okay & work to make things right.
Leadership Hierarchies also highly rely on emotional intelligence to evaluate
the morale & general orientation of their team players. In marketing, a
sales person will identify the status of a client before approaching them with
a deal, & so are customers before they start bargaining for a product they
have identified for purchase.
Using emotions
This is the
ability to harness emotions to facilitate various cognitive activities like
thinking, problem solving etc. In
this level of emotional intelligence, you are able to control impulsive
feelings and behaviors, manage your emotions in healthy ways, take initiative,
follow through on commitments, and adapt to changing circumstances. Individually
it is easy. We all know when we are highly motivated or inspired to do
something. It’s at this moment that we are very productive. Anybody can observe
their emotional trend to try and utilize them to achieve set goals & endeavors.
On the other hand, the emotions in the people around us can be utilized for a
worthy cause. In decision making for example, good resolutions will best come
up when your team is very jovial. Ideas come up at this point & generally
an organization is bound to be more productive in this instance. If it is not a
‘good time’ then this may wait until the people are in a ‘good mood’. Marketers,
real estate agents, including hawkers have mastered this particular aspect to
make sure they put & polish your emotions before they make that very vital financial
proposal.
Understanding emotions
Comprehending
emotions in the various non verbal cues in the body language and being able to
appreciate complicated relationships, among emotions & how they evolve is
also an important aspect of emotional intelligence. As mentioned earlier,
emotions are displayed in various forms. As life progresses, people are
perfecting the art of vocal emotional deception. It’s an ordinary thing to lie
about how we feel about things or situations. But one thing that is for sure is
that there is a way the body behaves in relation to what its spiritual form is
commanding it to perform. These are the non verbal cues that we are familiar
with. However, recognizing non verbal cues is not as a big deal as
understanding them. This is where intelligence falls into play. It is important
to understand them in order to blend them in the various day to day
experiences. Many a time we try to communicate to people but our message doesn’t
come across right. Part we are to blame since we haven’t taken time to identify,
understand & interpret the emotions that are being displayed by an
individual. The recipient also has a role to play, in understanding the non
verbal cues accompanying the message. Remember this applies to everybody…
Managing emotions
Last but not
least, emotionally intelligent individuals regulate emotions, in themselves
& others and will harness them and manage them to achieve intended goals. They
will strive to eliminate the bad emotions and similarly to boost & maintain
the good. We find that most of out motivation comes from within. Our performance
is directly proportional to out motivation which is highly reliant on emotional
intelligence. As individuals we need to manage our emotions in order to be able
to relate to others healthily. As leaders we also need to be able to manage the
emotions of the team players in our organizations to ensure a conducive working
environment for enhanced productivity.
In summary, Emotional Intelligence affects our
performance at work, helping us navigate the social complexities of the
workplace, lead and motivate others, and excel in our various careers. It has become
of equal importance as other technical abilities. It also affects our physical & mental health, whereby
those who are able to manage themselves are free of many stress related health
issues. Stress management is also a beneficial aspect of Emotional Intelligence.
Uncontrolled stress impacts our mental health, making us vulnerable to anxiety
and depression. If we are unable to understand and manage our emotions, we’ll
be prone to mood swings, whereby an inability to form strong relationships can
leave us feeling lonely and isolated thus affecting a lot in our day to day
lifestyle. Most interesting & obvious of all, EI affects our relationships. By identifying with
our emotions and their control, we’re better placed in terms of expressing our
feelings and understanding how others are feeling. This promotes effective
communication and fashions stronger relationships, both at work and in our
personal life.
This article was published in the Defence Forces Technical College Magazine issue of 2012.
Hi. Same Old Drama, Different Day. This blog is about me and others, nature, life, blah blah and why everything I like is great even the hurting - still great. If you disagree with anything you find on this page, Well. . . You are probably right..
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