It Pays To Be Emotionally Intelligent

With increasing complexities of life and the need to network with others socially and professionally, It is necessary to be aware of the emotions that drive ours and other’s choices. In other words it becomes imperative to be aware of our own emotions and realize our strengths and weaknesses so as to know which areas we need to improve upon and which are the areas of strength. This knowledge gives us self confidence and enables us to network and succeed socially and professionally in today’s interdependent world. Moreover, we the social animals, needs people skills which demand empathy, collaboration and the ability to motivate and influence others. And that is not possible without understanding the emotional needs and desires of people we interact with during course of our life.

Being emotionally intelligent enables us to live, operate and interact with courage, and build relationships. But what is Emotional Intelligence and being emotionally intelligent?

Emotional intelligence (EI) in simple words is the ability to perceive, control, and evaluate emotions. Some researchers suggest that emotional intelligence can be acquired and enhanced, while others claim it is an inborn characteristic.
Since 1990, Peter Salovey and John D. Mayer have been the leading researchers on emotional intelligence. They defined emotional intelligence as, “the subset of social intelligence that involves the ability to monitor one's own and others' feelings and emotions, to discriminate among them and to use this information to guide one's thinking and actions” (1990).

Salovey and Mayer proposed a model that identified four different factors of emotional intelligence:

1. Perception of emotions,

2. Ability to reason using emotions,

3. Ability to understand emotion, and

4. Ability to manage emotions.

Who is Emotionally Intelligent & How important it is

Generally speaking, emotional intelligence improves an individual's social effectiveness. The higher your emotional intelligence, the better your are at building and nurturing social relations. If you are a high EI individual,you can:

1. Perceive emotions better

2. Use them in your thought process more effectively

3. Understand their meanings better

4. Manage your emotions better than others.

Solving emotional problems requires less cognitive effort for a high EI individuals. They have also been found to be somewhat better in verbal, social, and other intelligences, particularly if the individuals scored higher in the 'understanding emotions' portion of EI. Such individuals also tends to be more open and agreeable and flexible than others. The high EI individuals, relative to others, are less likely to engage in so called problem behaviors, and avoids self-destructive behaviors and actions such as smoking, excessive drinking, drug abuse, or violent episodes with others. The high EI individuals are more likely to have more positive and meaningful social interactions, particularly those who scored highly on 'emotional management' part of EI. The high EI people are drawn to occupations involving social interactions such as teaching, counseling, PR, Journalism, Sales etc more than to occupations involving clerical or administrative tasks.

Emotional Quotient (EQ)

EQ actually stands Emotional Intelligence Quotient. Much like an intelligence quotient, or IQ, an EQ is said to be a measure of a person’s emotional intelligence.

Many business organizations utilize EQ tests to determine their present and future employees’ emotional responses to different situations and circumstances. There are studies that show how a high or low EQ may affect a person’s abilities to perform under pressure, resolve conflicts, and generally cope with challenges. Studies have also linked EQ measurements to communication and other social skills that people either lack or possess.