Emotional Intelligence (EQ)

Have you ever experienced an individual who has exceptional intellect and ‘IQ” who seems unable to engage and work with others effectively?

At the same time, there are those who may have “average” intellect who are able to create motivation and success through their presence and engagement. Emotional Intelligence was developed to better understand this critical aspect of human endeavor and success. Emotional Intelligence has a structure and aspect that can be assessed and developed.

Emotional intelligence refers to an ability to recognize the meanings of emotion and their relationships and to reason and problem-solve based on them.

EQ is the ability to sense, understand, and effectively apply the power and insight of emotions as a source of energy, information, connection, and influence. It is our ability to manage ourselves and others with awareness. For leaders in particular, EQ is an important ability that is arguably more important than technical skills. However, the combination is very powerful and lays the groundwork for influential leadership.

Some characteristics of EQ

• Not everyone who has a high IQ also has EQ
• The difference between ‘good’ and ‘great’ leaders
• EQ makes better use of our reasoning capacity, the energy of emotions, wisdom of intuition, and the power inherent in our ability to connect with ourselves and those around us.

EQ has 5 central components:

• Self awareness and Control – People with an understanding of themselves can both anticipate and plan reactions to maximize their effectiveness.
• Empathy – Ability to understand how others perceive situations – including how they feel about a particular set of events or circumstances.
• Social expertness – The ability to build genuine relationships and bonds with others.
• Personal Influence – The ability to inspire others through example, words, and actions, and exert influence and leadership in the desired direction.
• Mastery of vision – Sets direction and vision guided by a strong personal philosophy. This serves as the inner compass that guides and influences action.