Emotional Intelligence Training: Its Importance and How To’s
To this day, IQ is still regarded as the number one measurement of success and intelligence in academic or workplace settings. But in actuality, this isn’t the only indicator. There’s one important skill that is often overlooked, and that is called Emotional Intelligence (EI). As a matter of fact, Harvard confirmed that career success is not highly determined by one’s IQ (Akers & Porter, 2003). Employers have other criteria that they sought after, such as communication skills, teamwork, and other qualities related to emotional intelligence (Carnevale, Gainer, Meltzer, & Holland, 1988). Therefore, emotional intelligence training is necessary for you to develop your EI and have an easier time with your career or academics. But you might wonder, what exactly is EI, and why is it so powerful?
What is Emotional Intelligence (EI)?
Emotional intelligence is the skill of understanding and managing others’ emotions as well as your own. With emotional intelligence, you can have better communication and self control. This can help you develop workplace relationships and handle difficult situations easier (Reeves, 2005).
How do I Improve Emotional Intelligence?
Developing emotional intelligence requires practicing certain behaviors and actions. Here are five ways you can use to improve your EI:
Figuring Out Your Weaknesses and Strength - Identifying your strengths and weaknesses will make you more self-aware and help you know which parts of yourself to develop. You can do this by observing yourself or taking personality tests like the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator assessment. You can also ask your friends what they think of you, and ask for their advice regarding personal development.
Active Listening - Listening deeply to others when they talk can help you understand people’s emotions and how they react to certain things. While listening, try to observe their speaking tempo, their body language, and more. This can help you identify their emotions and increase your awareness of their feelings.
Journaling - Writing a journal or keeping a diary can help you reflect on your thoughts and feelings. By doing so, you might be surprised at what emotions and thoughts you were having that you didn’t notice beforehand. This can help you gain more self-awareness and solve the problems you might have.
Pay Attention to Words and Facial Expressions - Picking your words carefully and mastering facial expressions can be incredibly important, as even a small shift in them can convey an entirely different message to others. Therefore, it can be very beneficial for you to keep them in check. You can do this by practicing your speech and expressions to see how they come across to others.
Meditation and Yoga - Meditation and yoga can help you clear your head and focus on yourself for a time being. This can help you be in tune with your physical and emotional self, increasing your self awareness.
Conclusion
Emotional Intelligence can be your powerful tool to extend your professional and academic competence. However, emotional intelligence training requires you to observe yourself and others very closely. It’s not an easy skill to have, but surely one that can bear many fruits in the long run. So keep on practicing, and eventually, you’ll be able to acquire the benefits of emotional intelligence.
Edited by: Esther Chung